2002 GMC Yukon Steering Problems

MY VEHICLE IS BEING TAMPERED WITH, INTENTIONALLY REPAIRS IMPROPERLY PREFORMED STEERING WHEELS ENGINE NORTHSTAR ALL. AFFECTED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC YUKON DENALI. WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 5 MPH HE SUDDENLY LOST THE POWER ASSIST IN THE STEERING WHEEL. AS PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD BREAK FREE TO TURN AND THEN RESET ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 74,000. UPDATED 04-15-10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH GM AND THE DEALER A NEW POWER STEERING PUMP WAS ORDERED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED ON APRIL 13TH. UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB

THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL NEARLY FELL OFF OUR 2002 YUKON 1500 SLT. WE HAD JUST STOPPED TO PAY A TOLL ON THE MAINE TURNPIKE. AS WE DROVE OUT OF THE TOLL BOOTH, MY HUSBAND HAD DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE CAME FROM THE LEFT FRONT END OF OUR CAR. THE ABS LIGHT FLASHED ON. GRIPPING THE WOBBLY STEERING WHEEL, MY HUSBAND GUIDED THE VEHICLE ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO THE NARROW BREAKDOWN LANE. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF THE VEHICLE. CARS AND TRUCKS WHIZZED BY DANGEROUSLY CLOSE AS MY HUSBAND TRIED TO REPOSITION THE WHEEL AND TIGHTEN THE BOLTS THAT HAD LOOSENED. TWO HUNDRED MILES FROM HOME, AND A FEW MILES FROM OUR DESTINATION, WE HOBBLED ON. MY HUSBAND STOPPED REPEATEDLY TO RETIGHTEN THE BOLTS. WE GOT OFF THE TURNPIKE AND INCHED ALONG SLOWLY ON BACK ROADS. STILL, THIS FINAL LEG OF OUR JOURNEY WAS TREACHEROUS. STEERING WAS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE. WE NEARLY WENT OFF THE ROAD. WHEN FINALLY SAFELY STOPPED, THE TIRE AND METAL WHEEL PARTS WERE SO HOT, THEY HAD TO BE HOSED DOWN. SMOKE CAME FROM THE WHEEL. THE METAL WAS SCORCHED. THE CALIPER HOLDING THE WHEEL WAS SEVERELY BENT, THE BRAKES DESTROYED, AND THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL SCORED AND CHARRED. PARTS HAD DISINTEGRATED. THE BEARINGS WERE GONE. IT IS INCREDIBLE WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE EVEN 10 MILES. IF I HAD BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, INSTEAD OF MY HUSBAND, I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. IF THE PROBLEM HAD MANIFESTED ITSELF AS WE HURTLED DOWN THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF EXITING A TOLL BOOTH, THE WHEEL SURELY WOULD HAVE FLOWN OFF THE CAR INTO TRAFFIC. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES. OUR TWO YOUNG SONS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT. WE WERE VERY LUCKY, BUT ARE NOW MINUS A VEHICLE WE NEED. IT SITS WHERE WE LEFT IT, 200 MILES AWAY. WE NEED TO BRING IT HOME, BUT THE TOW CHARGE WILL BE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE, NOT TO MENTION THE REPAIRS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF KNOWN PROBLEMS RELATED TO AN ISSUE WITH THIS YUKON'S WHEELS. WHY NOT? *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN NOVEMBER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE DEALERSHIP NOTICED THE REAR ROTORS WERE HITTING THE INSIDE OF THE BACKING PLATES INSIDE THE HUB. ALSO, THE ROTORS WERE RUSTED. THE FRONT END WAS ALSO OBSERVED TO BE SHAKING. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE SHAKING WAS NORMAL 4X4 CHARACTERISTICS; HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED A LUBE KIT THAT GOES ON THE STEERING COLUMN UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE SHAKING RETURNED AND THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THE LUBE KIT WAS NO LONGER A REMEDY FOR THIS SHAKING PROBLEM. THERE WAS NOT ANOTHER REMEDY OFFERED.

WHILE MAKING A TIGHT LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY. THE YUKON ONLY HAD 72000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I HAD IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALER, GMC DENIED WARRANTY SERVICE DUE TO MILEAGE. I COMPLAINED THAT A POWER STEERING PUMP SHOULD NEVER FAIL IN SUCH A CATASTROPHIC WAY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT THE NEW POWER STEERING PUMP WAS OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN SO WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER FAILURE. HE SAID IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS FAILURE TO HAPPEN. THE SHAFT BROKE INSIDE THE PUMP. THE PULLEY WAS STILL INTACT. HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING, SHE WOULD HAVE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME CONTROLLING THE CAR. *JB

2002 YUKON. STEERING PART ISSUE. REPLACED TWICE IN TWO YEARS, LUBRICATED PRIOR TO THAT. BEEN IN SHOP FOR SAME THING 4 TIMES OR MORE FOR SAME ISSUE. WHEN MANUFACTURER CONTACTED ABOUT THIS AFTER THE FOURTH TIME IN THE SHOP FOR SAME ISSUE....STATED "IF STAYS FIXED FOR A YEAR, SERVICE DEPARTMENT DOING THEIR JOB AND NOT GM'S PROBLEM....NO PERMANENT RESOLUTION" MANUFACTURER REQ# 1-375628602. IF THIS PERSISTS, COULD CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *JB

I AM WRITING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY RECURRING ISSUES WITH MY STEERING COLUMN IN MY 2002 YUKON XL. IN SHORT, IT RATTLES. ON THE ROAD, IT RATTLES AT A LOW THUD, THUD, THUD SOUND. TURNING CORNERS, IT RATTLES WITH THE SAME SOUND. INITIALLY, WHEN I TOOK IT TO BERGLUND CHEVROLET, IN ROANOKE, VA, THEY ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITH A LUBE KIT. WHEN THE PROBLEM SURFACED AGAIN, I BROUGHT IT BACK AND THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. 20,000 MILES LATER, I FACE THE PROBLEM FOR THE 3RD TIME. I DRIVE ON THE ROAD, NEVER OFF ROAD. I HAVE OWNED A NUMBER OF VEHICLES, AND ALWAYS HOLD ON TO THEM UNTIL THEY EXCEED 150,000 MILES. NEVER HAVE I HAD TO REPLACE ONE STEERING COLUMN, IN ANY VEHICLE, AND I OBVIOUSLY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A VEHICLE REQUIRING MORE THAN ONE. I HAVE LEARNED FROM GMC THAT THERE WAS A FIRST GENERATION FIX AND A SECOND-GENERATION FIX. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHICH GENERATION I GOT, BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS NOT A FIX. AFTER SOME ARGUING, THE FIRST REPAIR WAS COVERED. THE SECOND WAS COVERED, AS WELL, BUT ONLY AFTER ARGUING ONCE MORE. IT SEEMS PERFECTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AGAIN, AT NO COST TO ME, BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A SATISFACTORY REMEDY TO THIS PROBLEM '' A PROBLEM ACKNOWLEDGED BY GMC AS NEEDING TO BE REMEDIED. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NOT GOT THE STEERING COLUMN SOLUTION THAT WORKS. I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS. NO ONE SHOULD EXPECT TO REPLACE A STEERING COLUMN ON A VEHICLE EVERY 20,000 MILES. IT IS NOT A FILTER OR FLUID THAT NEEDS CHANGING AT INTERVALS, AND I REFUSE TO HAVE THIS TREATED AS IF IT WERE REGULAR MAINTENANCE. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A UNIT THAT WEARS OUT SO QUICKLY, AND AM VERY DISTURBED BY THE COMPLACENCY OF GMC ABOUT SUBJECTING ME TO CONTINUOUS REPAIRS, AND APPARENTLY HIDING BEHIND POLICIES RATHER THAN DOING THE RIGHT THING WITH A CUSTOMER. *NM

WANDERING ON ROAD EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM TIRES WEARING ON INSIDE. CUPPING OF TIRES CAUSED BY WORN IDLER AND PITMAN ARMS AT 42000 MILES. *JB

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY POWER STEERING FAILED. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT/RIGHT WITHOUT EXCESSIVE FORCE. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 5,000 MILES PASSED THE WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS GIVEN AN OWNER'S LOYALTY CERTIFICATE, WHICH COULD BE USED FOR FUTURE PURCHASES. *AK

