NHTSA Complaint #10056521 — 2003 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

VEHICLE SAFETY: QUADRASTEER (4 WHEEL STEER) MANEUVERABILITY WHEN SLIDING ON ICE. WAS DRIVING MY CHEVROLET 1500HD CREW CAB 4X4 QUADRASTEER PICKUP 30 MPH (IN 40 MPH ZONE) AND COMING AROUND A RIGHT HAND BEND IN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRUCK HIT ICE ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO SLIDE OFF THE ROAD TO THE RIGHT. THE QUADRASTEER WAS ON AND ENGAGED. AT THIS SPEED THE QUADRASTEER HAS THE REAR WHEELS TURN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE FRONT WHEELS. AS THE TRUCK WAS SLIDING TO THE RIGHT, I RESPONDED AS CONVENTION DICTATES, WHICH IS TO TURN INTO THE SLIDE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT (INTO THE SLIDE), THE REAR WHEELS TURNED TO THE LEFT, WHICH ALMOST INSTANTLY PUT THE TRUCK IN A FREE SLIDE NOW GOING SLIDE WAYS BECAUSE THE REAR WHEEL STEERING CAUSED THE BACK OF THE TRUCK TO COME AROUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE. THE QUADRASTEER SYSTEM IN A VEHICLE'S FREE SLIDE ACTED COUNTER-INTUITIVELY AND PUT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL IN THE FREE-SLIDE. THE REAR WHEELS COMPLETE FOR CONTROL AGAINST THE FRONT WHEELS CONTROL AND MAKE THE OUTCOME OF THE SLIDE ON ICE EVEN MORE UNPREDICTABLE. ADDITIONALLY, NOWHERE IN THE DRIVING MANUAL, WHICH COMES WITH THE TRUCK, DOES IT STATE ANYTHING ABOUT THE DRIVING CONTROL BEING DIFFERENT FROM CONVENTIONAL HANDLING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN A FREE SLIDE ON ICE OR SNOW. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS IN THE MANUAL TO A GIVE HEADS UP FOR THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM, NOR IS THERE ANY SAFETY DEVICE IN THE QUADRASTEER SYSTEM WHICH WOULD HELP ONE OVERCOME THE COMPLICATIONS BROUGHT UPON BY THE QUADRASTEER IN THIS SITUATION. *AK