Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 030236002 | 08/01/2003 | 10012577 | Revised steering wheel position sensor or steering shaft lower bearing replacement procedure and steering wheel position sensor centering procedure. *eh | 03/07/2005 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | ||||||
| EA99011 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/12/1999 | 02/27/2001 | ERRATIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIV | ||
| Alleged that a fault within the steering wheel speed sensor sends false signals to the variable effort steering (ves) control electronics, causing unanticipated steering wheel movement at moderate to high speeds. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 80000 | 900 | 08/25/1998 |
| Experience unanticipated steering wheel movement at moderate speeds (20 to 55 mph). steering wheel jerks unexpectedly while driving, especially while driving on a curved roadway (in a moderate turn at speed). vehicle has done this for about 3 years, but problem has progressed. found the problem posted on www.carcomplanints.com and realized i've experienced the problem, too but didn't know what was wrong. *nm | |||
| 07/16/2006 | 113000 | 1 | 11/10/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the steering wheel locked. when the steering wheel locked the wheel was curved to the left, causing the vehicle to collide with a roadside tree. there was a police report filed. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, where the cause of the problem was not determined. | |||
| 12/14/2005 | 106000 | 2 | 06/10/2003 |
| I brought my 1999 chevrolet tahoe to alexandria buick-pontiac-gmc in alexandria, virginia on december 14, 2005 because the abs light kept coming on in the dashboard. mechanic diagnosis was speed sensors were missing. he replaced the hub assemblies and speed sensors. total repair was $1064.54. i then found out that a recall on the problem i had just repaired was going on in the rust belt states and canada. the recall was for the whole northeast part of the country down to and including washington dc. i work in washington and live about 5 miles from the city. i wrote the gm claims department with copies of every receipt and a copy of the recall letter. they contacted me and told me the repair was indeed one included within the recall, but they were denying the claim because i live in virginia and the recall is only valid in salt belt states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maryland, massachusetts, maine, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin and the district of columbia. i want the recall to be opened back up and to include additional states. i spend every single day in washington, what makes my claim any different from the person that lives 5 miles away from me, but happens to live across the state border? what is different from someone who lives in washington and works in virginia? since my home address was virginia, my claim was denied. the recall campaign # is 05v379000. *nm the engine light illuminated, the serpentine belt was repalced. the water pump was leaking abd the pinion seal was replaced. updated 02/09/06. *jb | |||
| 09/03/2004 | 88677 | 1 | |
| Corrected steering problem. concerned that the design and function of speed sensitive steering on this vehicle could be a safety hazard. *bf the vehicle steering became loose while making right hand turns, 3244 miles. the dealer replaced the speed sensor that controls the speed sensitive steering. the upper brake lamp shorted at 15311 miles. the battery failed load test at 22085 miles. the left front speaker was inoperative at 30715 miles. the mirror switch was hot to the touch at 32291 miles. *nm | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 3244 | 6 | |
| Experienced problems during right hand turns where a complete loss of steering feedback occurred. *bf (speed sensitive steering) this was an intermittent problem. the upper lamp shorted, battery failed load test, left front speaker was inoperative, the mirror switch was hot to touch, dome light stayed on and the radio button were hot to touch. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Concerns regarding brake lights and steering on 1999 chevrolet tahoes and gmc yukons.*mr the consumer feels an immediate recall of the brakes and steering should be issued. *nm | |||
| 03/15/2004 | 80000 | 1 | 04/01/1999 |
| I own a 1999 chevrolet tahoe that has an ongoing on and off problem with the steering whereby the steering wheel will jerk suddenly in one direction or the other (usually pulling to the right) while i am driving. the feeling is as if i have hit a patch of ice or oil. on occassion it happens once, maybe twice in a commute. on other occassions, such as this morning, it is much more frequent. it feels as if i am losing control of the car. there is no rhyme or reason as to when it happens - it happens in dry weather, wet weather (when it is particularly scary), when the outside temperature is warm and when it is cold.*ak | |||
| 10/13/2003 | 84000 | 1 | 09/17/1998 |
| I was/am having some steering problems on my 1999 chevy tahoe. on oct. 13, 2003 i took my tahoe into my dealership. discovered my sway bar was cracked in half. they said they have never seen such a thing. i do not drive on anything but road surfaces, nor do i drive eradicated. it cost about $300 to have it replaced. the dealership told me to file a complaint and see if gm would cover cost. i never heard back from gm. also... i am having some steering issues for about 5 months now, about the same time my sway bar was cracked in half. my steering wheel seems to be very sensitive and will jerk to the left or right quite often. i'll be holding the steering wheel and all of a sudden it jerk an inch or two either way for no apparent reason. it happens most often when i'm turning right, but will occur at least once or twice every mile. some days seem better than others. i thought it might be my tires so i had them replaced and had the alignment and balanced adjusted decemeber 29th, 2003. it is still doing the same thing. it feels like i'm going to lose control of my steering. what should i do? this problem never went away after i had my sway bar replaced. please advise. thank you! *la | |||
| 65000 | 1 | ||
| When driving around a curve steering wheel suddenly had a lot of play, . almost resulting in loss of vehicle control. cause unkwown.*ak | |||
| 04/22/2003 | 57000 | 1 | 10/10/1998 |
| 1999 chevrolet tahoe - steering problems. steering wheel inconsistently loses tension and offers too much play - causing dangerous jerking and unpredictable swerving. *jb | |||
| While driving the vehicle pulls violent to the left due to the control steering module .please provide any additional information. dealer has been notified. ph | |||
| 10/06/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that while driving at any speed on flat surface and no warning the steering wheel will locked up and it will be hard for the consumer to control the vehicle. dealer notified. mr | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer is experiencing steering problems.yd | |||
| 05/20/2001 | |||
| While driving steering would jerk vehicle to left and right at any speed. took vehicle dealer, who told consumer to replace connector, that remedied the problem.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle experiencing steering problem. nlm | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| Ea99011, while making a right turn steering move back unexpectedly which may cause a loss of vehicle control. dealer said needs to replace the steering box. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| 10/15/1999 | 1 | 10/12/1999 | |
| The intermediate steering shaft, connecting steering column at firewall penetration to steering gear box disengaged completely from coupling due to improper installation at the factory. mjs | |||
| Pulled away from stop light and steering locked up.steering wheel moved around. *ak | |||
| 05/01/1998 | 04/30/1998 | ||
| Vehicle drifted hard to the right. after repairs drifted to the left, the vehicle wandered on the road. also, there is alot of play in the steering, more than it should be. dealer contacted and stated the problem was a characteristic of the vehicle, and could not duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/31/2004 | 65000 | 1 | 01/25/1999 |
| I own a 1999 chevrolet tahoe 4wd. i have been experiencing erratic steering while turning at speeds above 30mph as well as it requring manual input to bring the wheel straight at the end of a curve.i will be contacting my local dealer on monday 8/02/04.*ak | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| Ea99011, while making a right turn steering move back unexpectedly which may cause a loss of vehicle control. dealer said needs to replace the steering box. please provide further information.*ak | |||
| Intermittently when making a right turn, steering wheel disengaged for a brief moment. the dealer has repaired the power steering box. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 04/01/1998 | ||
| Excessive play in the steering wheel, making the vehicle wander and hard to control | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | |||
| 94075 | 1 | ||
| When vehicle is moving power steering becomes involuntarily assisted which is capable of flipping vehicle on its side. | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 50346 | 1 | 12/07/2002 |
| While driving at a low speed power steering pump failed. as a result consumer was unable to turn in either direction. *ak the consumer had another suburban with the same problem at 49,035. that vehicle was a 1996 suburban. *nm | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 0 | ||
| Consumer was traveling 65mph on highway and steering was leaking. steering pump went out 70,000 miles, and had to be replaced.*ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 01/03/2006 | 64000 | 100 | 05/10/2001 |
| I have a 1999 chevy tahoe. the steering wheel jerks itself like someone grabs the steering wheel. it is very noticeable on two lane curvy roads. it feels like the truck hits a patch of ice. i have not had it repaired yet but was told by a service adviser that my truck has speed sensitive steering - it has an electrical wire hooked to the power steering pump to provide slow driving assistance. i am told that it sounds like the sensor or evo sensor for this system is bad. i have replaced the power steering pump to no avail. my step daughter has a 1997 chevy 1/2 ton pick up with the same problem. she has had dobbs auto disconnect the system. i think this is very dangerous especially if you over- correct when the pressure changes or briefly gives way as i would describe. i wonder how many crashes are caused do to this gremlin in the steering system. the service manager as my local chevy dealer seems to be aware of this problem. *nm | |||
| 09/10/2005 | 56000 | 1 | 05/05/1999 |
| When driving vehicle, the steering jerks to the right and then is ok for awhile and then jerks again to the right. it is like someone jerks on the steering wheel. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2002 | 30000 | 1 | 05/24/1999 |
| The hydraulic power assist sytem does not function properly is is a very dangerous problem. the steering wheel slips at high speed cause the vehicle to swerve suddenly while going around corners. i took the vehicle to the dealer to have this problem repaired, but after $1,000.00 of repairs, the problem still exists. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 75000 | 1 | 10/15/1998 |
| Steering feels like it is slipping or overpowered rt turns. the center position is gone when making a right turn. you need to turn the wheel back to center which can require multiple adjustments of the wheel causing swerving. problem i am told be chevy dealer is common and caused by evo sensor.*ak | |||
| 02/12/2003 | 1 | ||
| The power steering failed, which caused the vehicle to jerk to the right. *jb | |||
| 01/30/2003 | 52000 | ||
| Erratic power steering assist while driving. feels like you have no control for a split second | |||
| 06/19/2002 | 1 | 05/01/2002 | |
| Power assist would cause too much assist causing vehicle to swerve suddenly. failed part was sensor at bottom of steering column. part failure common according to dealer parts salesman. | |||
| 07/01/2001 | 2 | ||
| When turning right, steering wheel will jerk and vehicle will rock and swerve due to evo sensor module. had evo sensor replaced. dealer contacted. *ak the evo sensor controls the power steering pump, the sensor is located in the steering column near the firewall on the cabin side. *tt | |||
| 05/15/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| Erratic power steering assist. steering wheel input of approximately 15 degrees to the left results in unwanted additional left turn. most noticable at speeds greater than 40mph.*ak | |||
| 11/01/2000 | 1 | 03/01/1999 | |
| Failure caused steering at speed to be dangerously sensitive and steering would torque to the right or left when decelerating on an off-ramp when sensor tried to switch level of steering assist, as if running off road onto shoulder. dealer states this is a problem they have seen and replaced sensor out of warranty. was not obvious what the problem was until i realized the vehicle had speed sensitive steering. most drivers would never realize failure had occured. significant probability of contributing to a loss of control accident. | |||
| 01/24/2001 | 02/01/1998 | ||
| Power steering is erratic on curves, mostly to the left. tends to oversteer suddenly when engaged. very tricky when road conditions are not optimal,i.e., rain. happens intermittently so it can catch you offguard. danger of an accident is imminent if not corrected soon. | |||
| 6 | 03/01/1999 | ||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 1 | 06/19/1998 | ||
| Driver experienced a sudden momentary loss of power steering. yh | |||
| 1 | 11/01/1998 | ||
| Steering wheel doesn't come back after turning, which contributed to consumers accident. yh | |||
| 02/15/1999 | 1 | 03/01/1998 | |
| Power steering assist unit became overpowered at high speed. this caused the truck to handle upredictably when small steering inputs where used. it was hard to keep the truck on the road and in one lane. the problem was fixed by replacing a steering sensor but the problem is begining again. | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES | |||
| 07/01/2001 | |||
| Pitman and idle arms are starting to vibrate again within 30,000 miles. first time dealer stated it was normal. consumer was waiting to hear from dealer.*ak | |||
| 01/28/1999 | 1 | ||
| Pitman arm fell off of vehicle causing loss to steering ability. mjs | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - ARM - IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | |||
| 07/01/2001 | |||
| Pitman and idle arms are starting to vibrate again within 30,000 miles. first time dealer stated it was normal. consumer was waiting to hear from dealer.*ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - PINION SHAFT | |||
| 10/15/1999 | 1 | 10/12/1999 | |
| Rear end pinion shaft seal failed causing leakage. mjs | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 02/15/2002 | |||
| When turning steering wheel to left, then letting it go it will not go back to original position, vehicle keeps turning left. vehicle has been taken to dealer 3 times, cannot remedy the problem. dealer stated this was normal.*ak | |||
| When driving in cold weather and turning to left, steering wheel will lock up, causing driver to lose control of vehicle. dealer has seen vehicle and can't fix it.*ak | |||