2005 Chevrolet Avalanche 1500

CLUNKING SOUND AND CLUNKING FEEL FELT IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING IT. IT HAS HAPPENED ON AND OFF FROM TRUCK NEW UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN IT IS ALL THE TIME AT 58,000 MILES. I WENT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY TESTED TRUCK AND NEW EXACTLY WHAT PROBLEM WAS. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT SINCE 2003 AND HAS ISSUED SEVERAL FIXES FOR IT FROM GREASING SHAFT, NEW TYPES OF GREASE, ETC. AND NOW HAS FINALLY CAME UP WITH A NEW TYPE OF SHAFT TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. PROBLEM IS THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEW SHAFT. IT IS GOING TO COST ME ABOUT $300 TO FIX. SINCE GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR SO LONG, THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL AND FIX IT FOR FREE. SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT, SO MAY JUST LET IT GO, THEREFORE LEADING TO A MAJOR STEERING ISSUE AND AN ACCIDENT. GM SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL IMMEDIATLY AND CORRECT THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON VEHICLES IT EFFECTS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING CHAMBER WAS MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES, THE STEERING SHAFT WAS CHANGED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING CHAMBER WAS SHAKING WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. HE ALSO EXPERIENCED TIRE VIBRATION WITH THE FRONT AND REAR TIRES, IN ADDITION TO HUGE VIBRATIONS FROM THE EXHAUST, WHICH FLOW THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 35,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250.

GM HAS HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS THAT LOOSEN AND RATTLE IN THEIR AVALANCHE MODELS. THIS MAY ALSO APPLY TO THE 1500 SERIES PICKUPS AS WELL BUT I'M NOT SURE SINCE I HAVEN'T KEPT IN TUNE TO THOSE OWNERS AS I HAVE AVALANCHE OWNERS. THE DEALER REMEDIES THE SITUATION, BASED UPON GM'S SERVICE BULLETINS, BY SHOOTING THE SHAFT FULL OF GREASE TO TAKE OUT ANY PLAY IN THE STEERING. HOWEVER, THIS LASTS ANYWHERE FROM 5K - 15K MILES. I HAVE HAD TWO AVALANCHE'S AND BOTH HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO KNOW NUMEROUS OTHER AVALANCHE OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY FAILURES BUT I'M ALSO NOT HAPPY WITH GM'S LACK OF A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM AND I'M AFRAID AN ACCIDENT IS MORE SOONER TO HAPPEN THAN A SATISFACTORY FIX FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON WET ROADS, THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A ROADSIDE BANK. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND THE SAFETY BELT FAILED TO KEEP THE CONTACT SECURE IN THE SEAT, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BE THROWN OVER THE STEERING WHEEL AND STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT INCURRED INTERNAL ABDOMINAL INJURIES AS WELL AS HEAD LACERATIONS. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE RESIDENCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN SEEN BY A DEALER.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING OVER A BUMP OR WHILE TURNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BUSHINGS FOR THE TIE ROD WERE NOT INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. THE BUSHINGS WERE INSTALLED AT THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP THAT DETERMINED THE BUSHINGS WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. THEY WERE INSTALLED A SECOND TIME, AND THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AGAIN. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - *NM