NHTSA Complaint #10043729 — 2000 GMC SONOMA

AFTER HEARING OF THE DODGE DURANGO BALL JOINT ISSUE (HTTP://WWW.CBSNEWS.COM/STORIES/2003/10/27/EVENINGNEWS/MAIN580233.SHTML) I DECIDED TO WRITE.*AK I HAVE A 2000 GMC SONOMA. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS WITH THE FRONT-END STEERING COMPONENTS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IDLER ARM THREE TIMES ALREADY. TWO OF THESE TIMES WERE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. ALSO, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE PORTIONS OF THE TIE-RODS TWICE, AS WELL AS BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUBS. I FIND THIS IS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I HAVE TALKED TO MY DEALER ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THEY TOLD ME, "IT'S JUST THE WAY TO FRONT-ENDS WERE DESIGNED." FORTUNATELY I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE FOR PARTS AND LABOR. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN TERMS OF SAFETY. I TRAVEL QUITE A BIT WITH THIS VEHICLE, AS ONE CAN SEE BY THE MILEAGE. I WONDER IF OTHER SONOMA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. I ALSO WONDER IF GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.