2017 GMC Sierra 1500: steering wheel locks up

8 of the 357 complaints about the 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 describe steering wheel locks up.

owner complaints: 8
of this car's complaints: 2%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 18 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Steering wheel locks up by model year

2025
1
2023
1
2022
1
2021
7
2020
1
2019
2
2018
2
2017
8
2016
3
2015
6
2014
15
2011
3
2007
1
2006
1

What owners say

Filed Oct 17, 2025 · Electrical, Steering · IA

Driving in town going 20mph and the truck shut down not allowing for braking or gas and the steering locked up. Placed the vehicle in neutral, shut the truck off and turned it back. Was able to continue driving. Attempted to have the dealership we bought it from run a diagnostic and the battery was replaced but it continues to shut down at random times. Took the truck to a local auto shop after this happened again, another diagnostic was run, I am waiting the report to confirm what was done.

Filed Sep 18, 2025 · Steering · 118,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000.

Filed Nov 27, 2024 · Driver assistance, Steering · PA

Simply driving down the road an all your lights insode an out glitching along with steering. The steering locks up an comes back. It does not matter what you are doing. It will lock up at any giving moment. Putting you in dangerous way of others. 3months an you can barely turn it because the power steering is totally out. It now does not want to start as it needa jumped. Something electrical is draining it daily. Power steering assist light has been on.

Filed Sep 2, 2024 · Electrical, Steering · TX

On [XXX], on or about [XXX], while leaving out the garage the steering wheel locked-up and would not turn unless exceptional strength was used. We immediately notified Garlyn Shelton in Temple, TX dealer and had the 2017 GMC Denali towed with AAA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 31, 2024 · Brakes, Engine · GA

My vehicle has on two separate occasions experienced a failure where the steering locks up, the engine shuts down, and the dash displays warnings about stabilitrac and trailer wiring. The vehicle has had random electrical glitches for some time, but they have escalated to a safety issue. In doing research, my issues sound very similar to those issues which resulted in a recall to earlier vehicles of the same generation, on report 17V‑414. Googling the issue also points to insufficient grounding at the battery and / or the G218 grounding connection.

Filed Jan 6, 2023 · Electrical · FL

Driving down the road. Thankfully it was late at night and the roads were empty. But the truck shut down and brakes locked up and steering wheel locked. Once I was at a full stop. I turned the truck off and back on and was able to drive home. But I called Gmc regarding this issue and brought they couldn’t find anything wrong

Filed Nov 23, 2020 · Electrical, Fuel system · 64,000 miles · CA

The vehicle was in motion on a city street, when the vehicle completely powered off. The steering wheel locked. This occurred on 11/22/2020 and 11/23/2020. The following message is on my dashboard 'steering assist is reduced drive with care.'

Filed May 14, 2018 · Acceleration, Brakes · 11,000 miles · GA

Vehicle has hard shift at 5-6 MPH. Dealer stated could not find issue, and reflashed TCM.approx month later, at 10k miles, truck hard shifted from red light on highway, once up to 45 MPH, shutdown. Steering wheel locked up, no brakes, no control of vehicle at 45-50 MPH.dealer kept for one week, stated loose cable on starter from battery. Exactly 1k miles later (5 weeks), now at 11k miles, truck hard shifted at 5-6mph, and at 45-50 MPH truck tried to shift in 4wd. All lights on dash came on as a result. Dealer has currently had the truck for two weeks and can not find issue. They supposedly consulted gm, and instead of sending an expert tech to help dealer find issue, advised dealer to replace ECM. Replacing ECM is the general answer to not sure what is wrong. This truck is a safety issue, as when it shuts off going 45-50 MPH there is no control or brakes operational on the vehicle. Gm will replace the ECM, and just like right now, will not be able to replicate the problem, and expect me as the consumer to take delivery back of the vehicle. Currently all of my documentation is in the dash of this truck, at the dealership. Trying to determine how myself as the consumer can help ensure this safety issue is corrected, and not passed on.