NHTSA Complaint #10225656 — 2004 CADILLAC V-SERIES

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH THROUGH A LEFT TO RIGHT S-CURVE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. WHEN PARKING THE CAR A FEW MINUTES LATER THE POWER ASSIST FAILED AGAIN AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD CHATTERING SOUND. APPROXIMATELY 8 HOURS LATER I DROVE THE CAR AGAIN. A CONTINUOUS, LOUD WHINING SOUND WAS HEARD UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. AS THE VEHICLE WARMED UP THE WHINING WAS REDUCED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE WHINING NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT IN THE NEW PUMP. A SECOND REPLACEMENT PUMP WAS INSTALLED AND THE TYPE OF FLUID WAS CHANGED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A GM TSB. THE STEERING PUMP CONTINUES TO WHIN WHEN EVEN A SLIGHT TORQUE IS APPLIED TO THE HANDWHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR TRAVELING AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS, I.E., WHEN PARKING. THE DEALER NOW CLAIMS THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL. HOWEVER, AFTER WORKING FOR GM'S SAGINAW STEERING COMPANY AS AN ENGINEER FOR MANY YEARS, I KNOW THAT WHAT I'M HEARING IS NOT NORMAL. *TR