GM’s Rare Quadrasteer System For Pickup Trucks Was Revolutionary (And A Massive Failure)

Modern four-wheel steering systems have been around because the Eighties, when Nissan debuted the R31 Skyline GTS in 1986 with High Capability Actively-controlled Suspension (HICAS). Mitsubishi followed suit when it launched the Galant VR-4 in 1987 with a trio of fours: a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, full-time 4WD, and the brand’s four-wheel steering system (4WS). The next yr, Honda’s Steering Angle Sensing Honda 4-Wheel Steering System (Honda 4WS) made its U.S. debut within the 1988 Prelude and have become the primary vehicle to supply four-wheel steering in America.

All of those systems were quite different, but the fundamental concepts are the identical — rear wheels turning either the identical direction because the front wheels for higher stability in high-speed driving or in the other way of the front wheels for improved maneuverability at low speeds. Nevertheless, the trend didn’t last, since early iterations of cars with four-wheel steering didn’t offer consistent handling improvements over vehicles with conventional two-wheel steering. It was also expensive: Honda’s 4WS for the ’88 Prelude was a $1,300 option, which was a noticeable bump for a automotive that cost under $20,000 latest.

Nevertheless, that did not stop General Motors from dabbling with four-wheel steering, and eventually introducing the Quadrasteer system within the early 2000s for its GMT800 lineup of pickup trucks and SUVs. Developed in collaboration with Delphi Automotive, Quadrasteer was standard within the 2002 GMC Sierra Denali, and it worked wonders. Where other trucks of comparable vintage had a turning diameter of around 43.7 to 52.3 ft., the Sierra Denali with Quadrasteer delivered 37.4 ft., making it highly maneuverable when parking or towing. Sadly, those capabilities got here at a value that was ultimately too high for consumers.

GM’s Quadrasteer rear-wheel steering system is basically a Dana 60 rear axle with a rack-and-pinion assembly, an electrical motor, and an array of sensors. The system includes three driver-selectable modes — 2-wheel steer, 4-wheel steer, and 4-wheel steer tow. The two-wheel steer mode disables rear wheel steering, while 4-wheel steer enables the rear wheels to show with the front. 

At below 7 mph, the rear wheels turn as much as 12 degrees opposite the front, while the system reduces the rear-wheel steering angle between 7 and 40 mph. At above 40 mph, the system turns the rear wheels about 5 degrees in the identical direction because the front wheels.

Quadrasteer also keeps the low-speed steering angle to 12 degrees in 4-wheel steer tow mode, purportedly to maintain drivers from hitting their trailers. Shifting into reverse limits the utmost rear wheel steering angle to five degrees left or right. The system worked well, in response to Automotive and Driver, and the truck managed to feel like a smaller vehicle when parking and more stable when towing.

Unfortunately, GM might need shot itself within the foot when it made Quadrasteer a $7,000 option package for the 2002 model yr, as noted in a 2005 postmortem by Wards Auto. As expected, buyers ignored the four-wheel steering option because of its hefty price tag, so GM slashed prices to $4,495 in 2003 (including a $2,000 rebate) and $1,995 in 2004. One other drawback was the complexity and weight of the whole thing, with the system adding a hefty 350 kilos to the GMC Sierra.

Unfortunately, first impressions are essential and buyers checked out Quadrasteer as more of a quite costly gimmick than a necessity. GM only sold 5,502 Quadrasteer-equipped vehicles in 2004, and the numbers were apparently not enough to justify the production costs. It didn’t take long for Quadrasteer to fade into obscurity. By 2005, GM took it off the choices list, and four-wheel steering was cancelled for the next-gen GMT900 platform.

4-wheel steering or rear-wheel steering has made a comeback within the 2026 GMC Sierra EV, even though it’s only available within the mid-tier AT4 and range-topping Denali trims. The party may not last long, though, as GM has reportedly delayed future developments of its electric trucks and SUVs, including the GMC Sierra EV, Chevy Silverado EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ.