Newbie! 99 Suburban Steering

[digithead]

Hi Folks. new here. I got a used 99 1500 2WD Suburban with 60K miles in great shape from TX. I love this truck but have a steering quirk. Sometimes, not always, when you make a turn in the 25-35MPH range it will jerk quick in the direction you are turning. Its as if the power steering boost went turbo mode super easy. No binding. Just like a .5 sec burst of super easy steering. Not loose feel at all. Highways speeds its great and no wander. I read some posts on the net that talk of a steering sensor that has 3 wires and is above pedals on steering shaft. GOt under there today and dont see one at all.
Any ideas? Appreciate the help.
DigitHead

[Wolfden]

I have a 99 2500 and had the same problem with mine, found the answer in a post call Steering Problem on 99 suburban reply from Dkohen ( just do a search for Dkohen or steering)

A good way to test to verify it is the sensor is to unplug the electrical going into your power steering pump. I did this to mine and the stearing problem went away. I am going to replace the sensor next weekend.

Hope this Helps .


Dkohen's post
I had the same problem, on right turns, all of a sudden, the power steering would kick in. Any way the mechanic wanted big $$ to replace the PS pump - I wanted another opinion. It turns (pun intended) out there is a variable speed steering sensor that needs replacing. This is the sensor that modulates the PS, the slower you are going the more PS you need, like in the parking lot and the faster you go the less PS you need.

This sensor is located on the steering column, above the brake pedal. I purchased the sensor from the dealer for about $60 (cheep compared to a new pump). The dealer wanted another $250 to install the sensor?

I asked the mechanic there how to do the operation – he said it takes them 1-2 hrs depending on experience. I was prepared to spend the better part of a day as I am NOT a mechanic – it took me about 20 minutes! And totally solved the problem. Because of it’s location you have to be a bit of a contortionist, laying on your back working up on the steering column. You first have to unbolt the steering column – and it will separate into 2 pieces. There is a rubber boot that goes around the column where it passes through the firewall be careful with this boot as you spread the steering column apart, and don’t push this boot into the body cavity. The steering column will spread apart allowing you to remove/install the sensor. The sensor is shaped like a large washer, flat and round with a hole in the middle for the steering column and is held in place by some plastic clips. You can pop the sensor free with a screw driver (remember the orientation for the new sensor) and unplug it from wiring harness. The hardest part of the operation is getting the plug through some small little space between the metal frame structures? Maybe it will be easier for you?

Installing the new one is easy. Slip it over the steering column and clip it in place. Plug it in to the wiring harness and bolt the steering column back together.

[digithead]

Ok, so here's the weird thing. I did find and read that post earlier. I got up under there and at the end of my column is the bolt where it can separate but I don't see a "sensor" there is a small plastic ring and I felt 360degrees around it and there are NO WIRES attached at all. So I am stumped? Maybe I don't have this sensor?
Thanks Wolfen for you help though!!!

Originally Posted by Wolfden

I have a 99 2500 and had the same problem with mine, found the answer in a post call Steering Problem on 99 suburban reply from Dkohen ( just do a search for Dkohen or steering)

A good way to test to verify it is the sensor is to unplug the electrical going into your power steering pump. I did this to mine and the stearing problem went away. I am going to replace the sensor next weekend.

Hope this Helps .


Dkohen's post
I had the same problem, on right turns, all of a sudden, the power steering would kick in. Any way the mechanic wanted big $$ to replace the PS pump - I wanted another opinion. It turns (pun intended) out there is a variable speed steering sensor that needs replacing. This is the sensor that modulates the PS, the slower you are going the more PS you need, like in the parking lot and the faster you go the less PS you need.

This sensor is located on the steering column, above the brake pedal. I purchased the sensor from the dealer for about $60 (cheep compared to a new pump). The dealer wanted another $250 to install the sensor?

