I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET TAHOE WITH A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING SHAFT. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY ON 03/01/06 WITH 20,385 MILES AT OUR LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERS REMEDY WAS : "E7700 SHAFT, STEERING INTERMEDIATE REPLACE". THE REMEDY LASTED ONLY ABOUT TWO YEARS BEFORE THE BANGING NOISE WHEN TURNING RETURNED. IT NOW IS ACCOMPANIES WITH A LOOSE SOUNDING BANGING NOISE WHEN ON BUMPY ROADS. THE PROBLEM HAS INCREASED IN SEVERITY OVER TIME. I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET PICKUP, AND AM EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR SITUATION, ALTHOUGH NOT AS SEVERE AS WITH MY TAHOE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH GM, AND POSES A SAFETY ISSUE AS OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE DESCRIBED STEERING LOCKDOWN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR
2011
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PURCHASED VEHICLE, AND TWO WEEKS LATER DROVE IT TO THE WASHINGTON COAST FROM BOISE, IDAHO (APPROXIMATELY 630 MILES). WHILE THERE THE BACK DRIVERSIDE REAR SEAT DOOR WORKED FINE. THEN ON THE FOURTH DAY, WE RETURNED FROM AN OUTING, AND IT WAS OKAY. WENT OUT LATER TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE CAR AND THE LEFT REAR DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. EXTERNAL HANDLE COME OUT ABOUT AN INCH AND STAYED OUT (LIKE NO SPRING CONNECTED). DOOR WAS UNLOCKED (BUTTON UP). TRIED THE INSIDE HANDLE AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR EITHER. JUST SWUNG OUT AS NORMAL, BUT DIDN'T OPEN DOOR. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE RETURNED TO BOISE, AND DOOR WAS INOPERATIVE WHOLE WAY HOME. THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE WENT OUT TO UNLOAD SOME MORE THINGS. AND THE DOOR WORKED. I AM TAKING IT INTO THE DEALER WHO SAYS THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THIS WITH OTHER TAHOES. CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY FACTOR. IF WE WERE TO HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DOOR DIDN'T OPEN, IT COULD BE A FACTOR TO SURVIVAL. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE EVENT OF A WATER ENTRY, SINCE THE REAR WINDOWS ONLY ROLL DOWN HALF-WAY, ESCAPE IS NECESSARY THROUGH THE DOOR. IN THIS CASE, AN INOPERATIVE DOOR COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. *KB