1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO Suspension Problems

I CURRENTLY OWN A 1997 SILVERADO EXT CAB FLEET SIDE. I'VE HAD MY BRAKES SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN I'M BRAKING. ALSO IT'S VERY HESITANT IN PICKING UP SPEED WHEN PASSING EVEN WITH MAJOR TUNE-UPS AT CHEVY DEALERSHIPS ONLY TO BE SERVICED. I'M CONSTANTLY PURCHASING FRONT TIRES FOR MY TRUCK, WITH FRONT END ALIGNMENTS BEING DONE OFTEN WITH THE PURCHASE OF THESE TIRES. *JB

THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE PULLING WOULD BECOME MORE SEVERE WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT. ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE SWERVED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE DEALER PAY FOR REPAIR. SCC *JB

Mileage: 25,000

PROBLEM #1: THE FUEL PUMP RELAY DOESN'T SEEM TO DISENGAGE AFTER FIRST STARTING THE ENGINE AND IT HEATS UP. THIS CAUSES ROUGH OPERATING OF THE ENGINE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THE MAXI FUSE TO THE LIGHTING SYSTEM HEATS UP ALSO, BUT DOES NOT FAIL. ANOTHER AREA THAT IS AFFECTED IS THE MINI FUSE TO THE COURTESY LAMPS. IT HEATS UP, BUT DOES NOT FAIL. THE LAST AREA TO BE AFFECTED IS THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER VACUUM SWITCH. IT ACTS AS IF THE WHEELS ARE OUT OF BALANCE AROUND 50MPH. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS AND THEY EITHER CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR TRY AND TELL ME THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE AT FAULT. THEY PUT INJECTOR CLEANER IN THE FUEL TANK ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHICH MADE IT RUN WORSE. I ASKED TO HAVE THE INJECTORS REPLACED WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TO FOLLOW PROCEDURE BULLETIN #00-06-04-003 BEFORE TAKING THAT STEP. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, BUT THEY HAVEN'T OFFERED TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTORS. MY THINKING IS THAT THE PROBLEM IS REALLY THE IGNITION SWITCH. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND HOW IT WAS RESOLVED? PROBELM #2: WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH STEERING FEELS LOOSE AND WANTS SHIFT LANES ON IT'S OWN. ON SWEEPING TURNS IT TURNS TO THE RIGHT ON IT'S OWN. I HAD THE FRONT END ALLIGNED AND A NEW SET OF TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ANY ADVISE?

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONLY VEHICLE WOULD TURN MORE THEN NORMAL. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

I CURRENTLY TOOK MY 1997 SILVERADO TO HAVE THE FRONT-END ALIGNED AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME $150.00 THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF THE KNOCK-OUTS NOT BEING DONE AT THE FACTORY. IT WOULD SEEM LIKE THIS WOULD BE A PROBLEM THAT GM IS RESPOSSIBLE FOR BUT ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER SERVICE I HAVE TO EAT THE BILL. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL.*AK

WHEN MAKING A SLIGHT TURN VEHICLE WILL JERK. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC STEERING SENSOR. *AK

FRONT END CAN NOT BE ALLIGNED DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS GONE OUT, I HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AND GET A FRONT END ALIGNMENT, THE ALTERNATER WENT OUT, AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. IT CLANKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, DOESN'T IDLE CORRECTLY, AND SHUTS OFF. I HAVE HAD IT REBUILT ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ON ONE OCCASION IT EVEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE TRANSMISSION IS BACK IN THE SHOP NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 INCH )

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL WILL GO FROM DIFFERENT LANES, AND THERE IS VIBRATION WIHTIN THE STEERING WHEEL. GLOVE COMPARTMENT WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY, AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WON'T GO OFF. ALSO, THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SHFITING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR VEHICLE HAD BEEN INTO THE SHOP TWO TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

THE PROBLEM WITH THE "WANDER" IS AT ANY SPEED. THE FRONT END WILL SUDDENDLY PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN EVER I HIT THE MOST SMALLEST OF IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. *AK

THE PROBLEM WITH THE "WANDER" IS AT ANY SPEED. THE FRONT END WILL SUDDENDLY PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN EVER I HIT THE MOST SMALLEST OF IMPERFECTION IN THE ROAD. *AK

VEHICLE WANDERS WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. * POWER STEERING MOVED IRRATIONALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO MOVE INTO OTHER LANE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND PICKING UP SPEED, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHENEVER VEHICLE REACHES 30 MPH OR MORE. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. CAN NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE SEVERELY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS NEEDED.*ADJ

THE STEERING HAS "TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT" WHICH CAUSES STEERING DIFFICULTY. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL GO TO THE RIGHT WHICH MAY CAUSE CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE SENSOR WHEEL ROTATION WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT. DEALER SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED DURING THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY 99. PROBLEM STILL EXIST.

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. *YC

FRONT END OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

REAR SPRING LEAVES IMPROPERLY PADDED CAUSING NOISE.

NOISE IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION CONTINUALLY.