1997 GMC Suburban Steering Problems

THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING. FIRST THE HEATER FAN WOULD QUIT AND THE ABS LIGHT WOULD INSTANTLY TURN ON, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. WHEN THE ABS LIGHT WOULD BE ON THE ABS WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. THEN SUDDENLY ALL OPERATIONS WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. IT WOULD BE UNPREDICTABLE WHEN THE HEATER FAN AND THE ABS WOULD FAIL AND COME BACK. THEN YESTERDAY, THE SUBURBAN STARTED AND DIED 3 SECONDS AFTER STARTING. I RESTARTED THE SUBURBAN AND ALL SEEMED GOOD. I PUT THE SUBURBAN IN DRIVE AND ROLLED AT ABOUT 5 MPH AND THE TRUCK DIED. I STOPPED AND PUT THE SUBURBAN IN TO PARK AND RESTARTED. PLACED IT INTO DRIVE AND MADE IT HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME, I TURNED OFF THE SUBURBAN AND TRIED TO RESTART IT. IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT FIRE THE ENGINE. THE RADIO AND HEATER AND ALL OTHER ELECTRONICS WOULD OPERATE AS NORMAL, BUT THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON I.E. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON", "BRAKE", "AIR BAG", "ABS". THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS FAILED ON IT AND NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593726

Incident

May 21, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

STEERING SPEED SENSOR FAILS CAUSING THE STEERING TO SUDDENLY JERK WHILE TURNING UNDER SPEED. IT FEELS LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS HIT "SLIPPERY ICE". I HAVE REPLACED THIS ITEM 3 TIMES ON MY OWN AND THE SENSOR KEEPS FAILING. THE ONE IN MY CAR CURRENTLY IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM AGAIN AND WILL NEED REPLACING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10370618

Incident

Nov 15, 2010

Mileage

185,000 mi

POWER STEERING ASSIST IS ERRATIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STEERING INPUT FORCE WILL INCREASE UNTIL THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY MOVES BECAUSE OF AN INCREASE IN POWER STEERING ASSIST. PROBLEM IS ERRATIC, AND IT HAS ONLY OCCURRED AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH. THIS PHENOMENOM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10110131

Incident

Feb 5, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

IN AUGUST OF 2002 MY 1997 GMC SUBURBAN STARTED TO TO SLIGHTY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT. OVER THE YEARS THE LACK OF CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT HAS INCREASED AS WELL AS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS A VERY SCARY FEELING BUT OVER THE TIME I MYSELF HAVE LEARNED HOW TO HANDLE IT. I HAVE NOTIFIED GMC OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY SAID MY MODEL IS NOT UNDER A CURRENT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND WHERE SOME GMC MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET THEY IGNORE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A TERMINALLY ILL HUSBAND SO I CANNOT AFFORD TO GO OUT AND BUY A NEW OR USED VEHICLE. I LOVE MY GMC SUBURBAN SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE OR EVEN MAYBE A GMC YUKON. YET WITH THE DISTRUST I HAVE WITH GMC ABOUT FIXING PROBLEMS THEY KNOW ABOUT I WOULD HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT SUCH A PURCHASE. I HAVE A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SON WHOM IS LEARNING TO DRIVE AND IT IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN HE IS BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A VEHICLE THAT MIGHT LOOSE COMPLETE POWER STEERING CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074951

Incident

Aug 31, 2000

CONSUMER STATES THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS A INVESTIGATION#PE98060 CONCERNING STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026759

Incident

Jun 25, 2003

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10019818

Incident

Aug 2, 1997

Mileage

5,000 mi

THE FIRST DATE OF FAILURE WAS AROUND MAY 2001 AND STARTED WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AND CONTINUED SINCE. THE STEERING WOULD COMPLETELY GO OUT FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS. IT FELT LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS JERKED FROM MY HAND. I COULD NOT GET ANYONE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT DO IT DURING TEST DRIVE. ON JUNE 30, 2002, WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH, THE STEERING COMPLETELY WENT OUT FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS. I IMMEDIATLY WENT TO EXPERTTIRE AND A PART WAS REPLACED REGARDING THE STEERING. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE LOCAL DEALER, FOUND THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ANOTHER SUBURBAN OWNER HERE IN LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI AS WELL. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY WHEN YOUR STEERING GOES OUT COMPLETELY AND I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

NHTSA ID

763984

Incident

Jun 30, 2002

CONSUMER STATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE RUNNING BOARDS WERE BENT AND LOOSE, DEALER TIGHTENED AND REPLACED BRACKETS. *TT

NHTSA ID

563531

Incident

Sep 24, 1998

WE HAVE HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED FOUR TIMES IN THE 2 YEARS WE OWNED IT, 50,000 MILES. THE STEERING IS ERRATIC AT HIGH SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID

752394

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AS YOU MOVE THE WHEEL RIGHT OR LEFT THERE IS A SUDDEN PULLING OF THE WHEEL INB THAT DIRECTION

NHTSA ID

746836

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING WOULD TURN A BIT & STEERING WOULD TAKE OFF TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, ALMOST FREE WHEELING. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP & INFORMED STEERING SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM. HAD LOW VOLTAGE COMING FROM SENSOR WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

887405

STEERING WOULD PULL TO RIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND MECHANIC REPAIRED IT, BUT CURRENTLY VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO LEFT. STEERING SENSOR WAS REPLACED. HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO STEERING PROBLEM. STEERING WENT RIGHT, AND VEHICLE HIT CURB. THEN, SPUN AROUND, BACKWARDS. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WENT ACROSS 4 LANES. AXLE BROKE , AND VEHICLE TUMBLED DOWN A HILL. *AK

NHTSA ID

882006

Incident

Feb 4, 2001

LOST OF STEERING MOMENTARILY WHEN ROUNDING CURVES. *AK

NHTSA ID

739720

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED STEERING RECEIVED AN INCREASED POWER BOOST. POWER BOOST WAS MORE NOTICEABLE AT GREATER SPEEDS, BUT PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTICED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED. HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. SIMILAR TO NHTSA'S INVESTIGATION # PE98060. *AK

NHTSA ID

876576

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

AT HIGHER SPEEDS, STEERING WOULD BECOME ERRATIC AND LOOSE CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWERVE WITHOUT WARNING. OCCURRED ONCE WHILE TURNING A CORNER AND VEHICLE WENT UP OVER CURB. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO REPLACED, AT MY EXPENSE, FAULTY STEERING WHEEL SENSOR WHICH WAS SWITCHING FROM LOW PRESSURE TO HIGH PRESSURE AND BACK AT HIGHER SPEEDS CREATING ERRATIC STEERING. NOTED IN YOUR COMPLAINT DATABASE WELL OVER 80 COMPLAINTS JUST ON GMC VEHICLES ALONE. ONE WOULD WONDER IF THIS DIFFICULTY COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER OR CRASH IF THE ERRATIC SWERVE OCCURRED WHILE ON A SHARPER CURVE AND/OR IN DIFFERING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ID

735521

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

WHEN DRIVING STEERING BECOME LOOSE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING. THERE WAS NO CONTROL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED A SPEED SENSORY. *AK

NHTSA ID

864322

Incident

Mar 1, 1999

STEERING SENSOR IS BAD, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE AND JERKS VERY HARD WHEN MAKING A TURN. DEALER CONTACTED, EVO SENSOR REPLACED AT OWNER'S COST. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

861954

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

717872

Incident

Dec 15, 1998

WHEN MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURN VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO TURN THE WHEEL FARTHER THEN YOU DESIRE TO TURN

NHTSA ID

716542

STEERING 'SLIPS' WHEN TURNING TO THE RIGHT AND MOVING AT A MODERATE RATE OF SPEED. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. DEALER TRIED TO FIX PROBLEM 3 TIMES BEFORE FINALLY SUCCEEDING. PROBLEM HAS NOW OCCURRED AGAIN, TWO YEARS LATER. HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER.

NHTSA ID

712367

WHEN TURNING RIGHT, IT FEELS LIKE STEERING IS SLIPPING & LOSES CONTROL. WHEELS NOT RESPONDING WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. WHEN TURNING LEFT, THE STEERING IS SOFT BUT OKAY. TAKING TO DEALER. *AK DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE IN THE POWER STEERIGN AND REPLACED IT, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING STILL FEELS MUSHY. *SLC

NHTSA ID

844515

Incident

Apr 14, 1999

PE 060, ERRATIC STEERING BOOST WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER REPORTED THAT SHE HAD TO REPLACE STEERING SENSOR AND WOULD LIKE FOR NHTSA TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

843939

Incident

Mar 15, 1999

POWER STEERING FAILING OCCASSIONALY. YH

NHTSA ID

547550

PE98060, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STEER TO RIGHT OR LEFT UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, AND DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SENSOR 3 TIMES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

843454

Incident

Jan 1, 1998

ERRATIC STEERING, USUALLY GOES TO LEFT, DEALER SAYS THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, IT DOES IT INTERMITTANTLY BUT FREQUENTLY

NHTSA ID

709089