1997 GMC Sierra 1500

I HAVE OWNED MY 1997 GMC K1500 SIERRA SINCE 1999 AND HAVE EXPERIENCED CONTINUOUS MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL DUE TO A FAILING VSS SENSOR LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL OCCURS AT ANY SPEED AND DIRECTION. I HAVE HAD THIS COMPONENT REPLACED TWICE OVER THE YEARS AND THE SENSOR STARTS TO INTERMITTENTLY FAIL WITHIN 6 MONTHS. EVERY INDIVIDUAL I HAVE TALKED TO OVER THE YEARS WHO HAS OWNED A GM 1997-1999 C/K FULL-SIZE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT MULTIPLE LIVES WILL HAVE TO BE EVENTUALLY LOST BEFORE GM WILL RECALL THESE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES DUE TO LAWSUITS. THE VSS STEERING AS WELL AS THE CSFI FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM ARE AN EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN AND GM KNOWS IT. *LA

I EXPERIENCED CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE AS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, SOMETIMES GOING AROUND CURVES, MY STEERING WOULD GIVE THE FEEL OF JUST GOING LOOSE. ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS WHEN THE STEERING WOULD "GRAB" HOLD AGAIN I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY TRUCK. I FIRST EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WHEN I INQUIRED WITH DEALERS IN MAINE AND FLORIDA THEY COULDN'T IDENTIFY A FIX WITHOUT EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. RECENTLY A DEALER IN COLORADO DISCLOSED TO ME THAT GM HAD IDENTIFIED THE CULPRIT OF THIS ANOMALY TO BE THE EGR VALVE IN THE POWER STEERING. I SENT A LETTER TO GM STATING MY CONERN FOR CUSTOMER SAFETY AND RECEIVED A POLITE BUT POOR ANSWER BASICALLY CITING COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY STANDARDS OR GM'S DETERMINATION THAT A PRODUCT DIDN'T MEET SAFETY STANDARDS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SET STANDARD THAT APPLIES TO SUDDEN CHANGES TO STEERABILITY OF A VEHICLE DUE TO SUCH A DEFECT. I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH AN OWNER OF A 97 CHEVROLET THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE ALSO EXPRESSED DISBELIEF THAT THIS WASN'T A SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN I POINTED OUT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP THAT IN MY OPINION THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR GMC HE COULD ONLY SYMPATHETCALLY AGREE AND POINT OUT THAT A VOLUNTARY RECALL ON WOULD HAVE TO BE A COMPANY DECISION. THEY DID POINT OUT THOUGH, THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON IN THE 1997 SERIES TRUCKS AND THAT WHEN THE DEALERSHIP BROUGHT IT TO GMS ATTENTION, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY ONLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THEY WERE JUST DISCOVERING THE CAUSE THEMSELVES. I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE MAY HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM REPAIR SHOPS PRIOR TO THIS DEFECT BEING IDENTIFIED AND THUS STILL DRIVING AROUND WITH THIS DANGEROUS POTENTIAL FOR TRAGEDY STILL LINGERING. THANK YOU. DT

MY PROBLEMS REALLY BEGAN SOON AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS OVER @ 36,000 MILES. AT 42,240 I HAD A FUEL INJECTOR GO OUT, AT 55,590 MILES I HAD A WATER PUMP, SEAL, AND CORE NIPPLES GO BAD, ALONG WITH THE IDLE ARM ASSEMBLY, AND THE MAIN ENGINE BELT REPLACED. AGAIN ONLY 2 WEEKS LATER @ 58,275 MILES I STILL HAD A COOLANT LEAK, AND IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD DEVELOPED A LEAK, AND THE THERMOSTAT AND SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE AGAIN ONLY 2 DAYS LATER I AGAIN EXPERIENCED YET ANOTHER PROBLEM, THIS TIME THE ALTENATOR WENT OUT! I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, AND TO GENERAL MOTORS, WHO CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE MATTER. THE DEALER DID AGGREE IT IS FAIRLY RARE TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS SO SOON, AND GENERAL MOTORS AGGREES. HOWEVER THAT DOES'NT EASE MY MIND, THAT THEIR MAY BE A DESIGN, OR PARTS PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. I DID TALK WITH ANOTHER OWNER OF THE SAME TYPE TRUCK A 1992, SAME STYLE AND ENGINE, AND INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS OCCUR AT APROX: THE SAME MILAGE TIME FRAME, AND HAD SEVERAL MORE POP UP WITH THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL.*AK