1994 Chevrolet Caprice Steering Problems

MY WIFE'S 1994 CAPRICE HAS HAD INTERMITTENT NON WORKING POWER STEERING SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW. IT IS A TOTAL LOST OF STEERING AS IF THE BELT HAD BROKEN OR THE MOTOR WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER SEVERAL LENGTHY SERVICE TRIPS TO THE DEALER, WHO ACTED LIKE WE WERE CRAZY, NOTHING WAS EVER DONE TO THE CAR. RECENTLY (2 MONTHS AGO) MY WIFE STARTED SAYING THAT NOW THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN LEFT AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND SHE HAS ACTUALLY HAD TO GO STRAIGHT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T TURN LEFT. IT ALSO WAS FAILING QUITE OFTEN WHILE TURNING AT VERY LOW OR NO SPEED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. (REMAN FROM AC DELCO). I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FLUID WAS BROWN AND THICK. ALSO REPLACED PRESSURE HOSE, RETURN HOSE, STEERING BOX (REMAN FROM AUTOZONE) AND THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE IDLE CONTROL SWITCH AT THE SAME TIME. THE RESERVOIR WAS FLUSHED OF ALL THE BROWN FLUID. THE REMAN STEERING BOX WAS ALREADY PRIMED WITH NEW FLUID. AFTER MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR ABOUT A WEEK, SHE CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE CAR WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING!! . HERE IS MY OPINION HAS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE 4.3L V-8 MOTOR WAS USED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP IS NOT TURNING FAST ENOUGH AT IDLE SPEED. WHEN MY WIFE TAKES HER FOOT OFF THE GAS TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN (ITS SORT OF A HALF U TURN THE WAY THE ROAD IS LAID OUT) WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TURNING THE WHEEL, THE ENGINE IS AT IDLE SPEED AT THAT POINT. THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS WHEN MANEUVERING IN A PARKING LOT OR DRIVEWAY WHERE THE PROBLEM SHOWS UP MORE OFTEN AND THE ENGINE IS AT IDLE SPEED ALSO. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AND I CANNOT GET GM INTERESTED IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE ANSWER THIS. MY WIFE ALMOST HAD A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THIS MORNING AND THE PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR IDEAS ON WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE? PLEASE HELP. RONNIE BELITZ. *JB

NHTSA ID

10065945

Incident

Apr 6, 2004

WHEN STEERING IS TILTED IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION A FUSE WOULD BLOW OUT. *AK THE FUSE THAT BLOWS IS FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. CONSUMER THINKS IT A PINCHED WIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN THE WHEEL IS TITLED AND THE WIPERS ARE TURNED ON. A LIGHT MOVEMENT OF THE TILTED WHEEL WILL BLOW THE FUSE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE. *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10042575

A DESCRIPTIVE LETTER REGARDING THE STEERING COLUMN CORROSION FAILURE WAS SENT TO THE MANUFACTURERE WITH NO REPLY. DT

NHTSA ID

768895

Incident

Feb 3, 2000

ALTERNATOR: VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN IT STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA, DRIVER PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN IT START TO RAIN (DOWN POOR), SAT NAD WAITED FOR RAIN TO STOP ABOUT TEN MINUTES WHILE VEHICLE WAS SHUT-0FF AT THE KEY. RAIN STOPPED AND VEHICLE WAS REASTARTED WITH NO NOISE FROM UNDER HOOD, NO FURTHER INCIDENT UNTIL A WEEK LATER, WHEN DRIVER PULLED INTO A RELATIVES DRIVEWAY WHEN NOISE STARTED AGAIN, AT WHICH POINT VEHICLE WAS SHUT-OFF AT KEY AGAIN AND ALLOWED TO COOL FOR TEN MINUTES, WHEN RELATIVE OPENED HOOD TO CHECK ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HE NOTICED EXTREME HEAT COMING FROM ALTERNATOR. ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED NEXT DAY BY MYSELF WITH A REMANUFACTURED UNIT FROM A PARTS SUPPLIER IN MY AREA. PITMAN ARM: PITMAN ARM WAS NOTICED TO BE WORN AND ALLOWED PLAY WITHIN STEERING ASSEMBLY. PITMAN ARM WAS REPLACED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP OF MY CHOICE UPON INSPECTION OF IT AND OTHER AREAS OF THE CHASSIS PER MY REQUEST.

NHTSA ID

709398

Incident

Jul 20, 1999

IN REFERENCE TO EA96022, THE DEFECTIVE STEERING WHEEL RIM BROKE OFF JUST ABOVE THE CROSSBAR WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. 1994-1996 CHEVROLET CAPRICES A TOTAL OF 5 VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

818357

Incident

May 1, 1997

GENERAL TIRE REPLACED DUE TO WEAR.

NHTSA ID

520712

Incident

Oct 30, 1996

DURING VEHICLE OPERATION IN WET CONDITIONS AT LOW SPEEDS, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES POWER STEERING FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

803815

Incident

Jul 15, 1995

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY STEERING WHEEL BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID

985201

Incident

May 31, 1996

STEERING WHEEL BROKE. *SD

NHTSA ID

502689

Incident

Mar 27, 1996

FOUR CAPRICE POLICE PACKAGE VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED BREAKS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THE RIM MEETS THE CROSSBAR. *DH

NHTSA ID

502416

Incident

Mar 19, 1996

STEERING WHEEL REPLACED DUE TO BREAK. *SD

NHTSA ID

502639

Incident

Mar 18, 1996

WHILE DRIVING @ 30-40 MPH VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING W/EVERYTHING CONVERTING TO MANUAL CONTROL. DRIVER LOST CONTROL INTO A DITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

967746

Incident

Jun 23, 1995

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS. TT

NHTSA ID

964446

Incident

Apr 25, 1995