There are 45 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2004 GMC Sierrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DURING COLD MORNINGS (WISCONSIN) I START MY TRUCK AND I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND SOFT BRAKES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE POWER STEERING RUNS THE BRAKE BOOST. ALSO, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT SAYS THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH LOW/COLD TEMP FLUID. MY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS IF I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHILE I AM DRIVING.
ME AND MY TWO BOYS WHERE HEADED HOME AND I WAS TAKING A CURVE AT 50MPH A WENT TO SLOW DOWN TO 45 WHEN I STARTED TO TAKE THE CURVE I HEARD SOME KIND OF METAL BONE BREAKING SOUND AND MY TRUCK JERKED TO THE ONCOMING LANE AND A JERKED IT BACK BUT AFTER THAT EVERYTHING WENT LOOSE AND ME AND MY BOYS WENT SIDEWAYS OF OF THE BANK OF THE CURVE AND WE ROLLED 3 TIMES BEFORE WE STOPPED TANK UP. MY AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF NEITHER THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG. I HEARD A HISSING NOISE I GOT MY BOYS OUT AS FAST AS I COULD WITH SOME HELP OF BYSTANDERS BREAKING THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SO WE COULD CRAWL OUT. THEY CARRIED MY BOYS AND HELPED ME HOP TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. ME AND MY BOYS WENT TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY WERE ALRIGHT THANK GOD I RECEIVED SOME INJURIES TO MY BACK, NECK, STOMACH AND HEAD. MY TRUCK WAS TOTALED AND IVY HALL TOWING IN JACKSONVILLE, AR KEEP MY TRUCK AND PUT A LIEN ON IT. HOW THEY EXCEPT SOMEONE TO PAY AFTER THEY WERE IN A WRECK AND LOST THEIR JOB BECAUSE NO RIDE TO GET BACK AND FORTH. MY ROLLOVER WRECK HAPPENED ON HWY 107 AND CLEVELAND IN ARKANSAS ON MARCH 21ST 2018
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE STARTING MY 2004 GMC, SOMETIME WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IT WOULD DO NOTHING, I HAD IT TOWED IN AND SPENT OVER $500 TO REPAIR IT, ALTERNATOR, BATTERY ETC, AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN I GOT IT BACK, AND IT DID IT AGAIN, I FOUND THAT IF I MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL UP AND DOWN WITH THE LEVER, IT WOULD THEN START. YESTERDAY I WENT OUT TO START MY TRUCK IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. IT FEELS LIKE THE IGNITION CAME APART OR SOMETHING INSIDE. THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS VEHICLE TOWED IN AGAIN AND PAY TO REPAIR THE IGNITION, WHEN GM HAS BEEN HAVING HUGE PROBLEMS WITH IGNITIONS! I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE TO INCLUDE A FIRE UNDER THE DASH. MY INSURANCE COVERED IT BECAUSE A FUSE MELTED AND DID NOT DO IT'S JOB, HOWEVER NOW MY SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK, AND THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS WHICH I WILL NOT DO. I USE MY GPS TO TRACK MY SPEED! THE REAR TRANSFER CASE WENT ON IT, AND I SPENT $1,800 TO HAVE A NEW ONE INSTALLED. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SMALL THINGS, BUT THOSE ARE THE MAJOR PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD OVER THE YEARS. I AM LIKE EVERY OTHER AVERAGE PERSON. I HAD NO IDEA HOW TO GET GM TO FIX THEM, SO I JUST PAID MYSELF! WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING HOW TO REPLACE THE IGNITION, I CAME ACROSS YOUR SITE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THIS OR HOW TO GO ABOUT IT. I NEED MY TRUCK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO I WILL PROBABLY GET STUCK PAYING AGAIN! THANK YOU *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO A FIRE HYDRANT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT NO INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ARM AND THE BOLT HAD BECOME SHREDDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE AN INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM BOLT HAD SHREDDED FROM THE TIE ROD CENTER LINK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE YOU GET A LOUD THUMP AND SHAKE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED, WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR TURNING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TRACED TO THE STEERING SHAFT ON ALL CHEVROLET AND GMC PICKUPS FROM THAT YEAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC PICK UP 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE, THE PEDAL FELL FURTHER INTO THE FLOORBOARD THAN USUAL AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE RETAINER CHIP FOR THE HYDRO-BOOST AND BRAKE SWITCH WAS MISSING AT THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLIP AND THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS REINSTALLED. IN ADDITION, WHILE TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PRODUCING AN ABNORMAL SOUND AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE LOWER BEARING ASSEMBLY WAS WORN. THE STEERING WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,338.
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 GMC SIERRA PICKUP ON HIGHWAY 101 IN THE CENTRAL COAST OF CALIFORNIA. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH A BOLT FELL OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN LEAVING HIM WITH ABSOLUTELY NO STEERING. HE CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL SPINS AROUND LIKE A ROULETTE WHEEL AND CLEARLY IS NOT ATTACHED TO ANY PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE RESPONDING TOW TRUCK DRIVER CLAIMED HE HAS NEVER SEEN A STEERING WHEEL LIKE THIS - NOT EVEN ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN WRECKED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 2500. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES THE STEERING WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO MOVE. WHEN ATTACHING THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE TRAILER THE TAIL LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I OWN A 2004 GMC SIERRA SLE EXTENDED CAB SHORTBOX Z-71 PICKUP WHICH I BOUGHT NEW IN JUNE, 2004. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A "RATTLE" IN THE STEERING IN THE LAST YEAR WHICH KEPT GETTING WORSE. MASTER AUTO IN GRAND FORKS REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AT A COST TO ME OF $166.11. SINCE THIS STEERING SHAFT COULD BIND/FREEZE UP, I BELIEVE THIS PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN "RECALLED" BY GM AND REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE AS A FACTORY DEFECT AND SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
NOTICED I STARTED TO GET A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED AN TBS LUBE KIT IN THE STEERING SHAFT. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE VIBRATION IS BACK AND WORSE THAN BEFORE, CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME 300.00 PLUS LABOR. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN YEAR GM TRUCKS, AND EVERY DAY IT SEEMS TO GET WORSE. I FEEL MY SAFETY MIGHT BE COMPROMISED, IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 3500. WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN, THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES FAILED. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SHAFT SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT HAS HAD THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES REPLACED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME FAILURES. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
OWN A 2004 GMC SIERRA BOUGHT BRAND NEW HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS STEERING GEAR BOX WENT OUT COMPLETELY DEALER R/R PART AS A RECALL / STEERING PROBLEM KNOCKING IN WHEEL TOOK TO DEALER FOUR TIMES INSTALLED GREASE PACK IN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT LAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS PROBLEM RECURS DEALER STATES RECALL ON SHAFT BUT WONT R/R PART HAV PROBLEM WITH D/S DOOR SPEAKER BLOWN TWICE DEALER R/R PART N/C D/S SEATBELT SQUEAKS R/R PART DEALER N/C NOW I HAVE A ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE GOES INTO REST MODE WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH U DRIVE UP A HILL AND WILL ONLY GO TWO TO FIVE MPH THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SO I HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OVER AND TURN VEHICLE OFF ECM RESETS AND THEN IS OK TILL NEXT MORNING SAME THING DEALER IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION ON PROBLEM I CURRENTLY HAVE 53,000 MILES ON IT TRANSMISSION IS MAKING CLUNKING NOISE ALSO WHILE SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO GEARS ? R/S HALF SHAFT SEAL BLOWN OUT ON ME FOUR WHEEL DRIVE/ I AM GLAD I BOUGHT EXT WARR FOR THIS AND ALSO THE WATER PUMP WENT OUT ON ME 3,000 MILES AGO 50,000 FOR A WATER PUMP WARR COVERED THIS AND THE HALF SHFT SEAL STEERING SHAFT AND GEAR BOX HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS YEAR . ALSO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES HAVE BEEN A RECALL I HAVE PERSONALLY RECEIVED LETTER FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SPEED AND FUEL GAUGE INOPERATIVE CORRECTLY GM HAS A RECALL ON THESE THREE ITEMS R/R BY DEALER ON A RECALL SO PLEASE READ AND CONTACT YOUR DEALER WITH THESE COMMON PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED STEERING BOX INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND SPEED FUEL GAUGE CLUSTER. *TR
2004 SIERRA 1500 WITH 31,000 MILES IT DEVELOPED A KNOCK NOISE EVERTIME I DROVE OVER A MILD BUMP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STEERING SHAFT. THEY REPLACED IT AT NO CHARGE AND TOOK ABOUT AND HOUR. *TR VERY GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH THIS DEALER.
KNOCKING IN THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY BEGAN AT 20,000 MILES. STEERING SHAFT HAS TO BE GREASED BY SERVICE CENTER EVERY 10K MILES TO PREVENT KNOCKING. SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGES STOPPED WORKING. SPEEDOMETER USED TO REGISTER MAX MPH WHEN DOING 70MPH THEN STOPPED WORKING AT ALL. *TR
WHINE AND CLUNKING SOUNDS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEN STEERING, PARTICULARLY IN A LEFT TURN. ONE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS GREASE PROBLEM. NO WORD FROM GMC. *TR
STEERING COLUMN CLUNKING, SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING .EVERYTHING STARTED GOING WRONG ABOUT. 63,000 K . I HAVE 116,000 KNOW. 2004 Z71 CREWCAB. *TR
1 SPEEDOMETER REGISTERING 120 SITTING STILL ( REPLACED CLUSTER). 2 WIPERS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF ( REPLACED WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD) 3. KNOCK IN COLUMN ( REPLACED INTERMEDIATE SHAFT). *NM
CLUNKING NOISE IN STEERING COMPONENTS WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE WITH SUSPENSION MOVEMENT (CROWN OF ROAD, UN-LEVEL SURFACE). CLUNKING FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALER STATED, INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM. MANY LIKE REPORTED PROBLEMS TO DEALER AND ON THE INTERNET. *JB
I HAVE A 2004 GMC SIERRA EXT. CAB TRUCK WITH ABOUT 70K MILES ON IT. IN THE PAST WEEK, THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED READING HIGHER THAN 120 MPH WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ONLY DOING AROUND 50 MPH. WHEN STOPPED IT READS AROUND 60 MPH. I CAN START AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES AND THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE WILL DROP AROUND 10 MPH EACH TIME IT STARTS. WHEN IT GETS TO 0, IT WILL READ FINE FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND THEN GRADUALLY START CLIMBING UP PAST 120 MPH AGAIN. 2ND COMPLAINT. AROUND EVERY 20K TO 25K MILES, I HAVE TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND HAVE A NEW STEERING COLUMN GREASE PACKING KIT INSTALLED BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN STARTS KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRST 2 TIMES IT WAS DONE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, NOW THE WARRANTY IS UP AND IT NEEDS ANOTHER PACKING DONE. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY FOR THIS ONE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK BRAND NEW. *JB
Showing 1–20 of 45 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026