NHTSA Complaint #10864899 — 2009 GMC ACADIA

APRIL 26, 2016 - MY WIFE WAS AT A GAS STATION AND SAID THE WHEELS ON THE GMC WERE VERY HARD TO TURN EITHER WAY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SHE STARTED TO HEAR A WHINING NOISE WHEN SHE WOULD TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. A DAY LATER, THE NOISE WAS MORE PRONOUNCED SO I WENT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE. THE STEERING SEEMED OK AND THE WHINING NOISE DIDN'T SEEM THAT BAD TOO ME. APRIL 28, 2016 - MY WIFE SAID THE NOISE WAS LOUDER SO I TEST DROVE IT AGAIN, THIS TIME, I EXPERIENCED A MOMENTARY LOSS OF STEERING POWER ON LOW SPEED. ONE TIME I OVERCOMPENSATED WHEN IT WAS HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL BUT AVOIDED HAVING AN ACCIDENT. I PERFORMED THE OWNER'S MANUAL CHECKS, POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL WAS GOOD. I THEN GOGGLED FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT STEERING ISSUES AND HOW TO RESOLVE ON GMC 2009 ACADIA AND THEN I RAN INTO THE GMC SERVICE BULLETIN SB-10056459-3388 ONLINE. THE BULLETIN DESCRIBED THE INTERMITTENT POWER LOSS WE EXPERIENCED. THE CONDITION IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS "VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP A POWER STEERING PUMP WEAR CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE AN INTERMITTENT DROP OF POWER STEERING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE THAT WILL CAUSE REDUCED OR LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST. THE VEHICLE MAY REVERT TO MANUAL STEERING WHICH REQUIRES GREATER DRIVER EFFORT, PARTICULARLY AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS". I CALLED OUR LOCAL GM'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR AN EVALUATION BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALLBACK YET. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I BELIEVE, IF NOT RESOLVED, MAY TURN OUT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR US.