RoadVitals

1998 Chevrolet Truck M/L Van Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Apr 6, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 166 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Chevrolet Truck M/L Van submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Apr 6, 2020

2012 MALIBU LOSES POWER STEERING AND ESC LIGHT COMES ON. VERY DANGEROUS. DON'T THINK 2012 MALIBU IS COVERED UNDER RECALL 15356, BUT IT SHOULD BE . PEOPLE WILL DIE ... PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID
11320368
Incident
Apr 2, 2020
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Jun 1, 2013

1999 CHEVROLET S10 DRIVEWORKS STEERING INNER TIE ROD END PART NO. DW-ES3380T. RIGHT AGAINST THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER ON MY 1999 S10.THIS COULD CAUSE BINDING IN THE STEERING. COULD CAUSE TRUCK TO CRASH. ECONOMY INNER TIE RODS ARE WRONG BUT PROFESSIONAL GRADE INNER TIE RODS ARE CORRECT. THIS IS A PROBLEM AT MANY PARTS STORES AND ONLINE PART STORES (ADVANCE AUTO, AUTO ZONE, ROCKAUTO, ETC.) I BELIEVE THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10514665
Incident
Jun 1, 2013
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Apr 17, 2011

POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS "REPLACED" UNDER THE RECALL, BUT STILL CONTINUALLY GOES OUT OFF AND ON. VERY UNSAFE!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10396590
Incident
Mar 10, 2009
Mileage
40,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Feb 9, 2010

06 COBALT POWER STEERING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10308175
Incident
Dec 20, 2009
Mileage
52,136 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Mar 5, 2009

2004 CHEVY MALIBU WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO POWER STEERING COLUMN AND SERVICE CAR LIGHT COMING ON AND CLUNKING COMING FROM CAR. HAD IT IN THE FIRST DEALERSHIP FIRST TIME NOTIFIED ME THAT IT WAS THE STEERING COLUMN $1500 LATER AND IT WASN'T REPAIRED. TOOK BACK TO SAME LOCATION. THEN THEY NOTIFY ME THAT THE SAME STEERING COLUMN WAS BAD AGAIN AND NOW MY RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED. $650.00. LIGHT AGAIN NOW LOOSING POWER STEERING HAD TO TAKE TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE FIRST ONE NOTIFIES ME BY LETTER THAT I CAN NOT COME BACK WITH MY CAR. NOW I HAD TO PAY $52.00 TO HAVE THE SENOR THAT ARE PART OF THE STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTED. THAT WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SERVICE NOTICES. BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A RECALL THE OWNER HAS TO CONTINUE TO PAY. MY CAR IS A SALVAGE HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GENUINE GMC PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AND GUESS WHAT. THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN. $2400.00 LATER AND ITS NOT FIXED. I HAVE TALKED DIRECTLY TO GM AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HELP. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROTECT CONSUMER FROM BEING TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS FROM A MANUFACTURER THAT KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10260860
Incident
May 13, 2008
Mileage
47,413 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Oct 24, 2008

I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY 2004 CHEVY AVALANCHE DUE TO THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM GOING OUT WHICH MAKES THE POWER STEERING GO OUT AS WELL. PRIOR TO THE SYSTEM GOING COMPLETELY OUT IT OCCASIONALLY IT WOULD BE HARD TO TURN THE STEERI NG WHEEL UPON STARTING UP THE VEHICLE I CONTACTED THE RECALL DEPARTMENT IN REFERENCED TO THIS BUT THEY STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE IS THE YEAR AND MODEL FITTING THE RECALL MY VIN DOES NOT FALL IN THE BATCH. WHY IS THIS WHEN I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE BRAKES GOING OUT. CAN THIS BE RECTIFIED. I HAD THE PROBLEM REPAIRED BUT IT STARTED AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10246610
Incident
Sep 20, 2008
Mileage
80,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Jul 24, 2008

