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 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 105 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.
The 25 most recent of 105, in the owner's own words
WHEN TURNING ONTO AN ON-RAMP (USUALLY RIGHT) THE VEHICLE WILL MOMENTARILY LOSE POWER STEERING AND THE STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK RIGHT. THIS JERKING MOTION ALSO HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH NO TURNING INVOLVED. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS MORE JERKING MOTION ON A TURN BOTH ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
POWER STEERING INPUT/EFFORT HAD BECAME ERRATIC CAUSING INCREASED EFFORT OR WORSE, OVERSTEERING MIDWAY THROUGH TURNS. FIRST NOTICED THIS PROBLEM LAST FALL AT WINTER TIRE CHANGEOVER. I INITIALLY BLAMED IT ON ICY ROADS BUT THEN NOTICED IT ON OBVIOUSLY NON ICY ROADS AS WELL. OCCURRED JUST OCCASIONALLY AT FIRST. I KEPT BLAMING TIRES BUT THIS SPRING WHEN I CHANGED BACK OVER TO MY SUMMER TIRES THE PROBLEM DID NOT GO AWAY. DEALERSHIP HAD INDICATED SOME WORN FRONT END PARTS NEEDING REPLACEMENT SO I HAD THAT DONE ALONG WITH A FRONT END ALIGNMENT FOLLOWING. DIDN'T HELP. FOUND MANY DISCUSSIONS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ON THE INTERNET AND MOST INDICATED REPLACING THE STEERING EVO SENSOR AS THE CURE. I REPLACED THAT PART AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE SENSATION OF THE LOSS OF STEERING MIDCORNER IS AT THE LEAST A LITTLE DISCONCERTING AND AT THE MOST COULD LEAD TO AN OVER-REACTION AND A SEVERE CRASH! WITH AS MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE AS I FOUND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAVE BEEN LET GO AND NOT CALLED TO MY ATTENTION BY THE COMPANY. THE COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AS THE PARTS CLERK TOLD ME THEY EVEN HAVE A RETRO KIT AVAILABLE TO REPLACE THIS ASSISTED STEERING SYSTEM PERIOD! *TR
STEERING ON MY 97 TAHOE HAS FOR MANY YEARS 'TWITCHED' WHEN DRIVING AT A SLOW RIGHT TURN SUCH AS ON RAMP TO FREEWAY OR SLOW CURVE IN THE ROAD. IT NEVER DOES IT ON LEFT TURNS, ONLY RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY POPS TO THE RIGHT AND ONLY FOR A SECOND. IT THEN REPEATS THAT IF THE TURN ON THE ROAD IS CONTINUALLY TO THE RIGHT. IF ANYONE OTHER THAN ME DRIVES THE TAHOE, IT WILL SURPRISE THEM AND CAUSE AND ACCIDENT. IVE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN MANY FORUMS ONLINE AS WELL AS HERE AT THE NHTSA SITE. GM SHOULD BE RECALLING THIS DANGEROUS STEERING PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY.
NOTICED ERRATIC STEERING DURING RIGHT TURN. BECAME MORE SEVERE OVER TIME, TO THE POINT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY LOCAL MECHANIC. FAILED EVO (ELECTRONIC VARIABLE ORIFICE) SENSOR IN STEERING WAS REPLACED.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SLIPS OR JERKS TO THE RIGHT. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT HAS INCREASED OVER TIME. ON JANUARY 28, 2003 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING SENSOR. THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED 22 MONTHS LATER, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT 35 MPH. THIS RESULTED IN LOSE OF CONTROL OF THIS VEHICLE AND ACCIDENT FOLLOWED. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE WAS CONTACTED AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR INSPECTION OF SAID VEHICLE. THEY RESPONDED THAT IF NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED DURING INPSECTION, THAT CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIR. INSPECTION IS STILL PENDING.*AK
WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL JUMPED. THE TECHNICIAN SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND A REPLACED THE SENSOR. *AK THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND WOULD FAIL WHILE TURNING AT LOW, MEDIUM AND HIGH SPEEDS. *SC *JB
THE STEERING ASSIST ON THE TAHOE SUDDENLY GOES AWAY AND THE STEERING GOES COMPLETLY LOOSE, AND THEN SUDDENLY IT GETS FIRM AGAIN. THIS CAUSES ERRATIC STEERING AND OVER/UNDER ADJUSTMENT WHICH CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS CRASH. I TOOK IT IN 2 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL COMES AND GOES, ESSPECIALLY WHILE IN A TURN. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM. IF THE PWER STEERING FAILS IT SHOULD FAIL TO A FIRM STEERING CONDITION NOT A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING!!*AK
THE STEERING IN MY 1997 CHEVY TAHOE HAS RECENTLY STARTED TO "JERK" WHILE I AM DRIVING. *LA
STEERING BRIEFLY AND SUDDENLY GOES "LIGHT" IN SWEEPING RIGHT TURNS AT 40+ MPH. FEELS LIKE YOU HIT A PATCH OF ICE. SOUNDS RELATED TO OTHER COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE I FOUND WHILE RESEARCHING POSSIBLE CAUSES. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET - APPOINTMENT NEXT WEEK. *JB
1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE STEERING AT 83,000 MILES. AT 45-55 MPH WHEN TURNING LEFT STEERING HAS A MOMENTARILY TWITCH/HANG-UP/RESISTANCE/JERK. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS I FINALLY FOUND A DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR WAS FAILING & NEEDED REPLACING. AFTER SEARCHING THE NHTSA I SEE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE WITH A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS STEERING ABILITY FOR CHEVROLET TAHOE OWNERS & OTHERS DRIVING SAFETY THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. HOPEFULLY SOMETHING IS DONE BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES/ACCIDENTS/FATALITIES. *JB
1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE STEERING PROBLEM IN CURVES. VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN MAKING A TURN IN A CURVE OR A LANE CHANGE YOU EXPERIENCE A TEMPORARY LOSS OF STEERING FOLLOWED BY A RELEASE CAUSING A OVERSTEER CONDITION A VERY HAZZARDOUS SITUATION. *AK
STEERING WHEEL JERKS TO LEFT OR RIGHT ON COLD DAYS WHEN DRIVING AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS. AFTER READING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR SAME EXACT PROBLEM IT APPEARS THE GVT IS WAITING FOR A FATALITY BEFORE TAKING ACTION. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA 99011 WAS CLOSED 02/27/2001 WITH NO ACTION TAKEN.
