NHTSA Complaint #10704243 — 2008 GMC ACADIA

THE STEERING WHEEL IN OUR CAR HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO TURN, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS (PARKING, IN PARTICULAR INITIALLY). WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THE MECHANIC TRIED SEVERAL REPAIRS SUCH AS REPLACING THE POWER STEERING FLUID AS WELL AS LOOKING FOR LEAKS IN THE POWER STEERING. (NONE WERE FOUND). THE CAR WOULD DRIVE BETTER AFTER BEING SERVICED, BUT WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS/WEEKS BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME ISSUES. FINALLY IT GOT SO BAD THAT WE COULD BARELY TURN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AND THE CAR COULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. WE RETURNED IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED BECAUSE THE STEERING PUMP WAS BAD AND HAD NOT BEEN SENDING FLUID TO THE RACK. WE HAD BOTH REPLACED AT THAT TIME (APRIL, 2014). WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION IN SEPTEMBER 2014 THAT GMC ISSUED A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS IT WAS CAUSING "AN INTERMITTENT DROP OF POWER STEERING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE THAT WILL CAUSE REDUCED OR LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST." WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GMC SINCE THAT TIME ABOUT BEING REIMBURSED FOR BOTH THE PUMP AND THE RACK SINCE THE TWO ARE CLEARLY RELATED AND THEY INFORMED US THAT ONLY THE PUMP WAS COVERED (BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THEY RECALLED) DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PUMP IS WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE RACK AND THE RACK IS WHAT MADE OUR CAR UN-DRIVABLE. THE STEERING RACK SHOULD ALSO BE ON A RECALL LIST SINCE DAMAGE TO IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PUBLIC RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE PUMP AND ANY SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE PUMP, INCLUDING TO THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. *TR