NHTSA Complaint #10389624 — 2009 GMC ACADIA

I OWN A 2009 GMC ACADIA FWD SLT-1, THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. WE HAD MINOR ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND UNTIL RECENTLY, WERE VERY SATISFIED WITH THE BUILD QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, AND THE VEHICLE OVERALL. WHILE EN-ROUTE TO PICK UP OUR KIDS, THE POWER STEERING APPEARED STIFF. THERE WAS NO POWER ASSIST OF THE STEERING AT LOW / IDLE ENGINE SPEEDS, WHICH MADE SLOW MANEUVERING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE POWER STEERING BECAME WORSE AND WORSE, TO THE POINT WHERE MY WIFE FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE TURNING AT INTERSECTIONS, AND MANEUVERING IN SLOW-SPEED CONDITIONS SUCH AS PARKING LOTS. WE IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE TEAM ADVISED US THAT THE STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP DECLINED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THEIR COST BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 9/30/2008; IT IS ONLY TWO AND HALF YEARS NEW WITH 46,491 MILES. IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD REQUIRE SUCH A REPAIR. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THIS DEFECT WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS BEING REPORTED BY MANY ACADIA OWNERS. IN ADDITION, THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING RACK THAT WAS DOCUMENTED IN A SERVICE BULLETIN. WE INFORMED THE SERVICE AREA OF THE UNUSUAL NOISES BUT THEY STATED THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR CONNECTION WITH THIS REPAIR. AT THIS TIME, THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE STEERING PUMP AT A COST OF $522.16. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN/MANUFACTURING PART ISSUE; GM SHOULD PUBLISH A SERVICE ALERT TO WARN OWNERS OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE THAT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY IF FAILURE OCCURS. *TR