YearToAvoid

2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Steering Problems

NHTSA lists 37 steering complaints for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, about 8% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 9,550. Owners most often report sudden loss of power steering assist or full steering lockup, sometimes tied to error messages like ESC or service steering column lock. No related recall is listed for this issue.

Steering complaints
37
8% of 477
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
9,550 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical steering symptoms owners report

  • Steering wheel suddenly locks up or ceases to turn, either while parked, at a stand still, or during normal driving.
  • Power steering assist drops out at startup or randomly while driving, accompanied by a 'power steering assist reduced' or 'service power steering' warning.
  • Loss of communication between vehicle modules triggers combined steering, ESC, and traction control warning lights at the same time.
  • A 'service steering column lock' message appears intermittently before starting, in some cases despite a software update meant to fix it.
  • Steering issues sometimes recur after a dealer visit, with codes cleared but the same lockup or assist failure returning within a short distance driven.

When 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 steering complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 23, 2020, latest Jun 8, 2026.

2020 GMC Sierra 1500 steering complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2020Sep 2020May 2021Nov 2022Sep 2023Feb 2025Sep 2025Jun 2026
37 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2020 to Jun 2026; peak Aug 2020 (2).

Steering recalls for the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Steering complaints by Sierra 1500 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20103 (1%)
  2. 201111 (3%)
  3. 201210 (7%)
  4. 20135 (3%)
  5. 2014162 (19%)
  6. 201588 (11%)
  7. 201644 (12%)
  8. 201728 (7%)
  9. 201833 (10%)
  10. 201949 (7%)
  11. 202037 (8%)
  12. 202133 (6%)
  13. 202213 (2%)
  14. 202312 (3%)
  15. 20247 (2%)
  16. 20253 (3%)

Frequently asked questions

Is steering a common problem on the 2020 GMC Sierra 1500?
NHTSA lists 37 steering complaints for the 2020 Sierra 1500, about 8% of the 477 total complaints filed for the model year.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Sierra 1500 steering issue?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this steering complaint area.
At what mileage do steering problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 9,550 miles.
Has the steering problem caused any crashes?
NHTSA data lists 1 crash and 1 injury among the reported steering complaints for this year.
Do other Sierra 1500 model years have more steering complaints?
Yes, the 2014 model year has the most, with 162 steering complaints and a 19% share, well above the 2020 model's 37 complaints and 8% share.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.