2016 Silverado 2500HD Steering woes

revrnd · February 8, 2017

The pitman shaft was worn.

The picture they showed me it appeared that the arm and shaft were all one piece. The shaft goes INTO the steering box, as they changed the fluid and replaced a seal.

Truck goes in this morning, we'll see and I'll let you know.

Thanks for clearing that up.

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · February 9, 2017

I asked about the pitman arm and shaft yesterday morning when I dropped it off and they confirmed they are one piece.

XU_Design · February 11, 2017

I asked about the pitman arm and shaft yesterday morning when I dropped it off and they confirmed they are one piece.

That dealer is wrong. The pitman arm is a separate part that is attached to the spline shaft and secured with a lock washer and nut.

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · February 11, 2017

Picked it up yesterday, marginally better?

Mechanic said, yeah, "they all do that", I said the 17's don't, he said yeah, they fixed it for 17, but the 17 has shift problems from 4th to 5th and some engine noise issues...

He told me he adjusted the steering gear pitman shaft lash adjuster screw...like I said marginally better. I like the truck, but don't like the way it steers.

http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=5876

I think I might just sell it and move on...wasted enough time on this thing.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread!

Doug Rosewood · February 11, 2017

2016 HD crew cab here also built in flint..i will say though i don't believe i have any issues with my steering, seems to be the same as when I bought it..then again I don't know what you guys considered really loose, I came from a truck with a rack and pinion so I guess i'm not 100% accustomed to the rotating ball feel. On a side note, I'm heading to the dealer sometime soon for some work, and I'm just wondering if I should say something, like a proactive move, like have them look at the screw on the steering box?

lastly, I have empathy with all of you that have had issues, and I hope and pray I don't join you in the warranty work boat, but this is the first year with this digital assist steering..somebodys got to go through the growing pains, it just happens with everything new..imagine how many folks suffered through injectors when the dirtymax came out.

Big ~O~ · February 11, 2017

Steering started to act up again on my truck...I had enough of the BS steering! Took it back to the dealer for the third time and while it was in the shop took a '17 for a drive. Steering felt great! I was also told that '17's won't see the same steering problems. I told them to keep my truck with the ongoing steering and the transmission (hard shifts and violent shuddering) issues and I'll take the '17. We got the owner of the dealership involved and worked out an amazing deal. Zero cash up front and my loss is minimal. My monthly payment went up less then $30...$348 extra per year on the term. Lets hope the '17 has no issues!! To be honest I shouldn't have to resort to purchasing a new truck but enough was enough!

Edited February 11, 2017 by Big ~O~

Agriont · February 11, 2017

Good luck to those who have commented here on the steering problems and have complained to the dealers, to GM and to government safety departments. As I have said in previous comments, other than a lawsuit, I doubt that GM will take notice of the steering problems in these new trucks. It is not ok to spend $60k - $80k for a vehicle and have to deal these problems right off the lot in many cases.

f GM enters this conversation, I hope they have the gonads to reach out to each of us and try to mend the broken trust that so many of us have had with GM at this time. I have owned six GMCs and none gave me the problems of my 2016.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Agriont

cpap · February 11, 2017

Maybe it's been discussed prior. What does the '17 have that the '16 doesn't in order to not have the steering issue. It seems some of these techs are confidant there isn't issue with the '17.

2017HD · February 11, 2017

Maybe it's been discussed prior. What does the '17 have that the '16 doesn't in order to not have the steering issue. It seems some of these techs are confidant there isn't issue with the '17.

good question, because I don't think they have found the root cause yet. We have seen the issue come and go with the "fixes" GM is trying. Reports of metal in the hydro boost system could be an indication of why the problem returns in some trucks. At any rate I don't think it is a design issue with the digital assist but more of a bad batch of parts or a worker not doing his/her job correctly. From the sounds of the questions that are being asked by GM when you take your truck in for repair, they are either trying to find out if there is something in common with the driving styles - they can easily sort out the stuff on their end such as build week, built plant, steering box batch etc. And even though the issue has generated a large interest here, there are relatively few people with the issue - so perhaps the problem is not a widespread as we are making it out to be.

I do have a vested interest in this as I have a new truck or order that falls into the category of trucks having these issues.

ChevyTech77 · February 11, 2017

good question, because I don't think they have found the root cause yet. We have seen the issue come and go with the "fixes" GM is trying. Reports of metal in the hydro boost system could be an indication of why the problem returns in some trucks. At any rate I don't think it is a design issue with the digital assist but more of a bad batch of parts or a worker not doing his/her job correctly. From the sounds of the questions that are being asked by GM when you take your truck in for repair, they are either trying to find out if there is something in common with the driving styles - they can easily sort out the stuff on their end such as build week, built plant, steering box batch etc. And even though the issue has generated a large interest here, there are relatively few people with the issue - so perhaps the problem is not a widespread as we are making it out to be.

I do have a vested interest in this as I have a new truck or order that falls into the category of trucks having these issues.

I can tell you for a fact that it's not as big of an issue as it is made out to be here but, that pretty much goes for most anything you read on the internet.

GS340 · February 12, 2017

Hello... My truck is still at the dealer. They replaced all the components that contain power steering fluid after identifying heavily contaminated power steering fluid. Tech said the fluid was silver... With the new steering box the sloppiness appears to be gone but the issue with the steering wheel wanting to turn right when the brake is applied remains. This occurs while moving and while stationary, at random times. The power steering causes the wheel to twitch while you drive at random times. This is extremely annoying. Dealer is perplexed and they are going to ask GM to get more envolved. Possibly have a GM engineer inspect the truck. They've had 4 different techs drive it and they all say something isn't right. They replaced the front calipers yesterday with no change in behavior. What really irritates me is the fact the entire front of the truck had to be removed to get to the cooler, and lines. The 'fit and finish' is off in how it was reassembled, if that makes sense. Oh well...

Very frustrating...

Edited February 12, 2017 by GS340

revrnd · February 12, 2017

good question, because I don't think they have found the root cause yet. We have seen the issue come and go with the "fixes" GM is trying. Reports of metal in the hydro boost system could be an indication of why the problem returns in some trucks. At any rate I don't think it is a design issue with the digital assist but more of a bad batch of parts or a worker not doing his/her job correctly. From the sounds of the questions that are being asked by GM when you take your truck in for repair, they are either trying to find out if there is something in common with the driving styles - they can easily sort out the stuff on their end such as build week, built plant, steering box batch etc. And even though the issue has generated a large interest here, there are relatively few people with the issue - so perhaps the problem is not a widespread as we are making it out to be.

I do have a vested interest in this as I have a new truck or order that falls into the category of trucks having these issues.

Very true. On the assembly side, they can "drill it down" to the operator if there are parallel spurs in an AGV system doing the same work.

Seeing as all the folks that have responded to the plant code question, as having a truck built in Flint, lets see if we can find a time point. On the door jamb sticker, you'll find a date (mine is 10/16) in the upper RH corner. Maybe there is a common month or throughout the model year.

Edited February 12, 2017 by revrnd

revrnd · February 12, 2017

I can tell you for a fact that it's not as big of an issue as it is made out to be here but, that pretty much goes for most anything you read on the internet.

Whatever.

I started following this thread in Sept' just before I ordered my new truck & after my brother bought his '16 CC D'Max. I didn't say anything to him about watching for steering issues for fear of jinxing him.

Well, guess what, a couple of weeks after I got mine & before Christmas, the S-I-L asked me what the steering was like on my truck. I said it was fine. I didn't think this sounded good. She said all of a sudden their's had gotten sloppy. Both her and my brother said you were constantly correcting. Bro' said driving down a straight highway you were "sawing" on the wheel to keep going straight. This was a highway they use all the time & beforehand there was no issue steering.

Dealership has replaced the steering shaft & so far steering seems OK. I will report any subsequent issues.

He's not on this forum & I wonder how many others aren't that are having steering issues? The fact that GM has gotten up to D on their TSB would make 1 think that a "few" people have been into their dealers for a fix.

Edited February 12, 2017 by revrnd

ChevyTech77 · February 12, 2017

Whatever.

I started following this thread in Sept' just before I ordered my new truck & after my brother bought his '16 CC D'Max. I didn't say anything to him about watching for steering issues for fear of jinxing him.

Well, guess what, a couple of weeks after I got mine & before Christmas, the S-I-L asked me what the steering was like on my truck. I said it was fine. I didn't think this sounded good. She said all of a sudden their's had gotten sloppy. Both her and my brother said you were constantly correcting. Bro' said driving down a straight highway you were "sawing" on the wheel to keep going straight. This was a highway they use all the time & beforehand there was no issue steering.

Dealership has replaced the steering shaft & so far steering seems OK. I will report any subsequent issues.

He's not on this forum & I wonder how many others aren't that are having steering issues? The fact that GM has gotten up to D on their TSB would make 1 think that a "few" people have been into their dealers for a fix.

Simple fact. I can find problems with almost anything, if I search the Internet for reviews or forums on whatever it is that I'm looking for. Rarely are these places full of good news.