NHTSA Complaint #10215080 — 1998 GMC C/K SUBURBAN (GMC)

IN THE LAST WEEK (NO CHANGES IN DRIVING OR RECENT REPAIRS)I HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME VERY SCARY TURNING IN MY 1998 GMC SUBURBAN. BETWEEN 11 AND 1 'O'CLOCK ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT SPEEDS OF BETWEEN 20-35MPH (APPROX), THE FRONT WHEELS SEEM TO SLIP AWAY FROM THEIR INTENDED "LINE'- AS IF I HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME- THERE WERE SOME PATCHES AROUND; BUT NOW THE PAVEMENT IS CLEAR AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE- MORE FREQUENT. OFTEN AFTER EXPERIENCING THIS I TEND TO OVER CORRECT AS IT SEEMS I MAY BE SLIPPING INTO THE SHOULDER OR DITCH. I HAVE NEARLY HIT PARKED CARS AND CARS WAITING TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION I AM LEAVING (AND VICE VERSA). I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SINCE 1973 AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR FEEL SO SCARY IN THE FRONT END- LIKE THE STEERING LINKAGE MAY DROP OUT AT THE NEXT TURN. I HAVE NOT CAUSED ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE YET... A SEARCH OF THE PROBLEM ON THE NET POINTS TO AN EPIDEMIC OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE GM LINE-UP. MOST DIY MECHANICS ARE BEING TOLD BY EXPERIENCED MECHANICS THAT THE PROBLEM IS A EVO SENSOR ON THE STEERING COLUMN COVERING A FEW YEARS BEGINNING IN 1998. JUST 10 MINUTES ON THE NET HAS YIELDED MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS DANGER. I HAVE NOT UNDERTAKEN THE REPAIR YET; BUT WILL ADDRESS IT VERY SOON. THE PART IN QUESTION MAY BE: STEERING WHEEL SPEED SENSOR GM PART#: 26064468. PLEASE TAKE THIS UNDER ADVISEMENT- IT SEEMS TO BE QUITE PREVALENT AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL AND REPLACE THIS HAZARDOUS PART. *TR