2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Steering Problems

4"TAKATA RECALL" THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE WITH A SET OF CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC LL TIRES ON IT. WHILE PULLING OFF IN THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING AROUND 35 MPH YOU COULD FEEL THE BACK END SHAKING AND WOBBLING LIKE THE LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO INVESTIGATE THE SHAKING ISSUE WHERE WAS FOUND THAT THE TIRES TREAD WAS SEPARATING MAKING HUMPS AND WAVES IN THE TREAD. THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT 92,207 MILES ON VEHICLE AND 7, 319 MILES ON 265/70R17 CAPITOL PRECISION TRAC LL TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS UNTIL GETTING TIRES TO REPLACE THE CAPITOL TIRES BUT ONCE THE VEHICLE STARTED MOVING TO TAKE IT TO THE SHOP TO REPLACE THE TIRES THE FRONT HAD STARTED TO SHAKE JUST LIKE THE BACK AT 92,221 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BUT NOT AS MUCH. WALMART CHANGED THE TIRES AND THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED THE TIRES WERE REALLY BAD WITH TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE AND ALSO THAT THIS BRAND TIRE WERE RECALLED. I HAVE TAKEN THESE TIRES BACK TO TIRE PROS WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND NOW IS AWAITING THEM TO SEND THESE TIRES BACK TO THE TIRE COMPANY FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TIRE. THE RECALL # IS 14T013-8570 IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

Mileage: 92,207

THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL SOUNDS LIKE IT IS BOUNCING, RATTLING AND LOOSE. THIS HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDING TO BE REPACKED AND THE STEERING GEAR BOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. GM CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT IT WILL BECOME ONE SINCE THIS IS A STEERING PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT SINCE MANY OTHER AVALANCHE OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

Mileage: 29,981

THERE WAS A LOOSE SOUNDING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. UPON MY INVESTIGATION I FOUND OUT THAT MANY GM'S ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO BECAUSE OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BEING LOSE I COULD NOT TELL THAT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS BAD TO THE POINT THE HUB HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS COULD HAVE HAD CATASTROPHIC RESULTS (FATALITY). UPON TALKING TO VARIOUS EMPLOYEES I WAS TOLD THAT GM HAS HAD A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT THEY NOW HAVE CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT SHAFT. MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND EVEN THE REPAIR ORDER STATES "REPLACE UPPER INT SHAFT WITH NEW STYLE REROAD TEST OK" I THINK IN PUBLIC SAFETY THAT THE NTSB SHOULD LOOK INTO HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM (GM) AND THE AVERAGE MILEAGE OF NOT ONLY MY MODEL VEHICLE BUT ALL GM'S THAT HAVE THIS TYPE OF STEERING. IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 61,700

2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS BAD. MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE LIKE IT'S LOOSE. *TR

Mileage: 110,745

MY 2004 AVALANCHE STARTED MAKING KNOCKING SOUNDS WHEN TURNING CORNERS - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND $700 LATER AND A NEW STEERING YOKE THE KNOCK WAS SQUELCHED (NOT GONE) AND THE SPEEDOMETER COINCIDENTALLY STARTED MOVING LIKE A SECOND-HAND ON A WATCH (JERKY) - TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WANT $525 FOR A NEW CLUSTER THAT THEY SAY IS NOT COMMON - LOOKING ON THE WEB, I FOUND THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH AVALANCHES AND THE WAITING LIST CAN BE IN THE HUNDREDS BEFORE ME - IF THIS IS SO COMMON, WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL AND WHY DOES THE DEALER DENY THE NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES? *NM

Mileage: 54,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY VIBRATED. TOTAL CONTROL WAS LOST OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE HITTING THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, POPPING NOISES WERE HEARD WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT GOING FORWARD AND IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NOT A POLICE REPORT FILED.

Mileage: 34,000

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CLANGED WHILE CHANGING GEARS. WHEN PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND DRIVING BETWEEN 60 - 70 MPH HE COULD HEAR A WHINING SOUND. WHEN HE RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE NOISE STOPPED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT BUT, THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 3,500

POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED 5 TIMES BY THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM RETURNS. IT IS DO TO GO BACK THIS WEEK TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT, LUBED THE FRONT END, DRILLED AND ELONGATED THE CROSS MEMBER'S MOUNTING HOLES, ADDED WASHERS, AND COMBINATIONS ABOVE. *NM

Mileage: 10,000

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE. WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL HARD IN EITHER DIRECTION . IF THE VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE ONE CAN STILL HEAR THE KNOCKING NOISE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PUT SOMETHING NEW IN STEERING, BUT SHE WAS UNSURE OF THE PART WAS, AND TWO WEEKS LATER SHE IS STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF THESE VEHICLES. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMED THAT ALMOST EVERY SIX MONTHS THE PART WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED. AS OF RIGHT NOW SHE WAS GETTING THIS FIXED SINCE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SHE COULD NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AFTER HER WARRANTY WAS UP. THE CONTACT BEGAN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. *AK.

CONTINUED PROBLEM WITH POP/NOISE IN FRONT END OF 04 AVALANCHE WHILE TURNING AND TURNING WHILE IN REVERSE. CHEVROLET HAS ISSUES SEVERAL TSB'S FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST. AT THE MOMENT IT HAS NOT CAUSE ANY ACCIDENTS BUT MYSELF AND OTHER AVALANCHE OWNER ARE FEARFUL THAT IT WILL DEVELOP INTO A SAFETY CONCERN IF NOT PERMANENTLY CORRECTED.*AK