1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO STEER ON ITS OWN, MOVING RIGHT TO LEFTAND BECOME VERY HARD TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC MODULE ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY KNEW THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. WHILE DRIVING ONLY 35 TO 45 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL ACTS AS IF IT IS GOING TO LOCK AND IT ONLY HAPPENS AT THOSE SPEEDS. HE WAS FORCED TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT; HOWEVER, IT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DRIVE IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE ECM IN THE STEERING COLUMN FOR SEVERAL CHEVROLET K1500 VEHICLES. THE DEALER GAVE THE CONTACT AN ESTIMATE OF $70 TO REPLACE THE ECM; HOWEVER, DO NOT HAVE THE PART SINCE THE VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,400. UPDATED 12/17/09 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD TO UNPLUG THE CONNECTION TO THE STEERING PUMP TO DETERMINE IF THE CAUSE OF THE HARD SPOT IN THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER DID SO AND THE CONDITION STOPPED. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED WHILE MAKING A TURN AT ABOUT 35-45 MPH. THE CONSUMER WOULD EXPERIENCE A HARD SPOT AND EXTRA FORCE WAS NEEDED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WAS EITHER THE SENDING UNIT IN THE STEERING COLUMN OR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 12/21/09

GOING THROUGH A LEFT HAND CURVE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30MPH TO 60MPH I GET A FEELING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WANTING TO DIVE & A BRIEF LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN GOING AROUND A LONG SWEEPING CURVE. IT HAPPENS ON EVERY LONG SWEEPING LEFT HAND CURVE. IF YOU AREN'T READY FOR IT YOU COULD LOSE CONTROL & HIT AN ONCOMING CAR HEAD ON. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SENSOR & I WILL KEEP THE OLD PART. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THESE SENSORS IS THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES & SOME THAT HAD THEM REPLACED UP TO 3 TIMES IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. ALL AGREED THAT IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE PART INVOLVED IS CALLED THE "POWER STEERING SPEED SENSOR" (VARIABLE ASSIST POWER STEERING) & IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE PARTS THAT FAIL BUT THERE ARE NO WARNINGS THAT WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS PART IS FAILING UNTIL IT HAPPENS & IT IS A STRANGE FEELING. YOU DON'T ACTUALLY LOSE CONTROL BUT IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DO WHICH COULD LEAD YOU TO LOSING CONTROL. IF THE PARTS ARE FAILING AS OFTEN AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THEN SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO MAKE THEM BETTER & TO KEEP THE PEOPLE SAFELY ON THE ROAD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ALONG A CURVE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. THIS HAPPENS WITH SLIGHT TO MODERATE CURVES, AS WELL AS SEVERE CURVES. THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS NEW. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO WORSEN DURING COLD WEATHER. WE HAVE TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IN SEVERAL WAYS, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE. *NM

MY STEERING IN MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO IS ERRATIC. IT IS ULTRA EASY AT TIMES AND ULTRA DIFFICULT AT OTHERS. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN IT WILL SUDDENLY JERK OUT OF MY HAND. I HAVE HAD TO DISCONNECT MY STEERING SENSOR LOCATED ON MY STEERING COLUMN. THERE ARE MULTIPLE SERVICE BULLETINS OUT FOR THIS ISSUE. THE WARRANTY PERIOD UNDER WHICH CHEVROLET WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE EXPIRED BEFORE I COULD TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHILE I WAS IN AGHANISTAN. MY VEHICLE NO LONGER FALLS UNDER THE WARRANTY PERIOD. MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE DID NOT NOTIFY MY AT ANY TIME OF A RECALL/CONCERN. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY CONCERNS UNTIL JUST RECENTLY. *NM

MY SON WAS TURNING INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE POWER ASSIST WAS LOST. THIS MADE THE TRUCK ALMOST UNDRIVEABLE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. I HAVE REMOVED THE PUMP AND FOUND THE INTERNAL SHAFT HAD BROKEN. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN WITH OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS A MANAGER FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT FLEET. I NETWORK WITH A LARGE GROUP OF EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS INCLUDING INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE ON THESE TRUCKS. *NM

MY 1997 CHEVY 1500 PICKUP HAS A STEERING PROBLEM THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE WHEEL WILL JERK TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT AS YOUR ENTERING A TURN CAUSING THE TRUCK TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE OF THE ROAD. TO DATE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. MECHANICS OFFER SUGGESTIONS RANGING FROM THE STEERING BOX TO STEERING SENSORS. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM TO THIS TRUCK, MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME YEAR MODEL ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. I GUESS GM WILL WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLED BEFORE THEY DECIDE RECALL THIS YEAR MODEL AND FIX THE PROBLEM. *JB