2002 Chevrolet Suburban Steering Problems

When driving at highway speeds or even around town the vehicle randomly jerks to one side or another alignment was just done and was told all was good tires are new Pitman armor place ball joints replaced still having the issue of it darting specially when going around curves it wants to pull vehicle to the ditch and I look like I am driving drunk which I'm not I've had my mechanic try to inspect the issue he couldn't find it I heard they're made possibly be a TSB out for it but it's hidden

The steering pump has plenty of fluid in the reservoir and has been changed regularly. All of the sudden all power assisted steering disappeared when turning to the left making parking nearly impossible causing a great safety concern as this is my only vehicle and now my wife cannot take the truck anywhere. According to other owners, it's a common issue caused by the booster valve sticking shut and when I inquired about repair, I was quoted a part cost of 300 bucks which I don't have at all. Hopefully enough folks report this issue resulting in action taken by NHTSA even though the vehicle is almost 20 years old.

HAVE 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500 4WD 5.3 ENGINE A/T. WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED OUT & LOST ALL STEERING/BRAKES. 131,589 MILES ON ODOMETER AT TIME. MANAGED TO COAST VEHICLE ONTO SHOULDER, WAITED 2 MINUTES, STARTED VEHICLE AGAIN, PULLED OUT INTO BUSY TRAFFIC JUST TO MAKE IT 2 BLOCKS BEFORE STALL OUT AGAIN. REPEATED THIS PROCESS SEVERAL MORE TIMES BEFORE I FOUND A GAS STATION. SUSPECTING WATER IN GAS, ADDED 1 BOTTLE OF GAS LINE ANTI-FREEZE. DROVE REST OF WAY HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. REPLACED FUEL FILTER, PCV VALVE, AIR FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND CLEANED THROTTLE BODY JUST TO HAVE STALL OUT THE VERY NEXT DAY. NO CODES ARE DISPLAYED IN MESSAGE CENTER IN DASH BOARD. STALLS OUT RANDOMLY WITHOUT A PATTERN. WAIT 1-2 MINUTES THEN WILL START AGAIN. *TR

I HAD JUST PULLED AWAY FROM MY HOME ( APPROXIMATELY GOING 5 MPH) AND MY STEERING WHEELED LOCKED TO THE RIGHT AND I SIDE SWIPED 2 PARKED VEHICLES. I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, WAS SEAT BELTED, NOT ON MY CELL PHONE NOR WAS I TEXTING...MY FULL ATTENTION WAS ON DRIVING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING FOR A FEW SECONDS. I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND BELTS FOR ANY SIGNS OF LEAKS OR WEAR, BUT THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF A MALFUNCTION. MY GREAT CONCERN IS , WILL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN...WHY DID IT HAPPEN AND IF THOSE PEOPLE WERE GETTING INTO THEIR CARS...I MOST PROBABLY WOULD HAVE KILLED THEM! *TR

PULSATING AT BRAKING, LONGER THAN NECCESARY TO COME TO COMPLETE STOP AT LOW SPEED , EXTREME RUST TO UNDERCARRIAGE, SUSPENSION, AND BRAKE PARTS.

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND VERY HEAVING STEERING REQUIRING GREAT EFFORT. I MADE A HARD U-TURN AND THEN FOUND THE STEERING WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY. IT TOOK BOTH HANDS AND A LOT OF FORCE TO STEER THE CAR. I PULLED OVER, POPPED HOOD, AND SAW NOTHING WRONG. NO DASH MALFUNCTION LIGHTS WERE ON. AT REPAIR, THE STEERING PUMP SHAFT HAD SHEARED WHERE IT NECKS DOWN FROM ABOUT 3/4" TO 3/8" DIAMETER. AN INTERNET SEARCH PROVIDES MANY INSTANCES OF THE SAME FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP WITH A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER WHICH DOES NOT HAVE THE VARIABLE EFFORT STEERING FEATURE. I VERY MUCH DON'T LIKE THE RESULTING LACK OF ROAD FEEL AND AM PURSUING THAT PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER. THIS SUDDEN STEERING PUMP FAILURE IS A DEFINITE SAFETY RELATED ISSUE. *TR

WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, THE STEERING RESISTS VERY STRONGLY A TURN TO THE RIGHT IN THE FIRST 10-20 DEGREES OF STEERING WHEEL TURN TO THE RIGHT OF STRAIGHT. THE STRENGTH OF RESISTANCE IS VARIABLE, DEPENDING ON THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. SITTING STILL, THERE IS A SLIGHT ?HITCH? OR NOTHING AT ALL. AS VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES, THE AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE INCREASES TO A MAX AT ABOUT 20-25 MPH, WHERE IT TAKES AN ?ARM WRESTLE? FORCE TO MOVE THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT. IT RESISTS, FIGHTS BACK, THEN WITH A LOT OF MUSCLE ? POPS THROUGH THIS RESISTANCE AND FEELS PERFECTLY NORMAL. THE HARD MUSCLE PULL TO THE RIGHT, AND SUBSEQUENT RELEASE MAKES THE TRACK OF THE CAR TEND STRAIGHT, AND THEN JERK RIGHT. WHEN THE CAR HAS THIS MALFUNCTION, IT REQUIRES THE MOST PHYSICAL POWER TO PULL THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. SUCCESSIVE TURNS TO THE RIGHT ARE EASIER AND EASIER, UNTIL AFTER ABOUT 4-5 CYCLES TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING IS ?NORMAL.? SYMPTOMS ARE GONE WITHIN 1 MILE OF DRIVING. THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS USUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. IT ALSO IS MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE IS COLD. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO BOTH. IT RESISTED TURNS TO THE RIGHT IN THE MORNING, AND EQUALLY AS MUCH THAT EVENING RETURNING HOME FROM WORK. IT HAS SHOWN UP IN THE SUMMER, BUT MORE OFTEN IN THE WINTER. IT DOES NOT DO IT EVERY DAY. I DESCRIBE IT AS PERMANENT, PERSISTENTLY INTERMITTENT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND LEFT DAYS AND WEEKS AT A TIME. AT THE LAST INCIDENT, THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING POSITION SENSOR. FREQUENCY OF MALFUNCTION DECREASED, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TAKE NORMAL STEERING COMMANDS IS IN ITSELF HAZARDOUS. ON SLIPPERY SURFACES, THE LIKELIHOOD OF LOSS OF CONTROL IS SEVERE. *TR

CLANKING IN STEERING WHEEL / COLUMN. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE JUST HOW 2002 SUBURBANS RUN. NOT HAPPY WITH ANSWER, TOOK IT BACK AGAIN, INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. 6 MONTHS LATER, SAME THING, AGAIN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED. GUESS WHAT, MAKING APPOINTMENT TO GO BACK BECAUSE OF SAME PROBLEM IN STEERING, WITH CLANKING AND VIBRATION, CAN HEAR IT AND FEEL MOSTLY WITH ANY TURN OF THE WHEEL....BET IT WILL ONCE AGAIN BE AN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACEMENT AND 3 DAYS WITH OUT MY VEHICLE! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SHOP. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT THE POWER STEERING BECAUSE HE COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL AT ALL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 07/18/11

POWER STEERING ON 2002 CHEVY. SUBURBAN FAILS. HAD POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. *JB

3RD FAILURE OF THE INTERMEDITE STEERING SHAFT ON THE 2002 CHEVROLET 1/2 TON SUBURBAN. *AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2002 SUBURBAN. MY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEEN REPLACED/REPAIRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES SINCE I DROVE IT OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS BEGUN TO MAKE NOISES AGAIN, INDICATING IT IS TIME FOR YET ANOTHER SERVICE TRIP. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE WHEELS WHEN THE FRONT WHEELS WERE TURNED. SHE STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE MAY BE THE UPPER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $275 FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE MANY REPAIRS RELATED TO THE WHEEL FAILURE. SHE STATED THAT A RUNNING BOARD LIGHT IS DIM ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF HER VEHICLE, WHICH SHE HAS NOTICED ON MANY SUBURBANS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

CONSUMERS 2002 SUBURBAN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. *JB

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, 1500 LT, 4WD. THE SUBURBAN WAS SERVICED ROUTINELY AT THE DEALER AND HAD 69,000 MILES. THE SHAFT IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE CAUSING COMPLETE AND TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED OFF OF THE MAIN ROADWAY AND AT LOW SPEED, BUT CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED, THE EVENTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. *JB

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING SENSORS. *MR THE SENSORS REACTED SPORADICALLY. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH HIS 1999 GMC YUKON. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS EXAMINED, THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK

THE TRUCK HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH A CLANGING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, MOSTLY WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT IT MAY CAUSE A STEERING COMPONENT TO BREAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING, AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE NOISE, TO WHICH HE REPLIED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY RECALLS, AND THE NOISE WAS NOT DANGEROUS/SERIOUS. *AK THE DEALERS TECH INDICATED THAT THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING HOWEVER, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN HAD POWER STEERING FAILURE.*MR WHEN THEN POWER STEERING FAILED THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM SHOULD ALLOW THE DRIVER TO HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE STEERING EVEN IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE. *NM