NHTSA Complaint #10130828 — 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I OWN A 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500HD PICKUP TRUCK THAT I PURCHASED USED IN JUNE 2003 WITH APPROXIMATELY 36,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. UNTIL RECENTLY, THE TRUCK HAD PROVEN TO BE VERY SAFE AND RELIABLE. THE TRUCK CURRENTLY HAS 58,000 MILES ON IT. ON JULY 18, 2005, MY WIFE LOADED OUR FIVE-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER INTO HER CAR SEAT AND THEN PROCEEDED TO GET IN TO DRIVE. UPON STARTING THE TRUCK, SHE PRESSED ON THE BRAKE TO SHIFT. SHE THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE ONLY TO HAVE THE TRUCK DRIFT FORWARD DESPITE HER BRAKING EFFORT. AT THAT TIME, SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT SHE COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. AFTER SIGNIFICANT EFFORT, SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK FROM ITS VERY LOW SPEED. WE TOWED THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND PROBLEM AND PROVIDE A REPAIR COST ESTIMATE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP (PUMP) FAILED. THE POWER BRAKES ARE HYDRAULICALLY ASSISTED BY THE PUMP RATHER THAN USING ENGINE VACUUM ASSIST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INPUT SHAFT TO PUMP HAD SHEARED IN HALF. THE DEALER REQUIRED ME TO PAY A CORE CHARGE SINCE THE PUMP WAS SO SEVERELY DAMAGED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN IT FOR A CORE THEMSELVES. THE REPAIR TOTAL COST $356. THE PUMP IS LOCATED DEEP WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE ARE NO MEANS TO EXTERNALLY DAMAGE THE PUMP SUGGESTING A MATERIAL OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITHIN THE PUMP. THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER IS TO CALL ATTENTION TO A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH OF MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAD THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THIS POWER STEERING PUMP PROBLEM, IF SYSTEMIC RATHER THAN ISOLATED, COULD POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK TO THE OWNERS OF THESE TRUCKS AND OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADS. I ASK THAT YOU INVESTIGATE THE SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM AND HOW MANY TRUCKS IT AFFECTS, TAKING FURTHER ACTION IF NECESSARY. *JB