NHTSA Complaint #10145155 — 2002 GMC YUKON XL

ON 07/14/03 AT 22602 MILES, WE TOOK OUR 2002 YUKON XL (REGENCY EDITION) TO SUSS PONTIAC IN DENVER, COLORADO, TO INVESTIGATE A CLUNKING/KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE. ON OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE WHEEL AND WOULD HESITATE WHEN TURNING. SUSS PONTIAC VERIFIED THE COMPLAINT AND FOUND THE "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" DRY AND CLUNKING. THE SHAFT WAS THEN LUBED AS PER BULLETIN #II-00-02-35-003B AND WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT REOCCUR. THE PROBLEM RECURRED DURING THE FALL OF 2005 WHILE VACATIONING IN TEXAS. AFTER DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT OVER THE PHONE WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN, MORE OF AN IRRITATION TO THOSE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WE SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING HOME. WE MADE IT BACK TO DENVER WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT VERY ANNOYING. ON 10/25/05, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP (LEN LYALL OF AURORA, CO) ONLY TO LEARN THAT A NEW BULLETIN (# UNKWN) HAD BEEN ISSUED REQUIRING THAT THE "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" BE REPLACED. LEN LYALL THEN PULLED A VEHICLE SERVICE INQUIRY LISTING ALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOTED IN THE SUMMARY THAT THE SHAFT HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT MY COPY OF THE INVOICE REFERRED TO THE SHAFT BEING LUBED. I AM NOW TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT GMC FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE SHAFT AND STILL TELLING ME THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. I WOULD THINK THAT ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENT (BRAKES, STEERING, TIRES, ETC) IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. DOES IT TAKE SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIE TO INSTITUTE A MANDATORY RECALL? *JB