Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 02/13/2013 | 60292 | ||
| I was driving home after moritz chevrolet in fort worth, texas replaced a passengers door module. while driving 5-10 mph, the steering wheel locked during left and right turns and the engine shut down. after i restarted the truck, the steering wheel went back to normal. i almost hit a curb after making a right turn. i'm afraid to drive my truck, because i could have been in an accident if i were going any faster. | |||
| 09/15/2010 | 85000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. while driving approximately 3-4 mph the power steering failed. he stated the vehicle became very difficult to steer. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic. the mechanic advised him that the gear box needs replacing. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacture was contacted and they referred him to nhtsa. the failure mileage was 85,000 and the current mileage was 86,190. vwb | |||
| 06/11/2006 | 65000 | ||
| I own a 2003 chevrolet silverado 4x4 and have had to replace the steering rod once already at about 65,000 miles due to a loud clunking noise and looseness in the steering. this set me back about $300.00 parts and labor. the mechanic told me they have a lot of trouble with this part. i am still having trouble with this as it seems like you are wandering when traveling down the road. i now have 108,000 miles on the truck and plan on keeping it for while longer but this is a safety concern of mine. | |||
| 09/23/2004 | |||
| 2003 chevy silverado 1500 series. steering problems every year or two since we have had it. i think almost the whole steering system has been worked on or replaced since we have had this truck, but never a recall on it for this problem. dates of work: 9-23-04,10-18-04, 9-29-06,10-23-0811-10-08 and also sometime around august of 2009. i am already have more problems with the same thing again. why hasn't there been any recall on this matter. | |||
| 06/14/2007 | 48000 | 1 | |
| Power assist to the steering when turning left cuts out intermittently. this started occurring when the vehicle was almost new and still under warranty, but didn't happen very often and the dealer could not find anything wrong when brought in for warranty repairs. now that the warranty has expired, it has gotten much worse. at lower speeds, especially under 25 mph, there is often little or no power assist to the steering. this makes it especially difficult to go around corners and maneuver in parking lots. internet search shows that this is a common problem with 2000-2006 silverado and sierra pickups, as well as tahoes, suburbans and yukons. this is a serious safety defect in that the power assist can suddenly cut out when going around a curve or corner, making it very difficult to keep the vehicle on course and avoiding striking stationary objects or pedestrians. as the warranty has expired, the dealer said it would cost about $1000 to replace the power steering rack to correct this problem. truck is parked and not being used now, as it is unsafe to operate until this issue is resolved. *tr | |||
| 03/01/2009 | 78000 | 1 | |
| 2003 chevy silverado - poor steering- i have replaced the gearing box w/front end alignment due to having 4 estimates and advised that the gear box was defected. 6 months later - i have been advised by several certified mechanics that the gear box that was put in is also defected. poor steering control, truck pulls all over the road which could result in a crash. if the steering boxes for this year/make vehicles are defected, why not compensate the owners for all the expenses. it is obvious that these parts for this year vehicle is in fact defected. how many complaints/accidents/injuries does it take before these issues are acknowledged? i have spent over $1,500.00 just in the braking and steering repairs and yet faced again with more cost or either get rid of my truck that i had for 1 year. *tr | |||
| 07/04/2009 | 41000 | 1 | |
| Steering box went out in my 2003 chevy 1500 silverado all of a sudden and i couldn't turn to the left while pulling out or at slow speeds. didn't notice any problems in steering up to it going out. johnson chevy garage had to replace steering box to fix. the truck has only 41,000 miles on it and they also said gm know there is a problem and had a tbs out on it but it wasn't covered under a recall. i bought a box from advance auto for 350.00 and paid johnson chevy garage 157.00 for labor. *tr | |||
| 05/16/2008 | 101000 | 1 | |
| Steering gear box fails to work at slow speeds/low rpm. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 27500 | 1 | |
| There is a thunking sound that originates somewhere in the steering mechanism. i took it to the dealer while the vehicle was still under warranty and was told that it was not a safety issue and that the steering box just needed to be repacked with grease. it feels as if it is a safety issue. it feels as if the whole steering mechanism is going to come apart. i originally noticed the problem at 25000 miles and took it to the dealer. the noise came back in about 12-15000 miles. it appears from the message boards and to people that i have talked to that own the same or similar vehicle have the same problems. *tr | |||
| 01/31/2009 | 97535 | 1 | |
| I am writing in regards to my anti lock baking system (abs) and my steering column. i was nearly involved in an auto accident on dry pavement when my abs system engaged and then dis-engaged at a speed of less than 10 mph. when steering to the right to avoid the accident, my steering column had a strange vibration/loud humming noise. my antilock brakes engaged while i was slowing to swerve to miss the oncoming vehicle and then my abs stopped working and my abs warning light along with my parking brake (p) warning light came on. now, since that day (2 days ago), my steering column still makes noises when i turn to the right and my abs system continues to engage at slow speeds when stopping even on dry pavement. i have been told by a gm dealership that the two issues that i am experiencing are not on a recall list but are common problems with my vehicle. they further advised that since my vehicle is no longer under warranty, i would have to pay for these malfunctions. i was told by an independent mechanic that the above issues are safety issues and gm is aware of the problems. with the above being said, i feel that my issues with the abs system and the steering column are safety issues and gm should be addressing these issues before someone is seriously injured or killed. i need to get these issues corrected on my vehicle, however, i do not feel that i should be liable for these repairs when gm is aware of the issues and nothing has been done to remedy the problem. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2008 | 1 | ||
