2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Steering Problems

AT 95,000 MILES, TRANSMISSION EXPLODED, REPLACED. 1 YEAR LATER, BRAKE LINE EXPLODED, LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID, ALL 4 BRAKE LINES REPLACED AS THEY WERE NOT MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL AND HAD RUSTED. 6 MONTHS LATER, DIFFERENTIAL BEARINGS ALL WORN, AFFECTING STEERING, DIFFERENTIAL AND RELATED PARTS ALL REPLACED. ALL EXPLOSIONS TOOK PLACE WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS, NOT ON THE HIGHWAY, THANK GOD! MECHANIC (FRIEND OF MINE) SAYS HE NEVER SAW ANY CAR WITH AS MANY BAD PARTS AS MY AVALANCHE! I ALSO THANK GOD I BOUGHT IT USED. AMERICAN ENGINEERED CARS HAVE SUCH BAD ENGINEERING DESIGN THAT I NEVER BUY THEM NEW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10509997

Incident

May 23, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi

I HAD AN ACCIDENT ON THE HWY IN GEORGIA, THE STEERING WAS HARD TO CONTROL/LOCK, THE TIRE SLED, WAS RUST AND CORRODE ON STRUCTURE, BRAKE AREA, WHEEL AREA, FRAME, TIRE BROKE OFF, ALMOST FLIPPED AND WAS HIT FROM THE BACK, AND TWICE IN THE FRONT AFTER SLAMMING INTO A CEMENT DIVIDER AND THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AT ALL, I INJURED MY LEFT SIDE, NECK, BACK, AND HIP. BLESSED THAT MY PREGNANT DAUGHTER IN HER 8TH MONTH WASN'T IN THE TRUCK WITH ME. I HAD DONE MULTIPLE REPAIRS ON THE FUEL TANK, TIRE ROD, KNOCK SENSOR, ABS BRAKES, RUNNING BOARD,BRAKES,ROTORS, ETC, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RUST ON THE FRAME WON'T EFFECT THE TRUCKS PERFORMANCE AND IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME GOOD. I ALMOST LOST MY LIFE AND TWO OF US GOT INJURED. IF THESE TRUCKS ARE HAVING AND BEEN HAVING THESE ISSUES- WHY DO THEY JUST PULL ALL OF THEM AND GIVE PEOPLE OTHER OPTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10497946

Incident

Feb 8, 2013

CLUNKING IN HEARD UNDER HOOD AND FELT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. HAVE HAD THAT FOR 2 YEARS AND NOW FINALLY SAW OTHER AVALANCHE AND CHEVROLET OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND PERSONAL MECHANIC EVEN REFERENCED THE PROBLEM TO A TSB FOR MY VIN. DEALER PLAYS IT OFF THAT THEY HAVE TO CHARGE FOR INSPECTION BY MECHANIC AND THEY WON'T REPLACE IT BECAUSE ITS PAST WARRANTY. (BILL HEARD CHEVROLET). NOTHING HAS DONE TO FIX IT, UNSURE IF ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE WILL RESULT FROM IT. INVOLVING THE STEERING COLUMN MUST HAVE SOME POSSIBLE ISSUE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158303

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

THE VEHICLE IS A 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE. 1]THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT HAS GONE BAD TWICE IN 61,000 MILES, DEALER REFUSES TO FIX. THIS COULD CAUSE THE U-JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT TO FRACTURE ON ROUGH ROADS. 2] THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM HAS INTERMITTENT FAILURE PROBLEMS, THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF BRAKES AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10151786

Incident

Oct 21, 2004

Mileage

32,000 mi

I WAS ON SIDE OF HILL IN GRASS AND MUD, MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT, AND I ALMOST BIT THE BULLET. MY NEIGHBOR A GM MECHANIC SAID THEY REPLACE THEM ALL THE TIME, I CALLED THE DEALER WHICH HE WORKED AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM (SERVICE MANAGER). THIS IS DANGEROUS AND A JOKE....I RESEARCHED AND FOUND OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM AT THIS SITE THAT HAVE AVALANCHES ALSO. PLEASE HELP HERE IS THE SITE WITH SOME OTHERS , THEY HAVE SEVERAL THREAD ABOUT IT THIS IS JUST ONE: HTTP://WWW.CHEVYAVALANCHEFANCLUB.COM/CAFCNA/INDEX.PHP/TOPIC,51094.0.HTML. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143493

