2016 Silverado 2500HD Steering woes

shreff86 · January 28, 2017

Month on the door jamb sticker of these troubled trucks might be something else to include to see if it is showing up over the entire 16 model year

revrnd · January 28, 2017

Month on the door jamb sticker of these troubled trucks might be something else to include to see if it is showing up over the entire 16 model year

I never thought of this when I mentioned the assembly plant code. By the look of things going on, it would appear the issue is the manufacture of the steering box, not how the pitman arm was assembled to the box.

10" · January 28, 2017

So here I am in the same boat with all you guys. My truck is in shop as we speak. 2016 2500HD extended cab, Duramax . So my truck went for approximately 15k miles and 9 months old before I got the loose wheel feeling. When it started I had just put plow on and the "Stabilitrak" light is lit on dash. I have been researching stabilitrak but nothing about steering. I own a garage and we looked front end over very close as I thought it was falling apart. Basically my pitman arm and everything we could see is tight. But i do have the clunking noise like the video earlier. I have never taken a new vehicle back to the dealer we always service our own vehicles. I decided to make appointment at dealer. Dropped off today and explained problem. The called back few hours later and said they found bulletin ( i hope D). Said they ordered parts and i believe he said pitman arm, gear , etc.? The parts are coming to them tomorrow he said even though its Sunday. Said they will have it done Monday. I hope so and i pray its right. I am leaving for Florida hauling a load in 3 weeks. The chevy dealer is a actual commercial truck center for chevy so i have some confidence they know whats happening. I dont know if I will ever have faith in the fix??? Thanks for all the info on this site.

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · January 28, 2017

I heard from the dealer mechanic yesterday, he's older with experience and he asked me some questions...which I found interesting and might help explain our dilemma. I had bought the truck with 5K miles on it as I grew tired of the dealership games and bought through a used car guy it was loaded and a great price.

The mechanic asked me if I knew it had been lifted, I said yes it had "ready lift" keys on which I had removed and put stock keys in, also the shocks had been changed (Fox, might have been stock as it had off road pkg), he also stated it had non oem upper and lower "A" arms and that the front driveshaft had been shimmed, probably because the previous owner had put larger than stock tires on the truck.

I told the mechanic to turn the keys down to stock position and remove the front driveshaft shim and see if that makes any difference. That's supposed to happen Monday...we'll see.

After talking a bit more, the mechanic said this Digital Assist steering is very precise when it comes to front end rake, with regard to the geometry of the entire rack up front...anyway I have purchased a Cognito 4" lift for this truck and if I can't get rid of the rake I'm going to get rid of the truck...I'll keep you posted.

The poster above 10" made me think more about the geometry of the front end, as when you put the plow on and are transporting it the front end is a lot lower than stock unless 10" had it lifted...lot to think about.

Not sure why GM thought this digital assist BS was necessary, the 15' and previous steered just fine and you could mod the trucks without all this drama...to be continued.

GS340 · January 28, 2017

My 2016 3500 is a base truck with options. Doesn't have digital assist. The problems have nothing to do with digital assist.

All of my problems started when I heard a loud 'pop' while turning slowly in a parking lot. Since that time the steering got progressively worse to the point I couldn't deal with it anymore. It took the dealer driving it 50 feet to deem it unsafe to drive. Service lane to bay.

After the bulletin that ends in a 'D' was performed the truck felt great for about 60 or 80 miles. Now you can feel the slop occasionally and the steering is leaking. I don't have confidence the current bulletin is the answer

GS340 · January 28, 2017

Maybe GM will release bulletin 'E' next month! ?

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · January 28, 2017

GS340,

If your 3500 has a double or crew cab it has digital assist steering.

They told me and showed me the damage on the pitman arm, saying it was poorly designed and that the "D" TSB should fix.

The tooth on my pitman arm at the 12 o clock postion was worn in half, which makes me wonder when you were turning in a parking lot if the pitman arm jumped a tooth in the steering box, creating your problem.

10" · January 28, 2017

Yes I did only notice my steering went to heck after the plow had been installed. Im looking now to see what vin is to where it was made. No i have no lift ,truck is stock but does get worked. I did turn the bolts that push the keys up 1 full turn before having plow mounted.

Edited January 28, 2017 by 10"

10" · January 28, 2017

Without me reading back through 19 pages can someone tell me the vin info I need to see where my truck was built.

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · January 28, 2017

I think if I remember correctly... if the vin has an F in it, Flint was the manufacturer city.

2016 2500hd Sierra Denali · January 28, 2017

10"

Just curious, but did you notice when you got the stabilitrak light, was the plow up or down...my mechanic was dubious of turning the keys with digital assist installed.

10" · January 28, 2017

My eleventh digit is Z so mine was built in Fort Wayne. Looks like the first one i have seen in this thread? I remember most were Flint.

revrnd · January 28, 2017

Without me reading back through 19 pages can someone tell me the vin info I need to see where my truck was built.

My eleventh digit is Z so mine was built in Fort Wayne. Looks like the first one i have seen in this thread? I remember most were Flint.

Seeing that it appears that the issue is internal wear in the box, I don't think which ass'y plant your truck plant is a factor. I was thinking initially that the pitman arm hadn't been properly attached to the pitman shaft.

10" · January 28, 2017

10"

Just curious, but did you notice when you got the stabilitrak light, was the plow up or down...my mechanic was dubious of turning the keys with digital assist installed.

I believe first time i notice freeplay in steering ,plow was up. I turned keys up one turn right when i got truck (March 2016 thinking i was putting plow on). Didnt end up putting plow on then so drove 15k miles pulling and hauling heavy loads with no problem. So I had plow put on November 2016 with 15k on truck. I was driving home with plow on and steering went to hell. Thought it was wind blowing on big plow . Then thought plow assy place might have tapped into wrong wires making stabilitrak light go on. Then when i took plow off and drove down road i notice wow truck still has no steering from 11 to 1 and maybe more 10-2. I own a big truck garage so we looked front end all over no loose pitman arm or any other parts that we noticed. Im not saying we couldnt have missed something, but we didnt see anything. I did have the loud clunking noise that a man has in a video earlier in this thread. SO I feel its not parts related on mine i feel is electrical. BECAUSE I can hold traction control button down to delete stabilitrak and it seems to steer fine at any speed. So if i had worn out parts i think it would affect me at all speeds. Anyways hope chevy garage fixes it or ill trade for another one. I am a die hard chevy owner and have worked the snot out of chevys and had great luck so I wont let one GM problem scare me yet. haha

Edited January 28, 2017 by 10"

crazydog · January 28, 2017

I just picked up my '16 and the first thing I noticed was that the steering wheel felt weird--I can turn it a bit right/left without anything happening, seems loose. Then, in the parking lot at work---I have to use a pass card to get in the gate---it really jumps out at you then, like you're not sure if the truck is going to go the right way (it does) but it is suddenly that much more loose . .as if braking makes it worse. It's weird. Anyway, only driven it a couple times, we'll see how it goes. My last truck was great, much tighter. I notice my dad's has a bit of play in it, as well . .not as much as my new one, though.