2002 GMC Sierra 2500 Steering Problems

WHILE DRIVING OF A CITY STREET, AT A SLOW RATE (10-15MPH) AND TAKING A SLOW, APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN, I HEARD A LOUD "POPPING/BREAKING SOUND". WHILE MAKING THE TURN, I INITIALLY HAD TURNING CAPABILITIES UNTIL I HEARD THE "POP" SOUND. UPON HEARING THE SOUND, I NO LONGER HAD THE ABILITY TO TURN THE WHEELS TO EITHER DIRECTION. UPON STOPPING AND TURNING OFF THE TRUCK, I FOUND THE PITMAN ARM(CONNECTED TO STEERING BOX AND STEERING BAR) WAS DETACHED FROM THE STEERING BAR BUT STILL ATTACHED TO STEERING BOX. THE BOLT OF THE PITMAN ARM HAD BROKEN OFF CLEANLY FROM THE STEERING BAR, RENDERING MY STEERING CAPABILITIES INEFFECTUAL. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE PITMAN ARM SHEERED BOLT. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT THAT THIS DEFECTIVE PIECE OF MATERIAL COULD HAVE COST DAMAGE TO LIFE, PROPERTY AND POTENTIALLY DEATH OF MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE ROAD. I WOULD LIKE SOME FORM OF RESTITUTION ON PART OF THE MANUFACTURE. THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $225 USD. I CAN PROVIDE THE BILL FOR TOWING, MECHANICAL REPAIRS AND COST OF REPLACEMENT PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10936174

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

240,000 mi

VEHICLE IS A 2002 GMC HD 2500 PICKUP TRUCK WITH A DURAMAX DIESEL ENGINE, AND 5 SPEED ALLISON TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING ON SURFACE STREETS, THE POWER BRAKES AND STEERING BOTH WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY. STOPPING REQUIRED BOTH FEET ON PEDAL, AND STEERING WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. PROBLEM TRACED TO THE "HYDROBOOST" AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP. BOTH WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE. EVIDENTLY, THE PUMP FAILED TO YIELD ANY BOOST PRESSURE, WHICH IN TURN RENDERED POWER STEELING AND BRAKES INOPERATIVE. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE TOW TRUCK THAT RESPONDED INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE SAME ITEMS (87 OT 8 GMC HD TRUCKS) AND IN BLOGS WITH OTHER GMC/CHEVY DIESEL OWNERS IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT. THERE WERE NO NOISES, OR OTHER INDICATOR OF PENDING PROBLEMS. CONTACT WITH THE DEALER REVEALED THAT " I SHOULD CHANGE THE PS FLUID EVERY 2 YEARS: (NOT IN THE MAINTENANCE SECTION OF OWNER MANUAL). *TR

NHTSA ID

10485398

Incident

Nov 19, 2012

Mileage

82,760 mi

STARTED MY VEHICLE SO COULD MOVE IT IN FRONT OF MY GARAGE. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T MOVE AND I HAD VERY LIMITED BRAKING POWER. IT TOOK AN EXCEPTIONAL AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST TO STOP THE VEHICLE AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10230221

Incident

May 20, 2008

Mileage

57,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 2-5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENED WHEN IT WAS TURNED TO THE LEFT. WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME RESISTANT. THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN STRAIGHT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING VALVE AND STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,499.

NHTSA ID

10208400

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED ABOUT 2002 GMC SIERRA 2500 HD. HE STATED THAT WHILE APPLYING BRAKES, 7 OUT OF 10 TIMES THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATE\D AND PUMPED THE BRAKES. THIS HAPPENED AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, AND IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS HAPPENED WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT ANY SPEED. THE BRAKES PUSHED BACK AND THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE CONTACT LOOKED UP INFORMATION FROM THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT A RECALL 05V379000 HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SAID THAT HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE INNER TIE ROD HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY, THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL SEAL WAS LEAKING FROM THE VENT CAP, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT BULB WAS INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER DENIED TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE. UPDATED 01/29/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177052

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

37,300 mi

DIESEL ENGINE QUIT AND IT WAS ONLY EQUIPPED WITH ONE FUSE, AND THE FUSE BLEW. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. *AK. THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND WHEN THAT FAILED IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BRAKES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10031948

Incident

Jul 30, 2003

Mileage

36,403 mi

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT ALL THE TIMES. HAVE HAD IT SERVICED 8 TIMES AT PURCHASING DEALER, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIX IT. THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO OFF AT 1:00 POSITION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018445

Incident

Sep 28, 2002

Mileage

400 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 20/35 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS AS A RESULT OF THE STEERING SHAFT SPLITTING IN HALF. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ID

10003767

Incident

Dec 20, 2002

Mileage

7,500 mi

CONSUMER STATES THE POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT TWISTED OFF CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. TS

NHTSA ID

8024059

Incident

Dec 6, 2002