95 of the
2,323 complaints filed about the GMC Suburban
are about the steering —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1997.
THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING. FIRST THE HEATER FAN WOULD QUIT AND THE ABS LIGHT WOULD INSTANTLY TURN ON, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. WHEN THE ABS LIGHT WOULD BE ON THE ABS WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. THEN SUDDENLY ALL OPERATIONS WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. IT WOULD BE UNPREDICTABLE WHEN THE HEATER FAN AND THE ABS WOULD FAIL AND COME BACK. THEN YESTERDAY, THE SUBURBAN STARTED AND DIED 3 SECONDS AFTER STARTING. I RESTARTED THE SUBURBAN AND ALL SEEMED GOOD. I PUT THE SUBURBAN IN DRIVE AND ROLLED AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND THE TRUCK DIED. I STOPPED AND PUT THE SUBURBAN IN TO PARK AND RESTARTED. PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND MADE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME, I TURNED OFF THE SUBURBAN AND TRIED TO RESTART IT. IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT FIRE THE ENGINE. THE RADIO AND HEATER AND ALL OTHER ELECTRONICS WOULD OPERATE AS NORMAL, BUT THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON I.E. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON", "BRAKE", "AIR BAG", "ABS". THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS FAILED ON IT AND NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY.
NHTSA complaint #10593726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DID PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT AS A PRECAUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000.
NHTSA complaint #10462391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING SPEED SENSOR FAILS CAUSING THE STEERING TO SUDDENLY JERK WHILE TURNING UNDER SPEED. IT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS HIT "SLIPPERY ICE". I HAVE REPLACED THIS ITEM 3 TIMES ON MY OWN AND THE SENSOR KEEPS FAILING. THE ONE IN MY CAR CURRENTLY IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND WILL NEED REPLACING.
NHTSA complaint #10370618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 GMC SUBURBAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED HIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND HAS CURRENTLY SPENT OVER $5,000 IN REPAIRS. HE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES CONCERNING THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING, SHAKING, AND ROCKING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. EACH TIME HE WENT TO THE DEALER FOR THE STEERING FAILURE, THEY ALWAYS FOUND ANOTHER FAILURE TO REPORT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MOTOR INJECTION SYSTEM WAS BURNED OUT AND CAUSED THE STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MEETS THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS AND THAT NO OTHER ASSISTANCE COULD BE PROVIDED. HE STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL NEVER WORKED AND HE HAS ALL OF THE REPAIR RECEIPTS. CURRENTLY, THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE ENGINE IS MAKING A LOUD NOISE, VIBRATING, AND MISFIRING. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $2,000. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,870 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #10199419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE BRAKING AND MAKING TURNS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE POWER STEERING ISSUE HOWEVER THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE VEHICLE PROBLEM MAY BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10162774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING WHEEL BINDS AND RELEASES IN TURNS. CAUSES SWERVING AND CORRECTION, RESULTS IN JERKY TURNS. THIS PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE, GETS WORSE AS THE TEMPERATURE GETS COLDER. PROBLEM IS BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY STEERING COLUMN OR STEERING SHAFT COMPONENTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING.
NHTSA complaint #10138366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VEHICLE, A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN, AND NOW HAS A TENDANCY TO SUDDENLY VEER TO THE RIGHT WHILE ROUNDING ANY RIGHT HAD CURVE, AT LOW TO HIGH SPEED. AT SOME POINT IN THE TURN IT IS AS IF THERE IS A PEICE OF THE STEERING MISSING. WE ARE THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS SOLD TO US BY THE DEALER AND IT HAD 20,000 MILES ON IT WHEN WE GOT IT. WE ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROBLEMS AND THEY ASSURED US THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE EXPLAINED THIS CONDITION TO SEVERAL WHEEL ALIGNMENT SHOPS, AND THE CONSISTANT STATEMENT FROM THEM IS IS SOUNDS LIKE THE "STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR IS BAD". THEY SUGGESTED I CALL THE GM DEALER AND SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE IS ONE FOR THE PROBLEM. I CALLED THE GMC DEALER AND EXPLAINED IT TO THEM AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT PLACES ARE SAYING, TO WHICH THEY AGREED. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT . I GAVE THEM MY VIN #, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A RECALL BUT NOT FOR MY VIN #. I NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY (GM) WON'T INCLUDE OTHER VIN'S FROM THE SAME MAKE & MODEL AND YEAR, THAT HAVE THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS. IS THERE A WAY TO GET GM TO INCLUDE MY VIN # SERIES AND EXPAND THE RECALL? THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT PLACES ARE TELLING ME THIS HAS BEEN A PRETTY BIG PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER I HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS TO FIND OUT LATER THE RECALL HAS BEEN EXPANDED. WHAT CAN I DO AND CAN YOU HELP ME GET GM TO ASSIST IN THIS RECALL EXPANSION? THANK YOU
NHTSA complaint #10127713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND THEN ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH MY SUBURBAN LOST POWERING STEERING CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY-ON-OFF, ON-OFF, ON-OFF. AT 70 MPH THE VEHICLE REPEATEDLY JERKED TO THE RIGHT, AND I HAD TO JERK THE WHEEL BACK TO THE LEFT AND SWERVE BACK INTO THE LANE. HAD INSPECTION MADE, AND FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN POWER STEERING FLUID, INDICATING A COMPONENT FAILURE IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I SEE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED TWO YEARS AGO ON AUGUST 1, 2003, BUT NO FURTHER ACTION TO DATE TO CORRECT THIS SAFETY DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #10118099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE LOST STEERING WHILE THE DRIVER MADE TURNS ,MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS OF THE STEERING POSITION SENSOR.
NHTSA complaint #10115609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER STEERING ASSIST IS ERRATIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STEERING INPUT FORCE WILL INCREASE UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MOVES BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN POWER STEERING ASSIST. PROBLEM IS ERRATIC, AND IT HAS ONLY OCCURRED AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH. THIS PHENOMENOM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10110131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CONCERNS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA99011. I HAD A STEERING MODULE THAT FAILED. PRIOR TO REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PERIODICALLY JERK AS IF TO INCREASE THE RATE OF TURN SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN I WAS IN A TURN, EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THIS MODULE AT THE GMC DEALERSHIP (AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, AS I RECALL), THE JERKING INSTANTLY STOPPED. I NOW HAVE ABOUT 111,000 MILES, AND THE SAME JERKING HAS BEGUN AGAIN (AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES) FROM TIME TO TIME. IF A DRIVER UNFAMILIAR TO THE PROPENSITY TO JERK IN TURNS WAS DRIVING, I COULD DEFINITELY SEE WHERE THE UNEXPECTED JERKING MAY CAUSE THEM TO LOSE CONTROL. THE LATEST JERKING COMES AND GOES AND IS NOT VERY CONSISTENT FROM WEEK TO WEEK YET. WHEN IT GETS MORE CONSISTENT, I WILL ASK THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE MODULE. I DON'T PRESENTLY RECALL FOR SURE, BUT I THINK I MAY HAVE PAID FOR HAVING THE SENSOR MODULE REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS AN ESTIMATE, SINCE I DON'T HAVE MY RECORDS OF THE FIRST STEERING MODULE REPLACEMENT WITH ME AS I AM FILLING OUT THIS FORM. ALSO, THE PURCHASE DATE WAS IN JANUARY, 2000, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT PURCHASE DATE AND DON'T HAVE MY PURCHASE RECORDS WITH ME.
NHTSA complaint #10106117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NAR 04/28/2003. MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL, ENGINE IDLED ROUGHLY, COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKED, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOME LIGHT, STEERING, THE REAR AXLE, THE LEFT REAR GLASS RATTLED, THE AIR CONDITION, BATTERY, SUSPENSION WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. THE FUEL FILTER, MIRROR TRANSMISSION SEAT, SEAT BELTS, WIPERS, ALTERNATOR, BRAKES, FUEL PUMP.