| 2003 chevy tahoe and silverado excessive vibration, rattling and pulling in steering. dealer lubes the shaft which only temporarily fixes the problem as the problem always comes back. *tr | |||
| 07/04/2008 | 40000 | 1 | |
| Intermediate steering shaft clunking while driving. this has been replaced before and the clunking stopped for a while, but it needs to be replaced again. *tr | |||
| 06/18/2007 | 1 | ||
| Steering continues to knock. *tr | |||
| 07/10/2008 | 25000 | 1 | |
| 2003 chevrolet silverado pickup steering defect. intermediate steering becomes loose. possible loss of control. current repair is to grease shaft to deaden sound of loose sliding parts. steering parts in question are crucial to safe operation. multiple occurrences with this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 15000 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado 1500. the contact stated that there was a loose, knocking feeling as he turned his steering wheel multiple times. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer twice and was informed that it was an ongoing failure and all they could do was to grease the steering shaft. the dealer also stated that it was just a temporary repair and would have to take the vehicle back periodically for relubrication. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 81,000 and failure mileage was 15,000. | |||
| 03/05/2004 | 21052 | 3 | 06/28/2003 |
| I have had clunking, stiffness, and metal to metal sounds in the steering column and felt in the steering wheel in which they repaired the intermediate shaft on the steering column. they have repaired it twice. it is now needing another repair. the clunking and noise is more prevalent when turning to the right. very noisy and can feel it better on slow turns to the right on normal pavement. *jb | |||
| 11/18/2005 | 51907 | 2 | 01/31/2003 |
| Tl- the consumer stated steering began feeling loose and making noise on rough roads. the consumer stated dealer replaced the intermediate steering shaft at the consumer's cost. the consumer stated the part had to be replaced yet again at 82,867 miles on a good faith gesture by the dealer. updated 09/18/07 *tr | |||
| 03/22/2007 | 53000 | 3 | 02/14/2003 |
| Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet silverado with 53,000 miles. the contact stated that while driving the steering column made a clunking noise. the failure occurred at any speed, but happened more while driving on rough roads. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer, who lubricated the vehicle, but the failure continued. the failure had been observed three times. the noise had not effected the maneuverability of the vehicle. the current and failure mileage were both 53,000.*ak the intermediate steering shaft was replaced. update *4/23/07 *tr | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2003 chevy silverado which sound like the steering shaft is about to fall out. i took it to the dealer under warranty and they used a grinder on the steering shaft. it wasn't too long and the problem recurred, i went back to the dealer this time not under warranty and the dealer said i would have to pay to replace the steering shaft. i did not have it replaced at this time. this is a manufactures defect which should be recalled. so far this hasn't created an accident. *nm | |||
| 11/22/2006 | 74000 | 1 | 09/01/2006 |
| Rattling in steering when making left or right turns or hitting rough road going straight. *nm | |||
| 06/05/2004 | 15000 | 4 | 04/23/2003 |
| Intermediate steering shaft noise caused by wear or bad part design by g.m. in my opinion i think this wear could lead to a steering failure which is not g.m.'s opinion. *nm | |||
| 08/10/2006 | 27314 | 1 | 07/17/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, upon attempting a left turn there was a clunking noise from the steering wheel and steering shaft pitman area. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who replaced the intermediate steering shaft kit. after the repair, the steering noise ceased without further incident. | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 03/14/2008 | 30000 | 3 | 03/16/2003 |
| Potential safety problem with steering shaft on 2000-2005 chevy trucks. i have had my steering worked on twice to solve a knocking in the column. gm dealerships say if it goes unrepaired there could be a potential failure in the steering shaft. there are many complaints on the internet about this all you have to do is google chevy steering problems. dealer repair service says there is no fix and you have to bring it in every 20,000 to 30,000 miles and have it repaired at a cost of 100 dollars to 500 dollars. something needs done about this before someone gets hurt from this. there should be a recall just for the fact that it is costing everyone that has purchased a chevy truck to fix the problem over and over again. *tr | |||
| 01/09/2008 | 89000 | 6 | 06/15/2006 |
