2004 GMC SIERRA Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE ARM AND THE BOLT HAD BECOME SHREDDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHERE AN INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM BOLT HAD SHREDDED FROM THE TIE ROD CENTER LINK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE YOU GET A LOUD THUMP AND SHAKE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED, WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR TURNING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TRACED TO THE STEERING SHAFT ON ALL CHEVROLET AND GMC PICKUPS FROM THAT YEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN A CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THE DEALER CONFIRMED ON BOTH OCCASIONS THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

MY CONCERN IS ONE FOR TRYING TO PREVENT A FUTURE ACCIDENT. I OWN A GMC SIERRA 2500 PICKUP AND THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IN GOING OUT AGAIN. THIS ALL WITHIN 40,000 MILES. I FEEL THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE PART. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE STEERING SHAFT FAILS, THE DRIVER WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

CLUNK NOISE THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH STEERING COLUMN WHEN TRAVELING OVER ROUGH PAVEMENT AND IS MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT. MANUFACTURER HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND STILL HAS FAILED TO CORRECT IT FOR MANY CUSTOMERS. MOST DEALER SERVICE CENTERS TELL CUSTOMERS THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BY LUBRICATING THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE SHAFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS WORKS FOR MANY BUT IS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX AS IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY THAT THE PROBLEM RETURNS AND IN MOST CASES AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAS EXPIRED. SOME OWNERS HAVE REPORTED RETURNING TO THE DEALERSHIP AS MANY AS 5 TIMES. *NM

#1 04 SIERRA 4X4 RETURNED TO DEALER AFTER 2 WEEKS (9/18/04) WITH 1523 MILES FOR HARD SHIFTING. CLUTCH WAS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY FROM FACTORY. ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE POINT IN CLUTCH PEDAL TRAVEL IS AT FULL DEPRESSION INTO THE FIREWALL. #2 PASSENGER DOOR HARD TO CLOSE FULLY. DRIVER SIDE DOOR CLOSES AS EXPECTED WITH LITTLE EFFORT. PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY WITHOUT UNDUE FORCE BEING APPLIED OR A WINDOW CRACKED. #3 RETURNED TRUCK TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP ON 9/15/05 WITH 8,190 AND AGAIN 12/15/05 WITH 10,282 MILES. FOR A KNOCKING NOISE DURING TURNING, CLUTCH NOT ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING CORRECTLY, PASSENGER DOOR NOT CLOSING COMPLETELY, AND A NEW RATTLING NOISE FROM THE TRANSMISSION ALONG WITH A WHINE NOISE FROM THE GEARS. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED THE KNOCKING NOISE FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING A STEERING BUSHING. THIS DEALERSHIP ALSO STATED THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CLUTCH OR THE TRANSMISSION OR THE...

WHEN TURNING LEFT THE STEERING WHEEL SQUEAKS. WHEN TAKING MINOR BUMPS ON THE ROAD THERE'S A RATTLING OR A PULSING FEELING COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN. DRIVER DOOR MADE A RATTLING NOISE (WHICH WAS FIXED) AND THERE WAS A PUMPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH BOARD BY THE FLOOR (WHICH WAS FIXED).*JB

THE CENTER HUB OF THE WHEELS CONSTANTLY FALLS OFF. THE PLASTIC SCREWS THAT HOLD THE HUB ON THE WHEEL ARE NOT SECURING THE HUB PROPERLY. THE CONSUMER HAS LOST SIX OF THESE HUBS SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. *JB THE VEHICLE WOULD BUCK WHEN PUT INTO 4LOW AND SHIFTING INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL FROM REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE VEHICLE MADE A THUMPING NOISE WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AND THE CONSUMER COULD FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *NM