NHTSA Complaint #10184915 — 2007 GMC YUKON

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED RADIO CONTROLS ON SOME 2007 GMC YUKON DENALI TRUCKS WITH THE SIX DISC CD CHANGER. ONE OF THESE CONTROLS IS SUPPOSE TO ALLOW YOU TO CHANGE THE DISC THAT IS PLAYING TO ANOTHER ONE OF THE SIX THAT YOU HAVE LOADED INTO THE CHANGER. ON SOME OF THESE TRUCKS THE WRONG WIRING HARNESS WAS INSTALLED WHEN THE TRUCK WAS BUILT ALONG WITH THE WRONG SOFTWARE BEING LOADED INTO THE ELECTRONIC MODULE. THIS PREVENTS THIS CONTROL FROM FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE DISC THAT IS PLAYING, IT SIMPLE GOES TO THE NEXT SONG ON THAT SAME CD. THERE IS ALREADY A CONTROL ON THE STEERING COLUMN TO DO THIS. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HE SAID AT FIRST THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL MODULE WAS BAD AND THEN THAT THE RADIO WAS DEFECTIVE. BOTH ITEMS WERE REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM REMAINS. HE THEN CHECKED SOME OF THE OTHER YUKON DENALIS THAT HE HAD IN STOCK AND TOLD ME THAT ON SOME OF THESE CARS THE CONTROLS WORKED PROPERLY AND ON SOME THEY DID NOT. HE THEN TOLD ME ABOUT THE WIRING HARNESS AND SOFTWARE PROBLEM. GM'S POSITION IS THAT THESE CARS ARE BUILT PROPERLY AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PAGE 336 OF THE OWNERS MANUAL CLEARLY SAYS THAT THIS BUTTON SHOULD CHANGE THE DISC THAT IS PLAYING. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE NOW WHEN YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE DISC YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD AND LOOK DOWN TO THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD AND LOCATE A SMALL 1/4" BY 1/2" BUTTON AND PUSH IT. THIS CAN CAUSE YOU TO DRIFT OUT OF YOUR LANE OF TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS, AFTER ALL, IS A PRIMARY PURPOSE OF STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS FOR RADIOS-YOU CAN KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. I HOPE YOU WILL LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND FORCE GM TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB