NHTSA Complaint #10598568 — 2009 GMC ACADIA

INCIDENT (FIRST BIG SYMPTOM): BRAKING AND SLOWING TO YIELD SIGN FROM OFFRAMP/ STEERING FELT AS IF IGNITION TURNED OFF AND CAR BECAME MUCH LESS STABLE IN STEERING WITH A STIFFENING AND RATTLING/TAPPING NOISE SOMEWHERE JUST LEFT TO THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ONCE TRYING TO TURN REALIZED THERE WAS NO POWER, THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING AND THEN HITTING THE GAS THE STEERING SUDDENLY POPS BACK INTO ASSIST. THIS IS A VERY UNSETTLING FIRST OCCURRENCE THAT I SEE ON MULTIPLE INTERNET SITES HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE AT LEAST 2011 IN MANY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS CHASSIS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE KNOWN THIS BEFORE TWO THINGS: 1. BEFORE I HAD MY FOUR DAUGHTERS AND THE NEIGHBORS KID IN MY CAR TO PUT AT RISK OF KILLING THEM ( GM SHAME ON YOU AS YOU THIS PROBLEM EXISTS FOR 4 YEARS) 2. BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF CONTRACT. THE DEALER STATES THIS IS "UNUSUAL TO THEM', THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF IT HAPPENING AND DO NOT THINK IT IS UNUSUAL THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 58000 MILES ON IT HAS THE ENTIRE STEERING PUMP, GEAR, AND RACK ASSEMBLY BLOW SEALS. REPAIR COSTS ARE QUOTED AT 2000.00. NEED TO REPLACE RACK, PUMP AND SOMETHING ELSE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE 56 POSTS RELATING TO STEERING ALONE. SOME OF US DRIVING THESE VEHICLES FEEL THAT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A CHANCE OF PILOTING THE CAR SAFELY MAY BE IMPORTANT. I USED TO THINK MY DAD WAS SILLY WHEN HE WOULD SAY SOMETHING IS A POOR DESIGN, BUT DID THE ENGINEERS ACTUALLY DO ANY TESTING ON THESE VEHICLES? DO YOU TEST THE PROBLEM OR JUST KEEP SAYING IT'S NOT HAPPENING? THANK GOODNESS THIS IS ALL LOW SPEED AND NO ONE HAS DIED YET ( AT LEAST THAT WE KNOW OF). *TR