NHTSA Complaint #10191988 — 2000 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

WHILE MAKING A LOW SPEED SHARP LEFT TURN, MY POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ANYTHING. DIAGNOSIS AT THE DEALER WAS THAT THE SHAFT ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD SNAPPED. WHILE LOOKING AROUND ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD THIS PROBLEM, I DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 05V005000 ISSUED IN JANUARY 2005 WHICH APPEARS TO DESCRIBE MY EXACT PROBLEM. I HAD BEEN INFORMED OF SEVERAL RECALLS BY CHEVROLET FOR OTHER PROBLEMS BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VIN NUMBER OF MY SUBURBAN WAS NOT ON THE LIST OF AFFECTED VEHICLES. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER CARE (CASE #71-523372221) AND THEY VERIFIED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE POPULATION OF SUBURBAN COVERED BY THIS ACTION. THIS IS A DANGEROUS MATTER. IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING OR IF I HAD BEEN TRYING TO AVOID SOMETHING IN THE ROAD AT HIGH SPEED, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. I DO NOT KNOW IF I JUST HAPPENED TO RECEIVE AN ISOLATED DEFECTIVE PUMP OR IF THE POPULATION OF DEFECTIVE SUBURBAN IS LARGER THAN CHEVROLET CURRENTLY ACKNOWLEDGES. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED. *TR