EXCESSIVE SLOP AND UNCONTROLLABLE, UNINTENDED STEERING SHIFTS CAUSING VEHICLE TO UNEXPECTEDLY AND SUDDENLY VEER OUT OF LANE OF TRAVEL RELATED TO DEFECTIVE LASH ADJUSTMENT STEERING BOX
2016 GMC Sierra Denali
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sierra Denali years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
29 reports with mileage · 1 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
6 reportsSINCE I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ONCE IT WENT FROM 70 TO 20 ON THE HIGHWAY.. IT KICKS OR JERKS AT ANY SPEED... ESPECIALLY GOING SLOW.. THE SHIFTING IS HORRIBLE!!! THE FEELING OF IT LOSING POWER AGAIN LIKE IT DID COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND UNSELFISH AND PASSENGERS.. I DON'T T…
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SINCE I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. ONCE IT WENT FROM 70 TO 20 ON THE HIGHWAY.. IT KICKS OR JERKS AT ANY SPEED... ESPECIALLY GOING SLOW.. THE SHIFTING IS HORRIBLE!!! THE FEELING OF IT LOSING POWER AGAIN LIKE IT DID COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND UNSELFISH AND PASSENGERS.. I DON'T TRUST IT ON THE HIGHWAY!!! I KEEP A MONITOR CONNECTED TO MY TRUCK AT ALL TIMES.. THE DATES COINCIDE WITH THE PAPERWORK!! ONGOING TRANNY ISSUES ALL THE TIME!! I PAID WAY TO MUCH FOR THIS LEMON!! ENGINE VIBRATES AROUND 80.. AND IF YOU DON'T USE YOUR BLINKER.. THEY TRUCK FIGHTS YOU TO CHANGE LANES.. IT PULLS YOU BACK!!
1) REAR DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT WOULD NOT RETRACT WHEN UNBUCKLED. SEATBELT HAD TO BE MANUALLY FED BACK IN SO THAT THE BELT DIDN'T DANGLE OR GET SHUT IN THE DOOR. REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 18, 2020 AT ROUGHLY 55-56,000 MILES. 2) TRUCK IS CURRENTLY SHAKING WHEN DRIVING AND HAS TENDENCIES TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AT TIMES. I'M CU…
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1) REAR DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT WOULD NOT RETRACT WHEN UNBUCKLED. SEATBELT HAD TO BE MANUALLY FED BACK IN SO THAT THE BELT DIDN'T DANGLE OR GET SHUT IN THE DOOR. REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP ON JUNE 18, 2020 AT ROUGHLY 55-56,000 MILES. 2) TRUCK IS CURRENTLY SHAKING WHEN DRIVING AND HAS TENDENCIES TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AT TIMES. I'M CURRENTLY JUST SHY OF 59,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK AND HAS BEEN NOTICEABLE WITHIN THE LAST 1,000 MILES. RESEARCHING IT APPEARS IT HAS A COMMON NAME OF "CHEVY SHAKE."
PURCHASED THE 2016 DURAMAX DENALI WITH LESS THAN 39,000 MILES AFTER MY PREVIOUS GMC TRUCK TURNED OUT TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD AND A MONEY PIT. SALES REP HAD ME DRIVE THE VEHICLE AROUND THE BLOCK AND THE VEHICLE WAS WHAT I WANTED. AFTER DRIVING THE TRUCK AT HIGHWAY SPEED I STARTED NOTICING THE VEHICLE DRIFTING ALL OVER, I HAD TO TUR…
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PURCHASED THE 2016 DURAMAX DENALI WITH LESS THAN 39,000 MILES AFTER MY PREVIOUS GMC TRUCK TURNED OUT TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD AND A MONEY PIT. SALES REP HAD ME DRIVE THE VEHICLE AROUND THE BLOCK AND THE VEHICLE WAS WHAT I WANTED. AFTER DRIVING THE TRUCK AT HIGHWAY SPEED I STARTED NOTICING THE VEHICLE DRIFTING ALL OVER, I HAD TO TURN THE LANE DEPARTURE WARNING SYSTEM OFF BECAUSE YOU CANT KEEP IT IN THE LANE. GOING INTO A CONSTRUCTION ZONE I ALMOST WAS PUSHED INTO THE BARRIER BECAUSE OF THE DRAFT OFF OF A SEMI. WITH SPEED LIMITS UP TO 85 HERE IN TEXAS I CANT BELIEVE SOMEBODY HAS NOT BEEN KILLED YET. I AM TAKING IT TO GMC CAVENDER OF BUICK IN SAN ANTONIO WEDNESDAY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE.
STEERING WHEEL SLOPPY 1-2 INCHES OF PLAY WHILE DRIVING
THE VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE STEERING PLAY. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN ICY CONDITIONS AND CAN BE NOTICED DRIVING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT UNDER ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON DRY OR ICY PAVEMENT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED SERVICE BULLETIN WORK AT MY EXPENSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND REWORK INVOLVED T…
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THE VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE STEERING PLAY. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN ICY CONDITIONS AND CAN BE NOTICED DRIVING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT UNDER ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON DRY OR ICY PAVEMENT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED SERVICE BULLETIN WORK AT MY EXPENSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE BULLETIN AND REWORK INVOLVED TIGHTENING THE STEERING BOX BACKLASH SCREW. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED AND STILL EXISTS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL LIST TO FIX THE ISSUE. IN ORDER TO FIX THE ISSUE, THE PITMAN ARM SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WITH AN UPDATED VERSION GM PN 84240812 IF THE STEERING PLAY CANNOT BE ADJUSTED OUT. THIS IS THE CASE WITH MY VEHICLE AND THE PART WAS NOT REPLACED.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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