I PULLED A BOAT WITH THE VEHICLE (2000 GMC YUKON XL 2500) ABOUT 275 MILES TO A LAKE AND PUT IT IN THE WATER. TOOK THE BOAT OUT OF THE WATER AND STARTED BACKING IT INTO A SPACE WHEN I HEARD A STRANGE "POP". THEN REALIZED THAT ALL POWER ASSISTED BRAKING AND STEERING WAS GONE. HAD TO LEAVE THE BOAT WHERE IT WAS, AND WAS HAPPY THE PROBLEM DIDN'T OCCUR WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY. TESTED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE I COULD STEER AND STOP IT UNDER CAREFUL CIRCUMSTANCES, THEN DROVE IT DIRECTLY, SLOWLY, AND CAREFULLY TO THE DEALER ABOUT 50 MILES. MY OWN INVESTIGATION FOUND A RECALL ID NUMBER 05V005000: "HYDRAULIC PUMP DRIVESHAFT THAT CAN FRACTURE, RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING ASSIST. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRO-BOOST POWER BRAKES, THE SAME CONDITION CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER ASSIST FOR BRAKING AFTER THE RESERVE PRESSURE IS DEPLETED." THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS WAS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE, BUT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER MY VIN - [XXX]. SEEMED STRANGE TO ME THAT 98000+ OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME TYPE FROM THE SAME YEAR ARE COVERED, BUT MINE WASN'T. NOW I SEE THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE WITH THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES AS MINE. I THINK THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE WIDENED. THOUGH I GOT NO INITIAL HELP FROM THE DEALERSHIP, I CALLED THE GMC RECALL 800 NUMBER AND THEY DIRECTED ME BACK TO THE DEALERS GENERAL MANAGER AND SAID I SHOULD HAVE HIM SPEAK TO THE GM REPRESENTATIVE ABOUT COMPENSATION IN MY CASE. I DID THAT, AND AT LEAST THEY DID COVER THE COST OF THE PART (ABOUT $500), BUT NOT THE LABOR OF $193 TO REPLACE THE PUMP. I ASKED TO KEEP THE OLD PUMP AND WAS TOLD THAT I COULD, BUT WAS NOT GIVEN THE PUMP OR AN EXPLANATION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP. THE RECEIPT FROM THE DEALER SEEMS TO INDICATE A "CORE RETURN" UNDER PARTS, SO I GUESS I WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY TO KEEP THE OLD PART AND NOT RETURN IT. SINCE THE REPAIR, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKING HAVE WORKED PROPERLY, EVEN IN TOWING. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2009
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE CHROME DOOR HANDLES IN THE SUV ARE PEALING AND THE MATERIAL WILL CUT YOUR HAND. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE RECEIVED CUTS FROM THESE HANDLES. FROM READING ON LINE IT APPEARS THAT THIS A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THE GM SUVS'. I READ THAT YOU STARTED LOOKING INTO THIS BUT I CAN'T FIND WHERE THERE WAS ANY CONCLUSION. THE DEALER IS HAPPY TO REPLACE THESE IF I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, BUT WILL NO GUARANTEE THAT THE NEW ONES WON'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR