Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 Silverado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
RETURNING FROM DELIVERIES, BACKING INTO DRIVE TO RELOAD, STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED. NO STEERING AT ALL. YOU CAN SPIN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION WITH NO RESPONSE. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A SLIGHT TURN IN A CURVE, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED MAKING A SHARPER TURN. THIS BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 2005 AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM. THIS PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, DOWN A MOUNTAIN, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HIT A ROCK WALL AND THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD, WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. ALTHOUGH, THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WAS STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED THE SERVICE DEALER SAID THE STEERING WOULD BECOME EASIER TO USE. THE STEERING PROCEEDED TO GET WORSE. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS THE STEERING BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP DISCONNECTED; THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT MADE THE STEERING EASIER. THE SERVICE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 1998 SILVERADO WAS ABLE TO TURN WITHOUT THE WHEELS TURNING. TAKING MY TRUCK TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR A CAUSE IT WAS DETECTED THAT THE BOLT IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS MISSING. I HAD THE BOLT INSTALLED AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. I CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF GM AND DID NOT RECEIVE A REASON WHY DID COULD HAPPEN IN A CAR I BOUGHT AND WAS THE SOLE OWNER. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVE IT TO BE A SAFETY ITEM AND THAT A NOTICE SHOULD BE ISSUED TO OTHER OWNERS. THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE BROUGHT TO THEIR SHOPS AND THEREFORE COULD NOT COMMENT ON WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS,OR THAT THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT ISSUE A BULLETIN AS I HAD NOT BROUGHT IT INTO ONE OF THEIR SHOPS AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. I ALSO SAID I WOULD NOT DRIVE 27 MILES TO THE DEALER AS I COULD HAVE AN ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THEY REALLY HAD NO CONCERN FOR MY PROBLEM AND IF THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING ON OTHER VEHICLES LIKE MINE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY CONCERN AND I HOPE THAT THIS NOT CAUSE ANYONE ANY ACCIDENTS. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE WAS AN AGENCY LIKE YOURS UNTIL I READ THIS MORNINGS PAPER. I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING IF THERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS AS MINE OR AM I THE ONLY ONE. IT WAS VERY DISTURBING TO FIND OUT I HAD THAT BOLT MISSING. MARTIN WITKOWSKI. *JB
POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN TURNING, HESITATES AND THEN CATCHES UP CAUSING A LAG IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I'VE HAD THE IDLER ARM AS WELL AS THE PITMAN ARM REPLACED, FAILURE STILL OCCURS. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH THERE WAS A SPOT WHERE IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SLIPPING. *NLM
1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO (K1500) - THE TENSION REQUIRED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL MOMENTARILY BECOMES VERY LOOSE WHILE MAKING RIGHT-HAND TURNS. DRIVER GETS THE SENSATION THERE IS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DURING THIS TIME. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL BUT THE MECHANIC AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT HE HAS REPLACED HUNDREDS OF "STEERING WHEEL SPEED SENSORS". I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FORK OUT $200 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. SEEMS TO BE OK NOW, BUT FOR HOW LONG? *NLM
THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED COMPENSATED STEERING; STEERING POSITION SENSOR WENT BAD WHICH ALLOWED THE STEERING TO GET TIGHTER. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT "HE HAS SOLD DOZENS OF THE SENSORS DUE TO CHRONIC FAILURE". ONCE THIS SENSOR FAILS THE TRUCK IS UNCONTROLLABLE, AT ANY TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS
POWER STEERING SENSOR (EVO) FAILED ERRATIC/UNPREDICTABLE STEERING. GM INDICATED NOT A SAFETY CONCERN! DT
CONSUMER STATESTHAT THE VEHICLE WAS CURVING TO THE LEFT, THE STEERING WOULD BECOME LOSE AND ERRATIC. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURS. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE, CAUSING POOR VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, STATED POWER STEERING ASSIST ACCELERATED TO FULL POWER, CAUSING DRIVER TO OVERSTEER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHEN MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM ONCE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING GEAR BOX, ALSO CONSUMER FOUND OIL ON TOP OF THE STEERING BOX. *SLC
AT CERTAIN POSITIONS STEERING WHEELS HAS CATCHES FROM HARD TO SOFT, CAUSING OVERSTEERING. MANUFACTURER FILED A COMPLAINT FOR CONSUMER.*AK
TURNING LEFT IN TOWN SPEED STEERING WOULD "SKIP" AND CATCH. *AK
THERE IS A DELAY WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL,NOTHING HAPPENS. BUT, EVENTUALLY IT WILL KICK IN. DEALER REPLACED ILDER ARM AND PITMAN ARM, BUT DEFECT IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
SREEING WHEEL JERKS IN RIGHT TURNS.FEELS LIKE STEERING WENT OUT ,IT IS INTERMITTENT BUT A EVERY DAY OCCURRENCE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL WON'T KEEP VEHICLE STRAIGHT, RESULTING IN VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK
SEVERE MOMENTARY OVERSTEER BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. *AK
DUE TO DEFECTIVE PITMAN AND IDLER ARM VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN WIND BLOWING.. THIS MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK
IN DISCUSSING OUR PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS FOR GM PU'S WE HAVE FOUND THAT IN '97 & '99 MODELS THE FRONT ENDS COME WELDED AND IF NOT BROUGHT BACK WITHIN CERTAIN AMT OF MILAGE DEALER WILL NOT FIX. OURS WAS OUT OF ALIGMENT UPON DRIVING OFF LOT THE FIRST TIME. DEALER SAID TO DRIVE ABOUT 1,000 MI. TO BREAK IN AND BRING BACK AND WILL FIX. CALLED FOR APPT. FOR SEAT BELT AND FRONT END ALIGNMENT, TOOK IN, SEAT BELT PARTIALLY FIXED, HAD TO ORDER PTS. THIS HAS BEEN 8 MONTHS AGO AND PT FOR SEATBELT STILL NOT IN, ALSO DID NOT GET ALIGNMENT, THEY WERE RUNNING BEHIND, WAS THERE 3 HRS, HAD TO GO TO WORK, COULD NOT WAIT. NEXT TIME CALLED FOR APPT. MILAGE WAS ABOVE WHAT DEALER WOULD FIX. TOOK TO MODICA BROS. SISBEE, TX. AND COST $119.95. THESE TRUCKS ARE ARRIVING TO DEALERS FROM MFG. THIS WAY, DISCUSSED IN LENGTH WITH MANY PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A GM GIMICK, I THINK ALL OWNERS SHOULD DEMAND THAT THIS BE CORRECTED. I OWN A '94 CHEV. PU AND NEVER HAS BEEN ALIGNED WITH 125,000 MI. ON IT. DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. I WANT GM TO REFUND EVERYONES MONEY WHO DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO SET FOR ALIGNMENT WHEN IT SHOULD BE RIGHT IN FIRST PLACE AND HOLD UP MORE THAN 3,000 MIL. THIS IS A DISGRACE, NOT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE WEARING OUT OF YOUR TIRES. PLEASE REPLY BACK TO ME B.MORRISPNX.COM
THE DEFECTIVE BOLT ON THE STEERING PITMAN SYSTEM "STRIPPED" OFF, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE FREELY AND NOT MOVING THE TIRES, WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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