1997 Chevrolet Suburban

THE FAILURE IS THE VARIABLE RATIO STEERING WHICH IS MEANT TO BE HIGH EFFORT\LOW RATIO ONCE THE VEHICLE REACHES A CERTAIN SPEED (10-20 MPH ? )(OR GEAR?) WHAT OCCURS IS THE STEERING WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE HIGH EFFORT -'CRUISING' RATIO AND THE LOW SPEED -LOW EFFORT -QUICK RATIO AT A SPEED ABOVE WHEN IT SHOULD REMAIN IN THE HIGH EFFORT MODE. I ALSO OWNED A 97 K1500 CHEVROLET PICKUP THAT ALSO HAD A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM. IT HOWEVER WOULD STAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND NOT GO BETWEEN THE 2 RATIOS WHICH AT LEAST MADE IT MORE PREDICTABLE. IT HAD A VALVE REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 35,000.

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

POWER STEERING KEEPS FLUCTUATING BETWEEN FEELING TIGHT AND SLOPPY. AT CERTAIN POINTS THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE PULLED FROM MY GRASP, AND OVERSTEERING OCCURS. STEERING ALSO SOMETIMES MAKES A MOANING NOISE. ALSO, BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES. LAST TIME I HAD BRAKES REPLACED AT DEALER, I HAD TO RETURN 5 TIMES TO HAVE THEM CORRECTED. I WAS TOLD SHIMS BROKE OFF THE FRONT PADS AND WERE BINDING. ALL I KNOW IS THAT I COULD SEE THE ROTORS GLOWING BLUE AND THE BRAKES SMELLED LIKE THEY WERE BURNING, THEY WERE ALSO MAKING A HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE WHEN THEY WERE WARM. *AK

FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE AND DRAMMATIC LOSS OF NORMAL POWER STEERING CONTROL WHEN ENGAGING IN TURNS. THE LOSS OF RESISTENCE RESULTS IN IMMEDIATE OVERSTEER WHICH, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IS VERY DANGEROUS, SOMETIMES CAUSING THE DRIVER TO DROP A WHEEL FROM PAVEMENT. MY WRITING IS PROMPTED BY: 1) EXPERIENCE WITH MY SUBURBAN; 2) A CALL TO ME TODAY FROM A DEALERSHIP MECHANIC WHO WORKED ON MY VEHICLE WHO INFORMED ME HE HAD ANOTHER BAD ONE, IDENTICAL TO MINE; 3) I DROVE ANOTHER SUBURBAN OF THE SAME VINTAGE & MILEAGE WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. THOUGH ANECDOTAL, THE MULTIPLE OCCURANCES IN VEHILCES WITH WHICH I AM ACQUAINTED RAISE A COMPELLING QUESTION ABOUT A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH SUBURBANS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.