PROMBLEMS STARTED AT 16,471 STEERING STARTED RATTLING,AND FELT LOOSE,DEALER LOOKED AT & LUBRICATED INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ALONG WITH DOWNSHIFTING ON ITS OWN ?? 12/05/02. *AK AT 20226 02/20/03 STILL HAVING PROMBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSON CLUNKING BETWEEN SHIFTING POINTS R/R AND GREASED SPLINES AT TRANSMISSION,ALONG WITH HARMONIC NOISE COMMING FROM RUNNING BOARDS,TIGHTEN UP RUNNING BOARDS,TRANSMISSINON WAS ALSO SLIPPING & THEY RESET TRANSMISSION ADAPTIVES, 09/04/03 STILL HAVING PROMBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION CLUNKING AT SHIFT POINTS THEY RESET SHIFT ADAPTIVES & RELEARN SHIFT POINTS STILL SAME PROMBLEMS WHEN I LEFT DEALER. 06/16/04 36987 LAST WARRANTY WORK...SAME COMPLAINT AS ALWAYS ABOUT STERRING NOISE AND TRANSMISSION,INSPECTED AND REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT,DRIVERS WINDOW STOPPED WORKING THEY REPLACED WINDOW REGULATOR,FLUIDS LEAKING THEY REPLACED LEAKING TRANS GASKET. NOW OUT OF WARRANTY,AT 49,000 JUST REPLACED WINDOW REGULATOR AGAIN,STEERING STILL A PROMBLEM BUT NOW STEERING BOX IS SHOOTING FLUID OUT TOP SEAL ON BOX,NEED TO REPLACE STEERING BOX AT MY COST.STILL VERY WORRIED ABOUT STEERING ..I AM SO DISAPPOINTED WITH MY YUKON,I WILL NEVER BUT ANOTHER CMC PRODUCT AGAIN,NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE BUT FOR $43,000 YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD.WE USE ALL CHEVY TRUCKS IN OUR FLEET IN MY BUSSINESS WE ARE CONSIDERING GOING FOREIGN,NOT VERY PROUD OF OUR AMERICAN TRUCKS.

DT: THE STEERING IS HAVING A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN TURNING, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO EVEN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 6 MONTHS. OWNER TOOK CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN #000235003G STATED THAT STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, OWNER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REPAIR FROM GM. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A BROAD PROBLEM THAT THERE WAS A WAITING LIST TO GET THE PART. CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN , AND THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED DUE TO THE FEAR OF SAFETY ISSUES FOR THE OWNER AND HER CHILDREN. THE OWNER TALKED TO GM, AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO HELP FOR CONSUMER, AND SHE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ASSISTANCE UNLESS THERE WAS A RECALL. OWNER TOOK CAR TO HER MECHANIC FOR A TEMPORARY FIX. GENERAL MOTORS ISSUED TEMPORARY FIX KIT SO CONSUMERS COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY COULD GET THE PARTS MANUFACTURED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE WAS A WAITING LIST.*AK

WE ARE NOW REPLACING THE BUSHING IN THE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE SECOND TIME WITH LESS THAN 42,000 MILES. THIS COMPONENT WAS REPLACED ORIGINALLY AT 28,000 MILES AND HAS FAILED AGAIN. WITH THIS FAILURE HAS CAUSED LEFT WHEEL BEARING TO GO OUT. AT 58,000 MILE THE RIGHT WHEEL BEARING IS NOW IN NEED OF REPAIR, SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, NONE OF THIS IS COVERED AFTER 36,000 MILES. ALSO, THE REAR AIR WILL EITHER BLOW COLD UNTIL THE THERMASTAT IS CHANGE TO THE RED SETTING COMPLETELY. WHEN TAKEN IN WITH THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE STEERING COLUMN, I WAS TOLD THAT THE SETTING WORKED FINE BUT WOULD BE NOTED INCASE OF LATER FAILURE SO IT MIGHT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

OWNER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM. THE POWER STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT WHEN DRIVING. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE SHOP PRIOR TO RECEIVING A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS DEFECT. *AK

MODEL: 2001 GMC YUKON 4WD DATE OF PURCHASE: SEPTEMBER 25, 2001 RIGHT NOW OUR YUKON IS AT FIORE'S IN ALTOONA, PA FOR THE THIRD TIME TRYING TO BE FIXED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS THE THIRD DAY THAT THEY HAVE HAD OUR CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN TURNING RIGHT AND BRAKING. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. HISTORY: JULY 26, 2003: WHILE VACATIONING IN DELAWARE THE STEERING BEGAN TO FAIL (THE STEERING WOULD ALMOST LOCK UP AND MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL). THE FAILURE ALWAYS OCCURRED WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE PROBLEM DIDN'T ALWAYS OCCUR, HOWEVER DURING THE 5-HOUR DRIVE BACK HOME ON JULY 27, THE STEERING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING EXTREME STRESS. JULY 28, 2003: CALLED THE DEALER WHERE THE YUKON WAS PURCHASED (FIORE PONTIAC GMC, ALTOONA, PA) AND TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE STEERING PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS SCHEDULED TO BE SEEN ON THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2003. JULY 31, 2003: THE YUKON WAS SEEN BY THE FIORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A STEERING SENSOR THAT NEEDED REPLACED. THE PART WASN'T AVAILABLE AND HAD TO BE ORDERED. I HAD TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO FIND THE STATUS OF THE PART. THE PART WAS NOT DELIVERED UNTIL TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2003. AUGUST 5, 2003: THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SCHEDULED THE PART TO BE INSTALLED ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2003 AUGUST 7, 2003: THE NEW SENSOR WAS INSTALLED AUGUST 9, 2003: WHILE VACATIONING IN DELAWARE, THE STEERING AGAIN FAILED AS BEFORE. THERE WAS NO CHANGE EVEN AFTER THE NEW SENSOR WAS INSTALLED. RETURNED FROM VACATION ON AUGUST 13, 2003. THE STEERING FAILED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS PERIOD. AUGUST 13, 2003: CALLED FIORE PONTIAC SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO NOTIFY THEM THAT THE STEERING PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED. WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR IN THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 18, 2003. DURING THE NEXT 5 DAYS, THE STEERING CONTINUED TO FAIL AND TIGHTEN UP SEVERAL TIMES.