| My 2003 chevrolet silverado has a braking issue where the brakes fail to work. the general motors corp had a recall on this issue identifying model years 1999-2002. i called the general motors corp for help with the issue. i was told by their representative, i needed to have the vehicle evaluated by a chevrolet dealer, if the problem were found, they would repair it at no cost to me. i brought the vehicle to my local dealer, they found and documented the issue on a service report (i have a copy). when i called general motors back, i was told that they were not going to fix the problem, it was my problem to fix. i explained numerous times that this is not a wear item, they had a recall previously, their dealer documented my vehicle as having the problem. still, to no avail, i was told it is my problem and they won't cover it because it wasn't identified under the recall. therefore, why was i told to bring it to the dealer for no reason and a cost to me of $42, and more importantly why are they not concerned that my vehicle has an issue where the brakes fail to work. general motors service bulletin # 05068b, nhtsa campaign number: 05v379000. the evaluation was performed by keigan chevrolet in franklin ma, service report invoice # 82978a. the vehicle was manufactured in 11/02 although it is called a 2003 model. i only seek to have the braking issue repaired. as noted by the service report, the front wheel hubs need to be replaced. i also have a second issue following the same chain of events, the intermediate steering column rattles. there was also a service bulletin for this issue, also found to be a problem at the dealer, also documented on the service report, told same thing, my problem. i would like them to replace the intermediate steering column at their cost. *tr | |||
| 01/04/2008 | 35600 | 2 | 08/22/2003 |
| Clunking noise in steering, sounds like dry shaft. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2007 | 4 | ||
| There is a clunking noise in the steering shaft. the dealer would grease the shaft and the noise would go away for awhile. now that the vehicle is out of warranty, they said there is nothing they can do. this part is defective and should be replaced on all affected vehicles. *tr | |||
| 03/18/2005 | 45000 | 4 | 04/20/2003 |
| I have a constant problem with the steering column on my 2003 chevy silverado 1500 z71. it is alway vibrating and cluncking. i bring it into for service and after about 4-6 months i am in there again for the same problem. the service dept. stated they are aware of problem but have no fix but to grease part. unacceptable. how can you know of a bad part and charge customer to temporarily fix problem. wonder what else all that rattling around messed up under there. *tr | |||
| 02/16/2007 | 65000 | 3 | 12/24/2002 |
| Steering column shaft is poorly designed, and degrades quickly. maintenance must be done frequently by an experienced technician, thus making it very expensive. lubricating the shaft only works temporarily. the shaft required replacement before 70,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 06/06/2007 | 10000 | 3 | 05/30/2003 |
| Noise in steering components. had serviced by dealership twice under warrantee they did a grease pack on the steering column and it worked for about 6 months each time. my nephew worked for columbus ohio dealer as mechanic he told me to contact my dealer for service. he also stated there were several service bulletins out on this repair. when i spoke to the dealer where purchesed the service department stated i would have to pay for repairs. this is a gm problem and should be recalled by them. truck now has 50,000 miles on it and the problem first started around 10,000 miles. i had truck to an alignment shop where they state truck can not be aligned without repairs being made therefore this is definitely a safety hazard. | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 2 | ||
| Steering column - the column makes a knocking noise. i can also feel the knocking within the steering wheel. the bushing was replaced while still under warranty. now this same problem has come up again. it went away for 6 months or so and has been back every since. *jb | |||
| 06/02/2006 | 20000 | 3 | 04/04/2003 |
| Consistent knocking noise coming from the steering column. the dealer has regreased the shaft twice with special grease and on the third attempt replaced the whole shaft with an updated version. in less than six months the shaft has begun to knock again. *nm | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX - SHAFT SECTOR | |||
| 03/01/2005 | 27638 | 2 | 08/23/2003 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that the upper intermediate steering shaft was replaced on the 2003 chevrolet silverado at 27638 miles. the upper intermediate steering shaft failed again at 54000 miles. at tom banning chevrolet the mechanic stated that each upper intermediate steering shaft would only last approximately 20,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 06/01/2006 | 30000 | 1 | 08/28/2003 |
| Steering gear box is going out, part has to be replaced. me & 4 others that bought this pickup are all having the same problem. *nm | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 48000 | 1 | 05/01/2006 |
| Steering column-i have been driving my 2003 z71 for about 15 months and there is a terrible clunk from the steering shaft. i went to the dealer and was told this is a common defect on the 2003 z71 silverado. the mechanic stated there isn't much that can be done to fix the problem other then regrease the shaft; which will only quite the clunk for a short period of time. with so many complaints for this failure this should be replaced completely by the manufacturer at no cost to the owner of the vehicle. gm/chevrolet needs to make this a recall item and fix their mistake rather then charge the customer for this repair. *tr | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 15000 | 3 | |
| I have been driving my 2003 silverado for four years now and have had the following problem: with 53000 miles at 10,000 miles: started dealing with intermediate steering shaft clunk. somewhat relieved to find out that the front end isn't falling apart; dismayed to hear that i may be obliged to pay and pay to have this chronically-defective part serviced over and over again. lubing the part is now going to fix a design problem. now gm will not cover the lubing because it is not under any warranty. the steering shaft has a design problem that is why gm has sent out bulletins and redesigned shafts for replacements, so why is this part not on recall??? to many bulletins on one part for it not to be defective. thanks you for your time and i wait on your response. *jb | |||