NHTSA Complaint #10266683 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

SILVERADO 1500 4WD STEERING GEAR BOX DEFECT IN THAT IT STARTS TO GRIND AND THREATENS FREEZE UP AND POWER STEERING LOSS USUALLY WHEN ATTEMPTING LEFT TURN. DEALER HAS ALREADY REPLACED 2 UNITS. THE ORIGINAL WAS REPLACED AT 81,000 MILES. THE SECOND AT 96,000 AND NOW IT'S BAD AGAIN AT 120,000 MILES. DEALER STATES THAT IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT WAS CORRECTED FOR THE 2008 MODELS. PICTURE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN WITH FULL POWER STEERING BUT IF YOU TURN LEFT IT WILL GRIND AND WINE AT FIRST, GRADUATING TO TRYING TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN AS IF THE ENGINE HAD DIED OUT. THAT'S HOW BAD IT GETS. IT WILL, AND I'M SURE, IT ALREADY HAS CAUSED ACCIDENT PROBLEMS. QUESTION IS, WHY DID THE ORIGINAL STEERING BOX LAST MORE THAN 80,000 MILES BUT THE REPLACEMENTS BARELY MAKE 15,000 MILES?? MIND YOU THESE ARE OEM REPLACEMENTS DONE BY THE DEALER. FURTHERMORE, THE REPLACEMENTS AR ONLY WARRANTIED FOR 1 YEAR OR 12,000 MILES. HOW CONVENIENT HUH? THIS ISSUE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND NEEDS TOTAL RECALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE 3RD STEERING BOX TO GO BAD SO FAR AS OF THIS DATE 4/24/09. *TR