1997 Chevrolet Silverado

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT INTERMITTENTLY. THE PULLING OCCURS SUDDENLY AND LAST FOR ONLY A SECOND. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED FOR THE PROBLEM BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN 2000. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS UNABLE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PULLING. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER YESTERDAY. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE A POSSIBLE CAUSE BY PHONE AND SUGGESTED REPAIRING THE STEERING SENSOR. *NM UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

BELOW IS A COPY OF THE E-MAIL I HAVE SENT TO THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN AUBURN AL. I DID NOT GET AN E-MAIL BACK SO CALLED A FEW DAYS LATE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WOULD BE $240 . I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN MANY CASES AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I KNOW OF 4 GM TRUCKS WITHIN 1997-1998 RANGE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS! AT THIS TIME NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I HOPE THAT AN ACCIDENT IS NOT CAUSED BECAUSE OF IT. DYAS, I HAVE A "97 SILVERADO EXT CAB 2WD 1500 WITH A 350 VORTEX. DYAS HAS DONE RECALL WORK FOR ME IN THE PAST (WIPERS). I HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WILL COME AND GO EVERY FEW WEEKS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. IT HAS TO DO WITH THE STEERING. DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST. IT WILL SEEM TO SURGE IN TURNING POWER WHILE TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION, CAUSING YOU TO HAVE TO STEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHILE IN A CURVE TO ADJUST COURSE. IT CAN BE VERY NERVE-RACKING FOR ME AND FOR SOMEONE THAT IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM I CAN SEE WHERE IT COULD EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. MY FATHER WAS ACTUALLY UNAWARE AND HAS INSISTED THAT I HAVE IT FIXED BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. IT BECOMES EVEN MORE DANGEROUS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME TYPE OF CONTROL MODULE THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POWER STEERING ON THESE TRUCKS..? WHICH HAS LED ME TO INQUIRE NOW ABOUT A RECALL / REPAIR FOR THE PROBLEM. BEING A COLLEGE STUDENT A COSTLY REPAIR MAY NOT BE AN OPTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM REGARDLESS OF COST.*AK

THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. SOME TIMES WHEN DRIVING AND MAKING EITHER A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN IT FELT AS IF POWER STEERING SHUT OFF. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THERE WAS A DEVICE BUILT INTO THE VEHICLE FOR PROTECTION. *AK THE EVO (EXHAUST VALVE OPENING) WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING LEFT OR RIGHT TURNS AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. CONSUMER LOST THE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER INDICATED DETERMINED THAT RACK AND PINION FAILED. *AK CONSUMER CALLED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, AND WAS TOLD TO FIX THE VEHICLE AT OWN EXPENSE. IF VEHICLE WAS RECALLED, CONSUMER WOULD BE REIMBURSED AT A LATER TIME. *LA

IN JANUARY 2004 THE NEWS REPORTED A RECALL ON CHEVROLET CARS WITH THE EXACT PROBBLEM I HAVE BEEN HAVING SINCE 2000. THE POWER STEERING WILL OVER-ASSIST CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO JERK AND HENCE THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STEER RIGHT OR LEFT. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN ON A CURVE OR WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS PROBLEM IS UNPREDICTABLE AND HAS CAUSED SOME NEAR MISSES AND SCARY MOMENTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SNOW COVERED STREETS. THE FAILURE OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND LASTS FOR A DAY OR A WEEK AT A TIME THEN GOES AWAY FOR AN UNDETERMINABLE PERIOD. BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHILE TEST DRIVING OTHER 1997 PICKUPS. SINCE THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON CHEVROLET CARS I FEEL IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE C/K, SILVERADO PICKUPS AS WELL. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR.*AK