Diagsheet

2016 GMC Canyon · symptom sheet

Power steering cuts out or goes heavy

  • 158owner reports
  • 65,000median miles
  • $1,900median quote
  • 4involved a crash

Newest report Jun 20, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

177 of the 267 complaints on this car are about the steering system. 158 of those describe power steering loss, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2016 Canyon.

Tick what matches of 158 reports

9
99
56
16
115

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the steering rack (27 reports), the EPS motor or module (7 reports) and the column (5 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the steering system covers the 2016 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the steering system on the Canyon

RQ19-001opened May 9, 2019
Steering · model years 2015

Loss of power steering assist. Closed may 28, 2021, led to recall 21V-213.

NHTSA summary
In May 2019 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ19-001) to assess the scope of General Motors (GM) recall 16V-054. ODI had received 50 complaints with allegations of loss of electric power steering assist while the vehicle was in motion. These complaints were for vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-054 yet exhibited the same symptoms.ODI?s review focused on specific build months outside the recall scope that had a high electric power steering failure rate and failures that were the same or similar to those addressed by the remedy associated with recall 16V-054. ODI?s review of data supplied by GM confirmed a high failure rate for vehicles outside of the recall scope.On March 25, 2021, GM filed a defect information report recalling select 2015 Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon vehicles to remedy a potential loss of power steering assist while driving. The recall (21V-213) includes vehicles that were not addressed by recall 16V-054 and also prompted this recall query.In view of the recall, ODI is closing this recall query. Despite closing this investigation, NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers in a separate attachment. ?

None of these investigations covers the 2016 model year.

What owners paid

21 of the 158 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $734 to $2,200.

$734$1,900$2,200
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 47,216 and 105,000 miles, from the 55 reports that gave a mileage.

316
217
519
1220
1921
3722
2723
2524
2125
726

What owners wrote

“While driving on a six lane hwy in heavy traffic at 55 mph the power steering module failed making it dangerously hard to steer. Took the truck to the GMC dealership, the technician determined the power steering module had failed and it was replaced. A warning message did display indicating the power steering was not working.”

Filed Oct 20, 2021

“While driving the power steering stopped functioning and an error message popped up stating that it was not working. I stopped the vehicle turned off the ignition and restarted the vehicle and the power steering began working. This has happened twice in the past month.”

Filed Oct 14, 2021

“The power steering stopped working and my wife had to make an emergency stop on I 95. We turned the vehicle off and restarted it and the power steering worked again for awhile. The next day it happened 2 more times. I think this is the same issue as the 2015 recall. I called my GMC dealer and they said they could not help me because my Vin was not on the recall list.”

Filed Sep 24, 2021

“Power steering fails intermittently while driving resulting in difficult steering and potential loss of control of vehicle.”

Filed Sep 16, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 4 of 158 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.