2002 Oldsmobile Bravada steering problems

14 of the 337 complaints about the 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada are about the steering — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,000 miles.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 10 71.4%

Rack AND Pinion 2 14.3%

Steering Wheel/Handle BAR 1 7.1%

Pinion Shaft 1 7.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Filed 18 Jun 2014 at 70,000 miles Bourne, MA

STEERING

ENGINE STALLS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LOST BRAKES, STEERING, NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. LUCKILY WAS ON SMALL HIGHWAY, ABLE TO COAST TO STOP AND HAVE CAR TOWED. MECHANIC UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM AFTER KEEPING AND DRIVING VEHICLE FOR 10 DAYS. SEARCHED ISSUE ONLINE. HORRIFIED TO READ HUNDREDS OF SAME COMPLAINT; SAME VEHICLE, SAME YEAR. HORRIBLE STORIES OF RESULTING ACCIDENTS. NOW NEWS FULL OF "IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE" ISSUES. BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. GM NOT OFFERING ADVICE AND CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY. SAYS "TOO MANY KEYS ON KEY CHAIN." 2 KEYS ON MINE. VEHICLE NOT ON GM RECALL LIST. BOUGHT SECOND HAND IN 2011. NOW TOO SCARED TO DRIVE IT. STILL OWE $5,000 ON CAR. CANT AFFORD TO ADD THAT TO NEW LOAN. WILL NOT SELL IT TO UNSUSPECTING SOUL WHO MAY BE KILLED.

NHTSA complaint #10604398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 7 Feb 2014 at 104,000 miles Nashville, TN

STEERING

WAS DRIVING AND LOST CONTROL WITH INABILITY TO STEER. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND THAT STEERING FLUID WAS DRAINING FROM MY CAR. TOOK IT TO THE BODY SHOP & THEY SAID THE STEERING PUMP BLEW. IM GLAD I WASN'T TRAVELING FASTER AND THAT NO ONE WAS STRUCK.

NHTSA complaint #10563421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 3 Jul 2012 at 134,000 miles Newark, DE

STEERING

POWER STEERING WENT OUT...

NHTSA complaint #10464124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 3 Jun 2011 at 97,000 miles Marystille, KS

STEERING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ABNORMALLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH THROUGH A FENCE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH, THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE AND THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA complaint #10404361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 19 Oct 2004 at 50,000 miles Silver City, NM Crash 2 injured

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING,THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES,THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SKIDDED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER HEAD ON. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB VEHICLE DID NOT SKID BUT WAS TAKEN QUICKLY AND SHARPLY TO THE LEFT INTO THE MEDIAN AND IMPACTED A CURB LIKE BARRIER DAMAGING VEHICLE. HOWEVER VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED. THOUGHT TO HAVE EXPERIENCED A BLOW OUT BUT NOT CONFIRMED. PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WAS ALSO EVIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10097198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Apr 2004 Staunton, VA

STEERING

WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT THE BRAVADA WHEN ACT AS IF YOU ARE USING THE BRAKE WHEN YOU TURN SHARP INTO A PARKING SPOT CAUSE THE TRUCK TO STOP. I THINK THAT IT IS PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE CV SHAFT THAT MAY CAUSE DAMAGE SOON. *AK ONCE WHEN THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING IN PARK IT ACT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL FOR A SEC. I HAD JUST PARKED AND LEFT IT RUNNING, AND WALKED TO OTHER SIDE WHEN IT HAPPEN ON APRIL 9 2004.

NHTSA complaint #10066370 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 21 Jan 2004 at 30,000 miles SAG Harbor, NY

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP POWER STEERING LAPSED UNTIL THE TURN WAS MADE. THIS POWER STEERING PROBLEM OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER PINION BEARING.

NHTSA complaint #10055610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 13 Nov 2003 at 23,000 miles Junction City, OR

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE STALLED. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BEING DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BACK UP SO IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10047896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Sep 2003 at 25,000 miles NEW Iberia, LA

STEERING

I HAVE AN OLDS BRAVADA AWD 2002 THAT HAS A STEERING PROBLEM. WHEN I TURN HARD RIGHT OR LEFT OR BACK UP AND TURN HARD RT OR LT THERE IS A SHUTTER IN THE STEERING. I HAVE CALLED OLDS AND THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS THAT IT IS COMING FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. OTHER OLDS OWNERS HAVE DESCRIBED THE EXACT SAME CONDITIONS. IT HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS WITH SHARP TURN.

NHTSA complaint #10039064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 11 Dec 2002 Brecksville, OH

STEERING

WHEN TURNING INTO A SHOPPING CENTER, AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING BOUND UP AND A LOSS OF POWER ALMOST CAUSED CONSUMER TO ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, THERE WAS A VERY HEAVY VIBRATION AND POUNDING COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WAS ERRACTIC AND A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER.*JB

NHTSA complaint #567910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 3 Sep 2002 Depew, NY

STEERING

WHILE DRIVING STEERING LOCKS UP. UNABLE TO STEER. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN STEERING LOCKS UP ON TURNS, ITS CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IN AND OUT OF DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOTS.

NHTSA complaint #8017802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 18 Jun 2002 Readyville, TN Crash

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL STEERING WHEEL WAS SPINNING WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO CHANGE LANES. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND HIT A GUARDRAIL. DEALER DETERMINED A BOLT THAT ATTACHES STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY.

NHTSA complaint #8012062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 8 May 2002 Hidepark, MA

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT

TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVEN, CANNOT BE BALANCED. TIRES WERE REPLACED, SHOCKS AND STRUTS REPLACED TWICE. CV JOINT WAS REPLACED AS WELL. DEALER IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*JB OIL LEAKING FROM FRONT SHOCK, SHOCK WAS REPLACED. BANGING NOISE ON DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. STRUT WAS LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED. BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN A REAR END COLLISON. BRAKE PDAL FEELS MUSHY. PASSENGER SIDE FOG LIGHT OUT. BLOWN FOG LAMP BULB REPLACED. REPLACED FAILED PASSENGER FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB. DRIVER AND PASSENGER POWER MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT. MIRROR SWITCH REPLACED. FRONT BUMPER COVER IS LOOSE AND RATTLES. GRINDING, CLUNKING AND WHINING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR MAKING TURNS. STEERING SHAFT REPLACED. TRANSMISSION LEAKING. REPLACED REAR MAIN SEAL, REMOVED 02 SENSOR AND CONVERTER DUE TO DAMAGE. SURGING PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE.

Exactly what failed

What owners said

Other 2002 Oldsmobile Bravada problems