STEERING IS ERRATIC AT MEDIUM SPEEDS. YOU WILL BE GOING AROUND THE CORNER AND THEN THE WHEEL WILL GIVE AND THE TRUCK PULLS VERY QUICKLY, AS IF YOU OVERSTEERED, BUT THEN IT WILL STOP. *LA
ERRATIC STEERING. *AK
THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A FAILURE IN THE STEERING POSITION SENSOR MOUNTED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT MAKES YOU SEVERELY OVERSTEER. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. AS A CERTIFIED AUTO TECHNICIAN,, I FEEL THAT THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD CAUSE A RECALL FOR REPAIR. I ALSO FEEL THAT GM SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS THIS DEFINATELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED AS THEY ARE NOT CORRECTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE!*AK
1997 CHEVY TAHOE - AFTER MAKING A U-TURN, POWER STEERING FAILED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING CURVED ROADS, AN ABRUPT JERKING WOULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING. *JB
VEHICLE STEERING LOSES CONTROL. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS IN WARRANTY AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. I SEE THAT OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOLD THE DEALER THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND EVEN FATALITIES. NOTE: I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TSB (76-30-01) FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC VARIABLE ORIFICE (EVO) SYSTEM AS A RESULT OF LOW VOLTAGE CONDITION OF THE STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR, WHICH RESULTED IN ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. *JB
WHEN TURNING WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT, A MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER. FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BECOME DISCONNECTED OR THE POWER STEERING HAS SURGED.
THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT EA99011 CONCERNING THE STEERING ON THE 1997 TAHOE, 350 5.7 ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO. THE JURKING IN THE STEERING IS NOT A CONSTANT PROBLEM. I T DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED AND THIS UNCOMMANDED IMPUT WAS ENOUGH TO INDUCE THE VEHICLE TO LURCH TO THE NEXT LANE.THIS SEVER ACTION ONLY HAPPENED ONCE, HOWEVER AS THE VEHICLE AGES, THE SEVERITY SEEMS TO GET WORSE WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN. YJE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 1997. I ALSO HAVE CONFIRMED THIS SAME THING WITH A FRIEND WHO OWNED A 1997 SABURBAN, HE SOLD THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION.
LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS ON SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET TAHOE. THE VARIABLE ASSIST STEERIING WOULD MAKE A RAPID AND UNEXPECTED OVER ADJUSTMENT WHEN MAKING SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS. I LOST CONTROL AND STARTED A "FISH TAIL" WHEN TRAVELING IN NEW YORK. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA AND FOUND THIS TO BE A MINOR PROBLEM IN THIS CLIMATE, HOWEVER, IT IS UNSAFE ON SLIPPERY ROADS.
WHEN MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN IN A CURVE OR A LANE CHANGE YOU EXPERIENCE A TEMPORARY LOSS OF STEERING FOLLOWED BY A RELEASE CAUSING A OVERSTEER CONDITION A VERY HAZZARDOUS SITUATION. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT A RECALL ON THIS. THE PERSON IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS ONLY A PROBLEM WITH THE 1997 MODELS. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH REPLY TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THEY WILL HAVE ERRATIC STEERING CONTROL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
STEERING LOSES RESISTANCE, CHANGES LANES IF NOT COUNTER STEERED. DEALER REPLACED EVO SENSOR ON 9 APRIL 2002.*AK *TT
FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED 4 TIMES PREVIOUSLY. FIXED IT MYSELF THIS TIME AFTER CHEVROLET REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT. NO PROBLEMS SINCE. POWER STEERING ASSIST IS VERY JERKY. GOES IN AND OUT WITHOUT WARNING. SAW OTHER COMPLAINTS AND DECIDED I SHOULD REPORT THIS ONE AS WELL.
VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER, IT WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD, DEALER REPLACED TIRES, SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER AND PERFORMED FRONT END ALIGNMENT, THIS DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK *TT
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.
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