2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO CLASSIC Steering Problems

A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT MY LEFT FRONT BRAKES WERE MAKING A SLIGHT SQUEALING SOUND WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. IN A TURN OR WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED IT WOULD GO AWAY. VERY MINOR. THEN WHEN TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55 MPH I GOT A SEVERE SHUTTER IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE LEFT WHEEL WAS SHAKING LIKE CRAZY. I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. AFTER I DOWNSHIFTED I GOT IT STOPPED ON A HILL. HAD IT TOWED HOME. THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING HAD MELTED!! THE WHEEL WAS LITERALLY HANGING ON AS THE DRIVESHAFT U JOINT CAME APART. THE FRONT HALF OF THE DRIVESHAFT WAS BENT AND THE BRAKES WERE SHOT. TURNS OUT THE (SEALED) HUB WAS RUSTED SO BAD IT FROZE UP. THEN IT FELL APART ON THE ROAD. LUCKILY I GOT IT STOPPED WITH WRECKING. CHEVY WANTED OVER $2200 TO FIX IT....

INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN, CLUNKING NOISE RADIATING UP THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN, VERY PRONOUNCED WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE, NOISE HAS BECOME WORSE AND OWNER IS ANNOYED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. CONTACTING THE DEALER, THEY WANT TO CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER HAS ALSO STATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM WAS PRESENT WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SHOCK ABSORBERS ON THE FRONT AND HAD NO DESIRE TO HAVE THE SAME 'CHEAP' SHOCKS REPLACED. UPON MY OBTAINING FOUR KYB BRAND SHOCK ABSORBERS AND INSTALLING THEM, IT BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND A 'SERVICE BULLETIN' CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. UPON TALKING TO THE DEALER AND A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE, I REALIZED THAT THEY DID NOT GIVE A DARN - THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN....

AT SLOW SPEED THE POWER STEERING FAILS. THIS FAILURE IS SPORADIC, BUT DOES HAPPEN OFTEN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES AS HARD TO TURN AS WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF WITH NO POWER BOOST AT ALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS THE ONLY OPTION IS TO STOP ABRUPTLY. CHEVROLET RECENTLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR REPAIR ON SOME CAR MODELS FOR THE SAME COMPLAINT, HOWEVER MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED. *TR