Incident

Nov 22, 2005

Mileage

62,000 mi

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN WHEN HE PULLED OUT THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. THERE WAS NO NOISE, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT SHEARED OFF INSIDE OF THE PUMP. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 8-12-05. *AK

NHTSA ID

10137129

Incident

Aug 12, 2005

Mileage

70,500 mi

I OWN A 2002 CHEV. AVALANCHE, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE TAILGATE HINGES, AND LOCKS, THE STARPS( RECALL) HAVE BEEN REPLACE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING BOX, MAKES A THUMPING NOISE THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAME PROBLEMS WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES ARE HAVING THE STEERING, AND LOCKS/HINGES REPAIR FOR FREE, AND I'M BEING TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE HAS 80K MILES I HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS, AND IF A RECALL IS ESTABLISHED THEY WILL RE-EMBURSE ME. IF IT IS DANGEROUS AT 50K MILES WHY IS NOT DANGEROUS AT 8OK MILES.

NHTSA ID

10124649

Incident

Jun 8, 2005

(1) THERE WAS NOT ANY SPECIFIC EVENT, I WAS TURNING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THE STEERING IMMEDIATELY BECAME EXTREMELY HEAVY AND THE WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED. (2) I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEEL OR STOP BEFORE HITTING MY TRASH CONTAINERS AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY. (3) POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE SHAFT HAD BROKEN INSIDE THE PUMP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116068

Incident

Mar 13, 2005

Mileage

42,500 mi

MEXICAN ASSEMBLY FACTORY FAILURE. THERE WAS A MAJOR FAILURE OF THE REAR AXLES AND PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM. *BF THE REAR AXLES HAD GROOVES WORN IN THEM AND THE REAR BEARING FAILED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE PARKING BRAKE REMAINED INOPERATIVE. WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE WAS RELEASED, THE ACCELERATION WOULD HANG UP AND A POP WOULD BE HEARD IN THE REAR, THERE WAS A RATTLE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE AXLE SEALS LEAKED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10111069

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

15,896 mi

SUDDEN POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE AFTER 50,000 MILES - THIS ALSO CAUSED STEERING BOX TO FAIL BECAUSE OF FILINGS FROM PUMP GETTING INTO STEERING BOX. *AK

NHTSA ID

10082876

Incident

Jul 28, 2004

Mileage

50,000 mi

TRAVELING AT 65 MPH PASSING ANOTHER CAR SWITCHED LAND AND REAREND WENT OUT. DID 360 DEGREE AND HIT THE SIDE ON HIGH WAY. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. IT DID $9000 IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. STEERING FEELS LIKE ITS HITTING ANOTHER METAL DEALER HAS TO GREASE THE STEERING SHAFT EVERY 25,000 MILES FACTORY DEFECT BUT I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT. APPLYING BRAKE WHEN MAKING A TURN IF TRUCK GOES OVER A ROAD HOLE OR BUMP IN THE ROAD ANTI-LOCK BRAKE DOES NOT WORK AND LOOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. SUSPENSION IS NOT GOOD. *LA

NHTSA ID

10046984

Incident

May 12, 2003

STEERING WHEEL HAS NOT BEEN CENTERED IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. WHILE SEATED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS 2 1/2 INCHES TO THE RIGHT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. THIS CONDITION FATIGUED THE DRIVERS ARMS WHILE DRIVING ANY DISTANCE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED 6-19-03. THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS IT MAY INJURE HIM INSTEAD OF SAVING HIM. *AK *CB *NLM

NHTSA ID

10022678

WHILE MAKING A TURN AT A LOW SPEED VEHICLE ROLLED OVER, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8016510

Incident

Jul 17, 2002

THE DEALERSHIP (TOM BENSON) IS CLAIMING THAT BOTH MY MIRROR DISTORTION AND THE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA ID

759867

Incident

Nov 1, 2001