GM Replacing Steering Shafts

[sparrbq]

I have a Chevy Silv. 2500 HD 4x4
The "tapping" felt in the steering wheel in the last 2 Chevy trucks I had has been solved!
GM had been installing Lube Packs to stop it tapping you feel when coasting around a clover leaf or coasting down hill. But that only worked for about 3 weeks.
Now take it in, and tell them you feel it.
They will replace the whole steering shaft to eliminate the problem.
Said this is a prob running through all models of gm cars and trucks.
Factory prob. Will have to wait a while for the shaft to come in though.

[NWChevyGuy]

Is this a warranty item, or something they will do for anyone? My Warranty ran out long ago.

Thanks

[airtight_python]

Right, I have the tap but no warranty. I imagine it's just for trucks under warranty. It's common enough it should be recalled... but I bet it never is.

[sparrbq]

I read somewhere,(Maybe on this forum) there are over 100,000 on back order!
Im still waiting

[RobNJ]

Just had mine replaced under warranty after living with the problem for 15K miles. It's a big improvement. It feels like I'm driving a competely new truck.

I would recommend getting the replacement shaft even if your truck is no longer under warranty. They are able to replace it pretty quickly so they shouldn't hit you with many labor hours. You won't be sorry.

[sparrbq]

Im still waiting!

[03-Silverado]

Yes, I have confirmed that this shaft is on a MASSIVE backorder accross the US. I have been waiting for almost 2 months now, and they are still waiting for the part. This issue is happening on over a million GM vehicles according to GM themselves. It is not a safety issue, and is only considered a warranty fix


Been told that the part should come in within the next month or so, but again, the dealers are sooooo backed up with this issue, it's gonna take time to get everyone fixed.

I feel it on my 03 Silverado during a turn, and it annoys me, but not much I can do about it right now... gonna have to wait.

[sierra99]

what sort of "tapping" are you talking about/...I ahve a 99 silverado 5.3l 4x4 ext 97,000 miles and can you describe this tapping some more?/....what is the cost of the stering shaft from gm???? either retail or wholesale prices??

[03-Silverado]

The tapping noise is sorta more like a popping sound that you can feel through your steering wheel. Some people say it sounds like your axle is going out, others think it is the CV joint, but it is the intermediate shaft that needs to be replaced.

Not sure about any cost, as mine is covered under the 100% parts and labor warranty. I would call up your dealer for more info...

[chevytrukr]

Just discovered this forum. I'm looking for info about how close GM is to either issuing a recall or offering no-cost replacement for the defective Intermediate Shaft design that affects (I think) 2000 to 2003 Chevy trucks. It's pretty obvious from all the chatter that there are hundreds of thousands of instances of these shafts wearing out and causing the clunking noise, especially on turns. My dealer has been backordered since October 2004 on this part. He says because I didn't report it before my 36,000 mile warranty ran out, GM won't pay for the repair. Wondering if the Dept. of Transportation or other agency knows about the size of this problem.

[jrn5898]

Originally Posted by sparrbq

I have a Chevy Silv. 2500 HD 4x4
The "tapping" felt in the steering wheel in the last 2 Chevy trucks I had has been solved!
GM had been installing Lube Packs to stop it tapping you feel when coasting around a clover leaf or coasting down hill. But that only worked for about 3 weeks.
Now take it in, and tell them you feel it.
They will replace the whole steering shaft to eliminate the problem.
Said this is a prob running through all models of gm cars and trucks.
Factory prob. Will have to wait a while for the shaft to come in though.

How far does this go back, i have a 94 Silverado that i replace the shaft about one yaer ago steering was loose and the dealer said the joint was not replaceable so i had to replace the shaft at 250 dollar

[sparrbq]

I had this prob. on my 1998 K-1500 4x4,
Now on the 2003 Silverado.
GM started replacing the shaft when everyone came back for grease packs 2 or 3 times like I did. i guess?
Im still waiting, 2 months and counting.....

[silveradoking]

I guess all of you guys are not so lucky.... I can probably bet you guys that let the dealership lubricate the steering shaft, that the dealership did it wrong..... When you put the plug into the steering shaft like I did when I did mine... it looks like the grease is hard to come on to the splines of the shaft.... I repeated the procedure and it didn't come all the way up to the end of the splines....I can probably bet that the dealerships just put it in like that... which makes it go away in 3 months... of course IT'S NOT LUBRICATED ALL THE WAY....grab your finger and put on some grease on the splines....and then reinstall..... If you know how to take it out yourself, take it out and cheak it... you might be surprised... I did mine after I drove over 20, 000 kilometres with the dawm clunking... and then bought the $30Canadian kit (what a ripoff, for a dawm piece of plastic and half a finger of their "special grease"), I did it myself and made sure there was lots of grease all the way up the splines.....I have driven already 18 or 19 thousand kilometres without the dawm clunking and am very pleased.... just try cheak it out , you might be surprised!

[jumpingjack66]

I had the lub kit done 30,000 miles ago succesfully fixing the prob. They also installes a foam or rubber vibration cover over my shaft which i havent heard anyone mention on this thread...jj

[medic979]

I have an 03 Silverado that has a bad vibration when I turn. I have 50,000 miles but it has been doing it sometime.

Is this part easy to fix for a do-it-yourselfer?

Maybe we all should buy Fords?