PURCHASED A NEW 2002 GMC YUKON XL, AT ABOUT 6800 MILES THE STEERING DEVELOPED A RATTLE, DEALER UNDER WARRANTY REGREASED THE STEERING SHAFT, THIS HELPED FOR A ABOUT A YEAR AND IT STARTED AGAIN. DEALER RE-GREASED WITH WHAT THEY SAID WAS A NEW GREASE THAT SHOULD SOLVE THE RATTLE PROBLEM. IT HAS STARTED THE RATTLE AGAIN AND ONLY HAS 38000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A REDESIGNED STEERING SHAFT THAT SOLVES THIS RATTLE PROBLEM. HERE IS THE BULLETIN TO SOLVE THE POOR SHAFT DESIGN, SHOULD BE A RECALL BUT LOOKS LIKE GM IS ONLY REPLACING ON A CASE BY CASE ISSUE WAITING FOR YOUR WARRANTY TO BE OUT, AT WHICH TIME THEY CHARGE YOU FOR THE POOR DESIGN STEERING SHAFT. GMC TECH BULLETIN 00-02-35-003M (LATEST REVISION) SUBJECT: CLUNKING NOISE UNDER HOOD AND CAN BE FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AND/OR STEERING COLUMN (REPLACE UPPER INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT (I-SHAFT) ASSEMBLY) #00-02-35-003M - (01/31/2007) MODELS: 2002-2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE MODELS 1999-2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO MODELS (CLASSIC) 2000-2006 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN, TAHOE MODELS 2002-2006 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1999-2007 GMC SIERRA MODELS (CLASSIC) 2000-2006 GMC YUKON, YUKON XL MODELS 2003-2006 HUMMER H2 . *TR

ON 07/14/03 AT 22602 MILES, WE TOOK OUR 2002 YUKON XL (REGENCY EDITION) TO SUSS PONTIAC IN DENVER, COLORADO, TO INVESTIGATE A CLUNKING/KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING WHICH CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE. ON OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE WHEEL AND WOULD HESITATE WHEN TURNING. SUSS PONTIAC VERIFIED THE COMPLAINT AND FOUND THE "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" DRY AND CLUNKING. THE SHAFT WAS THEN LUBED AS PER BULLETIN #II-00-02-35-003B AND WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD NOT REOCCUR. THE PROBLEM RECURRED DURING THE FALL OF 2005 WHILE VACATIONING IN TEXAS. AFTER DISCUSSING THE INCIDENT OVER THE PHONE WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN, MORE OF AN IRRITATION TO THOSE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND WE SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM GETTING HOME. WE MADE IT BACK TO DENVER WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT VERY ANNOYING. ON 10/25/05, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP (LEN LYALL OF AURORA, CO) ONLY TO LEARN THAT A NEW BULLETIN (# UNKWN) HAD BEEN ISSUED REQUIRING THAT THE "INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" BE REPLACED. LEN LYALL THEN PULLED A VEHICLE SERVICE INQUIRY LISTING ALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOTED IN THE SUMMARY THAT THE SHAFT HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT MY COPY OF THE INVOICE REFERRED TO THE SHAFT BEING LUBED. I AM NOW TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT GMC FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE SHAFT AND STILL TELLING ME THAT IT IS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN. I WOULD THINK THAT ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENT (BRAKES, STEERING, TIRES, ETC) IS A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. DOES IT TAKE SOMEONE TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIE TO INSTITUTE A MANDATORY RECALL? *JB

WHEN TRAVELING AT 55MPH OR HIGHER AND GOING OVER A LITTLE BUMP/ HILL VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT'S FLOATING. DRIVER FEELS THAT IT'S HARD TO STEER. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THERE IS A RATTLE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE STEERING AND NEEDS REPLACED. *PH

THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A TOW OUT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES WORE OUT EVERY 5,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *JB