NHTSA Complaint #10229089 — 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500

MY 2004 GMC PICKUP TRUCK HAS A KNOCKING NOISE AND CLUNK IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT STARTED AROUND 30K MILES AND HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF OWNERSHIP. I DID SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS GM HAS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON NUMEROUS MODELS OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 6 YEARS. 00-02-35-003M JAN 07 MODELS: 2002-2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE MODELS 1999-2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO MODELS (CLASSIC) 2000-2006 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, TAHOE MODELS 2002-2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1999-2007 GMC SIERRA MODELS (CLASSIC) 2000-2006 GMC YUKON, YUKON XL MODELS 2003-2006 HUMMER H2 CONDITION SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A CLUNK-TYPE NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD THAT ALSO CAN BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THESE CONDITIONS MAY BE MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES. DIAGNOSTIC TIPS ' INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CLUNK -- INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CLUNK IS HEARD AND FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND/OR STEERING COLUMN AREA, TYPICALLY WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD SURFACES WITH STEERING WHEEL INPUT. IMPORTANT: ' I-SHAFT P/N 19155614 HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO REPLACE PREVIOUS DESIGNED DAMPENED AND NON-DAMPENED I-SHAFTS. THE PHYSICAL DIFFERENCE IN THE YOKE SIZE WILL ACCOMMODATE ALL VEHICLES LISTED IN THIS BULLETIN. REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WITH AN IMPROVED DESIGN SHAFT THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE CLUNK NOISE USING THE PROCEDURE LISTED BELOW. GM KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. GM USED THE SAME PARTS ON MY TRUCK THAT WERE BEING REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WHEN MY TRUCK SOLD. THEY SHOULD HAVE UPGRADED THE PARTS ON THE NEW TRUCK BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY WERE FAILING. GM KNEW THE JOINTS WERE FAILING AND KEPT USING A FAILING PART FOR 4 YEARS ON NEW TRUCKS AND EXPECT THE OWNERS TO PAY FOR BAD PARTS. *TR