I asked the mechanic there how to do the operation – he said it takes them 1-2 hrs depending on experience. I was prepared to spend the better part of a day as I am NOT a mechanic – it took me about 20 minutes! And totally solved the problem. Because of it’s location you have to be a bit of a contortionist, laying on your back working up on the steering column. You first have to unbolt the steering column – and it will separate into 2 pieces. There is a rubber boot that goes around the column where it passes through the firewall be careful with this boot as you spread the steering column apart, and don’t push this boot into the body cavity. The steering column will spread apart allowing you to remove/install the sensor. The sensor is shaped like a large washer, flat and round with a hole in the middle for the steering column and is held in place by some plastic clips. You can pop the sensor free with a screw driver (remember the orientation for the new sensor) and unplug it from wiring harness. The hardest part of the operation is getting the plug through some small little space between the metal frame structures? Maybe it will be easier for you?

Installing the new one is easy. Slip it over the steering column and clip it in place. Plug it in to the wiring harness and bolt the steering column back together.

[Ketch]

wow thats kinda scary. I have same truck so will watch out for this. Do you think its enough to cause driver to lose control? Is there a TSB on this?

[Delta Dart]

Ketch,

"Is there a TSB on this?"

TSB 86-32-06 covers this problem for 97-98 models. It tells how to check the sensor with a DVM but I think Wolfdens method should work just fine.

No tsb that I could find for 99 with this condition but 99 is equipped with this sensor and the syptoms described are consistent with this part failing.

[JD68]

Here's a related post in the tahoe forum, i replaced mine and the problems gone.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...&highlight=EVO

[ericstephen]

My 2000 Tahoe (new body style) steering sensor was bad, causing the power steering to come on "full blast" around highway speeds when I'd turn the wheel just a bit to the right. When I was quoted $73 for the sensor, I told the parts guy at the local dealer that a price like that would lead me to figure out a way to fix the old switch. Using about 30 minutes of my lunch break, I pulled the old switch out and found I couldn't take it apart. So, I squirted some WD-40 around the circumference seam (for lack of a better word) and then used my drill (just lightly pressed against the inner rotating part) to spin the thing for a while to get the WD-40 worked around. I put it back in and it works great. Money spent: Nothing!

[phowell]

Originally Posted by ericstephen

My 2000 Tahoe (new body style) steering sensor was bad, causing the power steering to come on "full blast" around highway speeds when I'd turn the wheel just a bit to the right. When I was quoted $73 for the sensor, I told the parts guy at the local dealer that a price like that would lead me to figure out a way to fix the old switch. Using about 30 minutes of my lunch break, I pulled the old switch out and found I couldn't take it apart. So, I squirted some WD-40 around the circumference seam (for lack of a better word) and then used my drill (just lightly pressed against the inner rotating part) to spin the thing for a while to get the WD-40 worked around. I put it back in and it works great. Money spent: Nothing!

[phowell]

Well, you just save me $75. I pulled the sensor out and srayed a squirt of Double D 40 (what my niece calls it) around the outer circumference seam. I took my drill and put a big 1/4" bit in it and wrapped masking tape on it to make it the same size as the i.d. of the sensor and swedged it in there and spun it on high for about 10 seconds. Rinsed and repeated. Then I rinsed it with alcohol and let it dry for about 30 minutes while I ate dinner. Then I put it back in and took her for a spin down a winding highway where the curves make you go about 45mph. It's all good now. I know that's a good check cause I was driving that rode earlier today with my wife and she told me this is where it happens. Good advise........A few comments to make it easier for the next guy. The nut is a 15mm and it is tight. Rotate the steering wheel/column to get the nut in a good location...preferably 4 o'clock. Use a pick to get the blue safety out of the connector. Once the bolt is out, push the lower section down. This is the hardest part. Wiggle it and cuss at it and it will go down. The rest is easy....cheers!

Originally Posted by ericstephen

My 2000 Tahoe (new body style) steering sensor was bad, causing the power steering to come on "full blast" around highway speeds when I'd turn the wheel just a bit to the right. When I was quoted $73 for the sensor, I told the parts guy at the local dealer that a price like that would lead me to figure out a way to fix the old switch. Using about 30 minutes of my lunch break, I pulled the old switch out and found I couldn't take it apart. So, I squirted some WD-40 around the circumference seam (for lack of a better word) and then used my drill (just lightly pressed against the inner rotating part) to spin the thing for a while to get the WD-40 worked around. I put it back in and it works great. Money spent: Nothing!