I BOUGHT THE 2002 TRAILBLAZER ON FEBRUARY 2008 DROVE IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TOTAL THE REST OF THE TIME IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED JUST ACCELERATED ONTO THE GAS HEARD A LOUD CRACK AND THE TRUCK SHOOK LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE HAD HIT, LOST ACCELERATION WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER THAN 30-35 MILES AN HOUR AND CAR WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM NEUTRAL AT FIRST AND THE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE., BRAKES HAVE MADE A PULSATION FEELING AND THEY WERE DONE DAYS BEFORE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED AGAIN INCLUDING ROTORS A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY CRACKLING AND METALLIC TINGING NOISES THAT DON'T GO AWAY, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGES AND DISENGAGES ON IT'S OWN WHEN DRIVING 65-70 MILES AN HOUR. THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A CONSTANT RUBBING NOISE AND DEALER TOLD ME ALL OF MY COMPLAINTS WERE NOTHING DETRIMENTAL AND BASICALLY BLEW ME OFF. THE TRUCK JERKS ALOT ON IT'S OWN DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM IN MOTION OR IF I PUT IT INTO GEAR OR PARK IT JERKS. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, IT SEEMS TO BE POSSESSED. I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE IT, SO I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY FIRST CAR WAS A CHEVY AND NOW THIS ONE, I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER CHEVY PRODUCT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, I DON'T WANT THIS. I FEAR MY OWN AND EVERYONE ELSE'S LIFE!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10235685
Incident
May 15, 2008
Mileage
70,414 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed May 6, 2008

I HAVE A 1992 CHEVROLET SUV VAN. AS I WAS DRIVING WEST ON I-10 APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF I-49, DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE THE STEERING WHEEL CAME OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. LUCKILY, I DID NOTHING TO BRAKE; I LET IT SLOW DOWN ON ITS ON. UPON EXAMINATION, I DISCOVERED THE STEELING WHEEL WAS MOUNTED USING A THINK PLASTIC WASHER. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN, THE CPSC SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE PHOTOS TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR DEFECT IF YOU NEED THEM. I WILL HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER STEERING WHEEL. YOUR RESPONSE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10226860
Incident
Jun 20, 2007
Steering
Filed Dec 3, 2004

THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD:AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, C5 CHEVROLET CORVETTES (1997-2004) HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING-COLUMN LOCK MALFUNCTIONING AND LEAVCING OWNERS STRANDED. I KNOW OF SEVERAL OWNERS THUS AFFECTED, AND THEY HAVE HAD TO HAVE THEIR CARS TOWED. GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THE PROTENTIAL PROBLEMS; THEY ARE HANDLING EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY TO SAVE MONEY. MY CONCERN IS THAT I COULD END UP FAR FROM HOME OR IN A BAD SECTION OF TOWN WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP. IF I DON'T HAVE A BAD ACCIDENT, I WILL SURELY BE STRANDED.*AK I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, IF GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1997, WHY HAVEN'T THEY ADDRESSED THE ISSUE YET? SINCE THE AFTERMARKET HAS RESPONDED WITH A STEERING-COLUMN-LOCK BYPASS, I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD AUTHORIZE A DEALER TO INSTALL IT WITHOUT VOIDING THE WARRANTY. FURTHER, WHY DID GM ELIMINATE THE STEERING -COLUMN LOCK ON 2001 AUTOMATICS, BUT NOT ON THE MANUAL-TRANSMISSION MODELS? I WOULD HOPE YOU COULD STRONGLY URGE GM TO ADDRESS THIS VERY REAL ISSUE. I REALLY LOVE MY CORVETTE, BUT NO CAR IS WORTH RISKING BECOMING AN ACCIDENT/BREAKDOWN STATISTIC. SINCERELY, [XXX] 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE AUTOMATIC [XXX]

NHTSA ID
10100981
Incident
Dec 2, 2004
Steering
Filed Sep 30, 2003

FRONT STEERING COMPONENTS; PREMATURE WEAR

NHTSA ID
10040974
Incident
Aug 31, 2003
Mileage
76,532 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .