2003 GMC Sierra Steering Problems

HAD INJECTORS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 50000 MILES AFTER NOTICING EXCESS EXHAUST SMOKE ON STARTUP AND ALSO POWER STEERING HOSES WERE LEAKING, AGAIN AT 105000 MILES THEY TOTALLY FAILED AS I WAS BRINGING MY WIFE HOME FROM HOSPITAL ON I-15 IN CA. UP CAJON PASS AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER, BUT GM DEALER WOULD NOT COVER INJECTORS UNDER WARRANTY AS TRUCK WAS11 YEARS OLD AND THEIR COVERAGE WAS FOR 7 YEARS ONLY, NOW AGAIN HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AT 147000 MILES BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE SMOKE ON STARTUP. THIS TIME I WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AS THEY WERE $1000 CHEAPER AND STATED THESE UPGRADED INJECTORS SHOULD LAST 150000 MILES NOT 50000. HAD TO HAVE POWER STEERING HOSES REPLACED AGAIN ALSO ALONG WITH POWER BRAKE SERVO BECAUSE THEY WERE LEAKING AGAIN AT 157000 MILES. I HAVE ALL OF THIS DOCUMENTED IN WRITING BY SERVICE DEPTS.

I HAVE A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED AT TIMES THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN COMES BACK. YESTERDAY I ALMOST HIT A CAR HEAD ON DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TURNING INTO A GAS STATION AND THE STEERING WENT OUT. A CAR WAS PULLING OUT OF THE STATION AS I WAS PULLING IN AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS GOING STRAIGHT AT AND I STRUGGLED THROUGH IT TO MAKE THE TRUCK TURN. IF MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE TRUCK, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS BUT YESTERDAY WAS A CLOSE CALL. *TR

I AM AN ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN, I OWN AN AUTO/TRUCK REPAIR FACILITY. WE ARE A STATE OF OREGON AUTHORIZED DEQ REPAIR FACILITY, STATE OF OREGON DAS FLEET REPAIR FACILITY, US ARMY BASE VEHICLE REPAIR SHOP AND MORE. DRIVING MY TRUCK TO TACOMA WASHINGTON. I WAS TOWING A VEHICLE ON IN THE RIGHT SLOW LANE, AND "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE VIBRATED AND RUNS ON 1/2 CYLINDERS. CANNOT BRAKE OR STEER, TOTAL LACK OF POWER. SEMI-TRUCK NEARLY REAR ENDS ME AS I CANNOT GO OVER 10 MPH. NO THROTTLE RESPONSE, PERIOD. I WAS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION ZONE AND EVERYONE WAS SLAMMING ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID PILE-UP AS I HAD NO SHOULDER TO PULL OVER TO. A MILE OR SO LATER I PULLED OVER, AND SHUT OFF TRUCK. RESTARTED FEW MINUTES LATER AND CEL WAS ON, BUT REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHTS OUT. I CONTINUED MY DRIVE, BUT NOW CAUTIOUSLY. IT HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES GETTING TO TACOMA, AND 5 TIMES RETURNING BACK TO PDX. NOW AFRAID OF TRUCK. I FINALLY ARRIVED TO MY SHOP THE NEXT DAY AND SCANNED. CODES READ MAF FAIL, TPS FAIL. REPLACED THROTTLE PEDAL ASSY, THROTTLE BODY WITH POSITION SENSOR, WIRING TO THE THROTTLE BODY, CHECKED GROUNDS, REPLACED BATTERY AND MORE AS STATED BY GM TECH'S. STILL HAPPENS EVERY DAY. SEEMS LIKE UNDER LOW ACCELERATION, ENGINE BUCKS THEN CEL APPEARS AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER RETURNS. GM HAS NO OFFERS OR EXPLANATIONS FOR REPAIRS. I AM A CERTIFIED ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN AND HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF THIS UNTIL I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THIS HAPPENS TO OTHERS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH MOST GM OWNERS IN THE "FLY BY WIRE" TYPE OF VEHICLES. NO FIXES, NO HELP FROM GM. THIS HAS AND IS STILL OCCURRING EVEN TODAY 1/27/2015 WITH NO FIXES. VEHICLE IS BEING PARKED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE AS THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN #[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR

