2016 Silverado 2500HD Steering woes

[trpshoot]

3400 miles on mine so far with no issues, however now I am not feeling super confident... Looks like I may have a few hundred additional miles or more before the issue develops. Who has a 2016 with say over 10,000 or 20,000 miles with no issues as of yet? ANyone?

[480Ruger]

Mine just started Monday @ 8K miles. At the dealership now with about 4" of play.

Edited September 14, 2016 by 480Ruger

[WilliamBos]

the 2016 has different steering- the digital assist. My 2015 is great.

What is digital assist? Why do they bother adding electronics to something as important as steering.

[trpshoot]

What is digital assist? Why do they bother adding electronics to something as important as steering.

 

 

Good question, the 2012 Ford Explorer I drive for work has digital assist steering and went out on me twice as in stopped working which turns that particular model and year into a vehicle without power steering, power brakes, & turn signals. No kidding, the first time it went out on me at less than 10,000 miles I was on the interstate driving 70 mph or so and all my dash lights come on and a bell starts dinging and I have no power steering or brakes, I was on a curve. I am not sure that my wife or a fragile elderly person, etc. would have been able to keep it around the curve. I am old enough to have driven plenty of vehicles without power steering and that is the only reason I believe that I didn't crash in the middle of that curve surrounded by traffic. The other time was in the city going straight, it is a sucker turning that wheel though, brought back some memories. LOL. Regardless, two trips into the shop, two replacements. The last 65,000 miles have been trouble free. I have about 85,000 on the explorer now. So at least is seems GM was smart enough not to tie the steering, breaks, and turn signals into this electronic module. LOL.

Edited September 14, 2016 by trpshoot

[gunny1]

This is what i found on Chevy brochure

 

 

Five Advantages Of The 2016 Sierra HD’s New Digital Steering Assist System Advanced technology results in steering that’s light and easy in the parking lot, confident on the open road, and easier than ever to use.

Working hard doesn’t have to feel hard – in fact, the 2016 GMC Sierra HD’s new Digital Steering Assist system makes driving and maneuvering a heavy-duty pickup easier.

The new variable-effort hydraulic power steering system, standard on most Sierra HD double and crew cab models equipped with SLE, SLT, All Terrain, or Denali trim levels, proactively adjusts power steering assist levels in order to increase confidence while on the open road

“Modern electric power steering systems offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to changing the steering weight and effort,” says Christopher Bither, vehicle performance/ dynamics engineer for the 2016 Sierra heavy-duty pickup truck. “Digital Steering Assist is unique as it allows us to offer a similar range of tuning possibilities in the 2016 Sierra HD, yet retain the robust durability of a conventional heavy-duty hydraulic system.”

Here are five advantages you will feel when you take the wheel of a 2016 Sierra HD pickup truck equipped with Digital Steering Assist:

Speed-Adaptive: Power steering assist is often tuned to provide enough assist to make low-speed maneuverability – in parking lots, for example – where resistance is greater. While a light steering weight is great in that situation, it can feel too light once a vehicle is up to speed, and might require constant correction.

Digital Steering Assist delivers the best of both worlds. A controller connected directly to the steering gear actively measures vehicle speed, steering wheel position, and steering gear pressure and can adjust the amount of effort a driver needs to input depending on the situation. At low speeds, steering effort is 20% lighter than a comparable 2015 Sierra HD, while at higher speeds, the steering system provides a heavier feel, which provides better stability and consistency.

Tailored for Tow/Haul: A truck loaded with cargo or pulling a large, heavy trailer handles much differently than an empty truck because of the added weight. A steering wheel that normally feels light and easy to turn may require greater effort once the truck is laden. Sierra’s Digital Steering Assist solves that: When the driver pushes the Tow/Haul switch -- which also adjusts transmission tuning -- Digital Steering Assist responds by increasing low-speed assist and reducing static steering effort another 10%.

Return to Center: Traditional heavy-duty steering systems often required a fair amount of driver input to bring the steering wheel back to center, even with power assist. Because Digital Steering Assist can actively adjust assist levels, it can greatly reduce the amount of effort required to center the steering wheel, which can be beneficial when maneuvering in small parking lots or other tight quarters.

Counteracts Road Pull: Roads with significant crowning can prove tiresome, as even a vehicle with perfectly-aligned suspension will inevitably pull to one side. Instead of forcing the driver to constantly dial in steering to counteract for this pull, Digital Steering Assist can recognize the situation and proactively assist.

“Digital Steering Assist will recognize when the driver is applying a certain amount of pressure offset over an extended period of time and then keep the pressure value there,” says Bither. “Instead of the driver constantly holding the truck in a straight line, the steering gear does it for you.”

Variable Flow Pump: In addition to varying the weight and effort of the steering system, Sierra’s Digital Steering Assist system goes a step further by utilizing a variable-output hydraulic power steering pump. When the system is under a light load – like on a long, straight stretch of highway, for example -- the pump’s output can be scaled back, reducing engine load and improving efficiency.

Digital Steering Assist is one of many new enhancements incorporated into the 2016 Sierra HD pickup truck. New HID projector-beam headlamps, complete with GMC signature LED lighting, is now standard on all Sierra HD models. A remote locking tailgate is available for added convenience. A new gooseneck/ 5th wheel prep package, which adds a frame-mounted hitch platform, a bed-mounted trailer harness, and a spray-in bed liner, will be available on Duramax-equipped models in the first quarter of 2016.

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Edited September 14, 2016 by gunny1

[Skeld]

Is the play actually play in the system or it because its boosting too much at higher speeds?

[North16HighCountryDuramax]

Picked up my truck this morning and steering is back to normal, this was actually pretty painless which is a good thing...good as new... Hopefully not replaced with same as original so it does not happen again...

[gunny1]

North16HighCountryDuramax

what did they do to fix the problem?

[480Ruger]

I picked mine up yesterday afternoon and it's much harder to turn now. I called back today and asked if all they did was unplug the electric assist! Def no play now.

[North16HighCountryDuramax]

North16HighCountryDuramax

what did they do to fix the problem?

 

The person I got my truck back from did not have details, sorry. Mine is not harder to turn than it used to be, same as new...

[Tjeli]

This is not a problem with the digital assist system. The digital assist system on its own cannot cause "play" in the steering. Its a problem with the torque of the pitman arm nut on the steering box itself. Hopefully when they get that sorted you guys wont have any other issues with it.

 

-Eli

[gunny1]

I just picked my truck up and this dealer knew about the problems with the play in the steering wheel. The play is caused by a adjusting screw in the steering box backing out causing the play in the steering wheel.The fix is using a chemical call loctite to keep the screw from backing out.Seems to be back to normal and only time will tell if comes back.My dealer repaired it one day and even gave me a loaner car to drive why the repairs where being completed.

[brwk]

Mine goes in today for a Tues appt. Had it in once earlier in the year but of course I got the, "its normal" diagnosis. Its like you need to be armed with a TSB before you even think about going to the dealer.

[HeliMark]

My '16 2500 is in for some warranty work. Thanks to this thread, I called the dealer and mentioned the tsb. He said even though I haven't had the problem, they will do the fix for me.

 

Mark

[2018GMC]

I just picked my truck up and this dealer knew about the problems with the play in the steering wheel. The play is caused by a adjusting screw in the steering box backing out causing the play in the steering wheel.The fix is using a chemical call loctite to keep the screw from backing out.Seems to be back to normal and only time will tell if comes back.My dealer repaired it one day and even gave me a loaner car to drive why the repairs where being completed.

is this the fix in the tsb?