NHTSA Complaint #10047091 — 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL GETS LOOSE. IF I'M ON A ROAD WITH A CURVE AND I HAVE PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT LET'S SAY OR LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SUDDENLY LOOSEN UP AND QUICKLY TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PRESSURE I'M APPLYING. AS IF OPENING A JAR. IT GETS THAT LOOSE. I ALMOST HIT A COUPLE OF PARKED CARS BECAUSE OF THIS. THE ONLY REASON WE FOUND OUT ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS IS WE OVERHEARD A CHEVY OWNER SHOWING SOMEONE THE PART HE HAD TO CHANGE. THIS WAS AFTER WE HAD THE FRONT END DONE TO NO AVAIL. THIS GUY HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF FRONT END WORK DONE AT THREE DIFFERENT CHEVY DEALERS TO NO AVAIL. OUR PART COST $50 AND THE LABOR WAS $100. I'VE TALKED TO TAHOE OWNERS AND RODE IN THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DID. WE HAD TO TELL THEM WHAT THE FIX WAS. PRETTY LAME SEEING THE DEALERS DON'T EVEN KNOW. IF CHEVY WOULD AT LEAST TELL THEIR MECHANICS IF THEY WON'T RECALL. BY THE WAY THE PART IS A EVO SENSOR AND IT RAPS AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN INSIDE THE VEHICLE RIGHT ABOVE THE BRAKE PEDAL. WE WOULD HAVE CHANGED IT OURSELVES BUT YOU HAVE TO FOOL WITH THE AIRBAG, SO WE PAID SOMEONE TO DO IT. ALSO, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED HUNDREDS OF TIMES BEFORE WE FIXED IT. THERE WASN'T JUST ONE INCIDENT DATE AS YOU MADE ME FILL OUT ON YOUR FORM. THANK-YOU. *LA