2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Steering Problems

4"TAKATA RECALL" THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WITH A SET OF CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC LL TIRES ON IT. WHILE PULLING OFF IN THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING AROUND 35 MPH YOU COULD FEEL THE BACK END SHAKING AND WOBBLING LIKE THE LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE SHAKING ISSUE WHERE WAS FOUND THAT THE TIRES TREAD WAS SEPARATING MAKING HUMPS AND WAVES IN THE TREAD. THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 92,207 MILES ON VEHICLE AND 7, 319 MILES ON 265/70R17 CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC LL TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL GETTING TIRES TO REPLACE THE CAPITOL TIRES BUT ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTED MOVING TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP TO REPLACE THE TIRES THE FRONT HAD STARTED TO SHAKE JUST LIKE THE BACK AT 92,221 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BUT NOT AS MUCH. WALMART CHANGED THE...

THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL SOUNDS LIKE IT IS BOUNCING, RATTLING AND LOOSE. THIS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDING TO BE REPACKED AND THE STEERING GEAR BOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. GM CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL BECOME ONE SINCE THIS IS A STEERING PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT SINCE MANY OTHER AVALANCHE OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

MY 2004 AVALANCHE STARTED MAKING KNOCKING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING CORNERS - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND $700 LATER AND A NEW STEERING YOKE THE KNOCK WAS SQUELCHED (NOT GONE) AND THE SPEEDOMETER COINCIDENTALLY STARTED MOVING LIKE A SECOND-HAND ON A WATCH (JERKY) - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANT $525 FOR A NEW CLUSTER THAT THEY SAY IS NOT COMMON - LOOKING ON THE WEB, I FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH AVALANCHES AND THE WAITING LIST CAN BE IN THE HUNDREDS BEFORE ME - IF THIS IS SO COMMON, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL AND WHY DOES THE DEALER DENY THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES? *NM

POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED 5 TIMES BY THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM RETURNS. IT IS DO TO GO BACK THIS WEEK TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT, LUBED THE FRONT END, DRILLED AND ELONGATED THE CROSS MEMBER'S MOUNTING HOLES, ADDED WASHERS, AND COMBINATIONS ABOVE. *NM

CONTINUED PROBLEM WITH POP/NOISE IN FRONT END OF 04 AVALANCHE WHILE TURNING AND TURNING WHILE IN REVERSE. CHEVROLET HAS ISSUES SEVERAL TSB'S FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST. AT THE MOMENT IT HAS NOT CAUSE ANY ACCIDENTS BUT MYSELF AND OTHER AVALANCHE OWNER ARE FEARFUL THAT IT WILL DEVELOP INTO A SAFETY CONCERN IF NOT PERMANENTLY CORRECTED.*AK