2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 Steering Problems

ON JUNE 08, 2013 MY HUSBAND HAD PARKED THE VAN ALONG SIDE THE ROAD - HE WAS OUT OF IT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING - WHEN A COWORKER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VAN. THE COWORKER RAN OVER TO THE VAN AND SEEN THAT THE FIRE WAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VAN WAS ON FIRE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS VAN HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH SOMETHING SECURITY. ALL OF THE GAUGES WOULD SHUT DOWN AND IT WOULD DISPLAY "SECURITY " ON THE DASH. I PERSONALLY HAD CONTACTED OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THE LOCAL DEALER SUGGESTED A NEW KEY MADE AT THE DEALERSHIP USING THE VIN NUMBERS. THIS MADE NO DIFFERENCE AS IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME MY HUSBAND WENT TO A DEALERSHIP IN NORWALK, OHIO INQUIRING ABOUT THE PROBLEM - THEY...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SHE SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NUMEROUS DEALERS AND SHOPS, BUT THEY ALL CONFIRMED THAT THE HYDRO BOOST FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL, IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. NO RECALL COULD BE FOUND FOR THE CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500 ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT IF THE FAILURE WAS COMMON, A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 3500. WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING IDLER ARM WAS CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED THE REPAIR AS PART OF RECALL NUMBER 07103 BECAUSE THE CRACK ON THE IDLER ARM WAS NOT LOCATED IN THE CORRECT SPOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 10/09/07. *JB