NHTSA complaint #10017745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE STEERING WILL SUDDENLY GET EXTREMELY LOOSE AND CAUSE ME TO OVER STEER.IT HAS HAPPENED AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS, WHETHER I'M TURNING OR GOING STRAIGHT WITH NO REAL NOTICABLE PATTERN.
NHTSA complaint #10102537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN AUGUST OF 2002 MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN STARTED TO TO SLIGHTY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT. OVER THE YEARS THE LACK OF CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS A VERY SCARY FEELING BUT OVER THE TIME I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE IT. I HAVE NOTIFIED GMC OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID MY MODEL IS NOT UNDER A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND WHERE SOME GMC MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY IGNORE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A TERMINALLY ILL HUSBAND SO I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO OUT AND BUY A NEW OR USED VEHICLE. I LOVE MY GMC SUBURBAN SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE OR EVEN MAYBE A GMC YUKON. YET WITH THE DISTRUST I HAVE WITH GMC ABOUT FIXING PROBLEMS THEY KNOW ABOUT I WOULD HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCH A PURCHASE. I HAVE A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SON WHOM IS LEARNING TO DRIVE AND IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN HE IS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT LOOSE COMPLETE POWER STEERING CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10074951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN AUGUST OF 2002 MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN STARTED TO TO SLIGHTY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT. OVER THE YEARS THE LACK OF CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS A VERY SCARY FEELING BUT OVER THE TIME I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE IT. I HAVE NOTIFIED GMC OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID MY MODEL IS NOT UNDER A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND WHERE SOME GMC MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY IGNORE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A TERMINALLY ILL HUSBAND SO I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO OUT AND BUY A NEW OR USED VEHICLE. I LOVE MY GMC SUBURBAN SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE OR EVEN MAYBE A GMC YUKON. YET WITH THE DISTRUST I HAVE WITH GMC ABOUT FIXING PROBLEMS THEY KNOW ABOUT I WOULD HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCH A PURCHASE. I HAVE A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SON WHOM IS LEARNING TO DRIVE AND IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN HE IS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT LOOSE COMPLETE POWER STEERING CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10074951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 1999 GMC SUBURBAN THAT IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE TAKEN IT 3 TIMES TO A REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BUT WHAT HAPPENS DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY DAY. IT SEEMS THAT THE POWER STEERING "GOES OUT" FOR A FEW SECONDS - USUALLY WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO JERK AND THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. I READ ABOUT A RECALL THAT GMC WAS DOING TO REPLACE A FAULTY BEARING IN THE POWER STEERING THAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM AND I CONTACTED THEM ABOUT IT. THEY OPENED A FILE FOR ME BUT INFORMED ME THAT MY YEAR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAINED, THEY MIGHT DO A RECALL. OTHERWISE, I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. I HAVE CONTACTED A GMC DEALER AND THIS REPAIR IS VERY COSTLY, ACCORDING TO THEM. I FEEL IF GMC HAS SO MANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT THEY ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH, AND THEY USED THE SAME PART IN MY VEHICLE, I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THEIR COST BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10074936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING SPEED SENSOR INTERMITANTLY FAILED CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE STEERING MOVEMENT WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS AT SPEED. STEERING POWER ASSIST WOULD SUDDENLY CHANGE RESULTING IN SUDDEN VEER OF VEHICLE. COUPLE OF "NEAR MISSES" WHEN PULLING TRAILERS AND ENTERING FREEWAY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND PROBLEM RESOLVED.
NHTSA complaint #10054695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HAVE EXPERIENCE LOS OF MY POWER STERRING WHEN I MAY TRURNS. ISEEMS TO OCCUR MORE WHEN I TAKE RIGHT TURNS. IT CAUSES ME TO HAVE TO JERK THE WHEEL BACK TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS SUDDEN JOLLT.
NHTSA complaint #10054641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK STEERING WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. CONSUMER LOCATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN RELATED TO THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10044463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.