2004 Chevrolet Suburban 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500. THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BEGAN MAKING NOISE WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THEY MADE THE REPLACEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,966 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 02-12-08 *BF UPDATED 02/12/08 *TR

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE NOT WORKING. ODOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, OIL GAUGE, BATTERY GAUGE, TEMPERATURE GAUGE DO NOT WORK - THE ONLY GAUGE THAT DOES WORK IS THE SPEEDOMETER. LOOKING AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS, I SHOULD ASSUME THE SPEEDOMETER WILL BE GOING OUT. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS - IT READS 250 - 260 ALL THE TIME. YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOUR ARE RUNNING HOT OR NOT. THE GAS GAUGE NEEDLE IS TOTALLY UPSET DOWN - WE HAVE TO GO OFF OUR "HOW MANY MILES 'TIL WE RUN OUT GO GAS" SCREEN TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE. I'VE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP - $775, THE CHIP FOR THE GAS PEDAL (WHEN OUT - YOU COULD NOT GO ANY FASTER THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR $800), THE DRIVER SIDE LEATHER SEAT STARTED TO WEAR DOWN @ 40,000 MILES - NOW HAS A TEAR IN IT, THE STEERING COLUMN MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE, THE DASH MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, FRONT SEEM TO WEAR DOWN FAST, ETC. I COULD GO ON, BUT.......... IT SEEMS I GOT A LEMON. THIS WAS A $47,000 STICKER PRICED CAR - YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON INSTRUMENT PANEL PROBLEMS - SEEMS CHEV SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS - DANGEROUS. THESE ARE FAMILY - CHILDREN VEHICLES!!! *TR

THE STEERING COLUMN U JOINT THAT CONNECTS TO THE STEERING BOX HAS LOOSENED CAUSING A CLUNKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE U-JOINT HAS NOT FAILED AS OF THIS TIME, BUT A FAILURE OR BINDING COULD EASILY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIPS ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND OFFER A "GREASE KIT" TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, GREASE WILL NOT TAKE THE PLAY OUT OF A LOOSE U-JOINT. THIS IS A COVER-UP REMEDY TO MAKE THE LOOSENESS LESS OBVIOUS. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS OVER $300 FOR A REPLACEMENT PART ALONE AND CLAIMS IT IS A RESTRICTED PART SINCE IT IS PART OF THE ENERGY ABSORBING SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. THE LOOSENESS WAS FIRST NOTICEABLE WITH ONLY 13000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO WORSEN SINCE FIRST NOTICED. *JB