NHTSA Complaint #10574309 — 2010 GMC ACADIA

POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE - WHILE APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE INTENTION OF TURNING LEFT, I SLOWED DOWN TO A SUITABLE SPEED TO NEGOTIATE THE TURN. SUDDENLY THE STEERING WAS VERY HEAVY AND REQUIRED EXTREME FORCE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO NAVIGATE THE TURN. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY AT LOW RPM. IF IT HAD BEEN A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL, OR IF THE DRIVER WERE TO PANIC I BELIEVE THE OUTCOME OF THIS FAILURE COULD BE MORE SERIOUS. A PANICKED DRIVER MIGHT HIT THE GAS AND CRASH INTO THE TRAFFIC STOPPED AT THE LIGHT COMING FROM THE OTHER DIRECTION, OR STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC FLOW IN A NO-FILTER LEFT TURN JUNCTION. THE SOLUTION WAS TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE IT IS A TRUE DEFECT WITH THIS CAR. I BELIEVE THE SOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE IS TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WITH A KNOW RELIABLE MODEL. ANOTHER SOLUTION WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT A MONITORING SYSTEM TO DETECT A FAILING PUMP. *TR