POWER STEERING COOLER AND LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING, ENGINE OIL COOLER LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING, TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKING. ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. WORK DONEA T GMC DEALER. *TR

BOUGHT THE TRUCK RECENTLY FROM VINCE WHIBBS GMC PENSACOLA FL. HAD SOME FRONT END WORK DONE BUT ALSO THERE IS A LOOSE STEERING SHAFT THAT IS A COMMON DEFECT WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL TRUCK. WHILE CORNERING THE TRUCK AT LOW SPEEDS AND GOING OVER BUMPS THERE IS A LOOSE FEELING FELT IN THE STEERING. *TR

MANY COMPONENTS UNDER THE TRUCK ARE SEVERELY RUSTED. TWO BRAKE LINES FAILED IN AUGUST 2011 DUE TO RUST. THE REST ARE READY TO FAIL SOON. THE POWER STEERING LINE RUSTED OUT THIS MONTH (DECEMBER). RUST AT SENSORS OF ABS SYSTEM CAUSES ERRATIC ABS OPERATION. *TR

BRAKES ARE SPONGY NOT RIGHT POWER STEERING WHINES AS DO BRAKES

POWER STEERING AND/OR BRAKING MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE OR DRASTICALLY REDUCED PERFORMANCE WHEN USED AT SAME TIME BECAUSE POWER STEERING PUMP IS ALSO POWER BRAKE PUMP AND SYSTEM DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH PRESSURE OR FLOW CAPACITY TO SUPPLY BOTH STEERING AND BRAKING TOGETHER. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT WAS A BRAKE LINE BURSTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAD IT REPAIRED AT MY LOCAL GARAGE. AT THAT TIME HE TOLD ME THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES WERE IN BAD SHAPE. SECOND INCIDENT, WHILE I WAS DRIVING UP THE ROAD AT APPROX 55 MPH WITH MY 19' BOAT IN TOW I REALIZED I HAD NO STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP AND PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A ROTTED LINE TO THE POWER STEERING COOLER. LASTLY, I AM NOT ABLE TO GET A SAFETY INSPECTION STICKER BECAUSE MY BRAKE LINES IN SUCH BAD CONDITION. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR $800-$1500 DOLLARS. I WILL ADD THAT THE TRUCK LOOKS LIKE NEW, SPENDS MOST OF IT'S TIME IN THE GARAGE AND IS USED PRIMARILY TO GO TO THE LOCAL DUMP, PLOW MY DRIVEWAY ONLY AND OCCASIONALLY TOW MY BOAT TO THE LAKE! MILEAGE REFLECTS THIS.DATES MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE BUT THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION. *TR

2003-? GMC TRUCK, STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. HAD SHAFT REPLACED AT 17,000 MILES DUE TO RATTLE AND THUMPING IN STEERING COLUMN. REPLACED AGAIN AT 53,000 MILES. POSSIBLE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO MANUFACTURE, ENGINEERING OR DESIGN. PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED BY GM ONLY REPLACED WITH SAME TYPE OF SHAFT. UPON ONLINE SEARCH, I DISCOVERED NUMEROUS OTHER CONSUMERS THAT HAVE/HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH GMC TRUCKS, VANS, SUVS, ETC. *TR

NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE. FAILURE, NO POWER ASSIST TO LEFTHAND TURNS. POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL OF TRUCK. 9-30-09 DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING ASSEMBLE PT# 88965789 S/GR REM 6.508. 9-13-10 NO EVENT LEADING TO FAILURE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST FOR LEFTHAND TURNS POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL OF TRUCK. DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING ASSEMBLE PT# 88965789 S/GR REM 6.508 THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW ON THIS TRUCK. *TR

I PREVIOUSLY HAD TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING COOLER REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKING CORRODED LINES. JUST RECENTLY HAD TO HAVE TRANS COOLER REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKING CORRODED LINES. MECHANIC SAID ALL LINES UNDERNEATH (BRAKE, STEERING, ETC) ARE TERRIBLY CORRODED AND WE WILL DEFINITELY PAY ATTENTION TO ALL CORRODED LINES, ETC IN FUTURE OIL CHANGE VISITS. THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY TRUCK IS A CORRODED DISASTER. THE ROCKER PANELS ARE GONE. CORRODED RAILER HITCH WAS REPLACED. LUCKILY NOTHING HAS TOTALLY FAILED YET TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE 2 GM PRODUCTS, A 1996 CHEVY IMPALLA & A 2003 GMC TRUCK. BOTH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AT VARIOUS TIMES AND WITHOUT NOTICE THE POWER STEERING WILL LOCK UP AND WON'T TURN FOR A BRIEF TIME. AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT WILL GO BACK TO NORMAL. ALSO IF YOU ARE STANDING STILL AND TRY TO TURN TO THE LEFT THE WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN OR WON'T TURN AT ALL. FORTUNATELY THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY, BUT I COULD SEE A SITUATION WHERE UNDER THE WRIGHT CONDITIONS THIS COULD BE LIFE THREATENING.

2003 GMC HALF TON SIERRA TRUCK. 3 TIME SINCE 2003 THAT I'VE HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR CLUNKING NOISE FELT THRU STEERING WHEEL. LUBED A COUPLE TIMES THEN REPLACED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. STILL NO GUARANTEES THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. ALSO VERY HARD TO STEER WHEN BRAKING AND BRAKES DON'T RESPOND WELL WHEN APPLIED QUICKLY. THE FIRST TIME THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED ATTENTION THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT. THE SECOND TIME WAS 30,000 MILES AND THE LAST TIME WAS 45,000 MILES AND OCCURRED IN MARCH 2010. *TR

2003 GMC SIERRA - INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. SECOND FAILURE OF THE STEERING SHAFT, TRUCK HAS ONLY 56,000 MILES. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SHAFT FAILED AT 26,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN VARIOUS GM TRUCK INTERNET FORUMS. A NEW, IMPROVED REPLACEMENT PART IS NOW AVAILABLE, GM PART #19153614. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL TO FORCE GM TO REPLACE THE FIRST GENERATION PART. *TR

CLUNKING NOISE AND VIBRATION IN STEERING COLUMN AT LOW SPEEDS ON BUMPY ROADS, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING CORNERS. FEELS LIKE SERIOUS FRONT-END MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. CURRENT MILEAGE ON MY 2003 GMC SIERRA IS 60,000. I LEARNED FROM GM THAT THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT NEEDED REPLACING AGAIN. $207 FOR NEW SHAFT AND $92 LABOR. NEW, IMPROVED PART # IS 19153614. IF GM KNEW THE ORIGINAL SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE, WHY DIDN'T THEY HAVE TO RECALL IT? *TR

2003 GMC SIERRA WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR BROKE, SPEEDOMETER FAILED DUE TO STEPPER MOTOR FAILURE, TRUCK IS ON THE THIRD SET OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, AND UPPER SUPPORT COLUMN BEARINGS, AND MORE PROBLEMS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE UPPER SUPPORT BEARING, BUT REPLACED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT INSTEAD. THE REAR PLANATERY FORWARD CLUTCH WAS BURNT, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT MOVE AND THE CONTACT WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST THE DEALER IN LOCATING THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,845. UPDATED 4/2/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND VEHICLE IS STILL, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES INOPERABLE. UPDATED 04/02/08 *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES A POPPING SOUND AS IF SOMETHING IS LOOSE IN IT. THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. I WAS THEN CHARGED $60 TO GET THE STEERING COLUMN GREASED. THIS WORKED TEMPORARILY AS BEFORE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500. HE HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 9,669 MILES ON IT SINCE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HE HAD TO REPLACE THE PART WITH SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS SO LOW. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,669.