Knocking in Steering Column

I recently purchased a 2002 Silverado 1500 with about 50,000. It has a knocking in the steering column that the dealer says is from the intermediate steering shaft rubbing together. They can order a grease kit for the problem but that is only a bandaid. They also say this is chronic problem in GM steering columns and they can no longer order the part that will actually repair it. Can anyone confirm this? I'm going to research it more also and will post any information that I can find.

My 03 Silverado went throught the same thing. I took it to the dealer and they greased up the shaft and the knocking went away. It's been over a year and the knocking hasn't come back

How many miles since the grease kit? I was told they last about 10,000.

I have the same knocking in my 2002 2500HD. It is so bad that some times it sounds like the whole column is going to fall apart. I've taken it to the dealer twice to have the grease put in but it only last for about 2-3 months before it starts knocking again. I was told by the dealer (1 1/2 years ago) that Chverolet had a fix for this. As soon as the dealer got the parts to fix it they were going to call me so that I could bring in my truck. Still waiting for the phone call. IMO there should be a recall on this.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Shawn

How many miles since the grease kit? I was told they last about 10,000.

It's been at least 15k

yeah dude, they used to replace the shafts but now they came out with a great lube for them. if you lube it right it'll stay good for a long time, but might have to lube it again eventually. it's cause by the flez in the frame.. and the clearance between the two pieces in the shaft.. lube it it'll be fine

Well that great lube job is already starting where out and it hasn't been 500 miles since they did it. Looks like I'm going to have to find a new shaft.

I also have a 2002 Silverado 4x4. The intermediate shaft was replaced in 12/2002. The problem is that it was replaced
with the same one. Anyway, it started back knocking again in 2005. I called the dealership and they said it would be about $100 bucks to have a lube kit put in.

I'm afraid that it won't last long, and then there is another trip to chevy for $100 a pop.


Why won't Chevrolet step up to the plate and address this problem. Chevrolet trucks are losing ground every day to Ford and this is why. No Quality and they don't stand behind their products. They know they messed up with this part but still won't address it.

Read the internet, and there are a lot of people having this problem, I just don't understand.

I have a 2003 Suburban and 2003 Silverado. I took each in for this service under warranty about 30k miles. Now my Suburban is having the issue again at 50k miles. The Service Rep knows all about the issue. He states GM has not recall on this and that I am now responsible for maintaining this fix.

My question is was with the warranty. I consider this a problem that existed, and not resolved properly while I was under warranty. Now they want to pawn off the issue on me.

What's GM policy with continuing issues past the warranty?

GM Warranty
The warranty coverages are measured by year/ km, whichever comes first, to correct any defects in materials or workmanship occurring during the warranty period.

My 2 vehicle's steering columns were worked on during the warranty period - therefore workmanship was defective and is covered - am I correct?

You will have to argue that with the dealer, which is exactly what I would do because I agree with your point. They said they fixed it while under warranty, but once your warranty was over it came back. So they didn't really fix anything. That is like putting brake fluid in a tranny that is slipping so it will grab. It will work but not for very long, and in the long run causes more problems.

This has been a problem since 2002. The part is improperly designed and there was not enough grease applied in the original part. GM has several bulletins out on it. they have never issued a recall on it and it is not covered under warranty. It will cost you about $90 dollars for them to remove and put grease into it. Or $200 to replace when the grease fix stops working. Mine on my impala starting the problem within 10 miles of the unlimited warranty going out. I've paid the $90 and now am wwaiting until it breaks before I do anything again. Send a letter and tell GM thanks for a ****ty engineering job and tell them you will buy a Honda next time and hope that their retirement program works well with the "penny wise -dollar" foolish savings.[:)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Steve

This has been a problem since 2002. The part is improperly designed and there was not enough grease applied in the original part. GM has several bulletins out on it. they have never issued a recall on it and it is not covered under warranty. It will cost you about $90 dollars for them to remove and put grease into it. Or $200 to replace when the grease fix stops working. Mine on my impala starting the problem within 10 miles of the unlimited warranty going out. I've paid the $90 and now am wwaiting until it breaks before I do anything again. Send a letter and tell GM thanks for a ****ty engineering job and tell them you will buy a Honda next time and hope that their retirement program works well with the "penny wise -dollar" foolish savings.[:)

Steering shafts are covered under warrenty.

I had no problem with getting my steering knock fixed on my 05 crewcab. It only took about 30 min. at my local dealer and the shaft was repaired with a retro fit not just greased. 30,000 mile later still no knock. Go ahead and buy that honda and hook it up to a pullin sled and lets see what it is really made of. If you drive a honda, toyota, nissan, kia, or any other rice burner look in the mirror because your the problem with this country today.

has been a prob since 2000......poor design....9 bulletins later....restricted part now...lube kit all thats available i'm told...no recall cause it's not a safety issue,just an annoying noise...what i do know is,any stand-up dealer will aknowledge it's a common problem and should goodwill it to a respectable mileage,(usually 100k)...million dollar fix out there....anyone who can design a collapsable shaft with no noise wins !...p.s.,not just trucks....W bodys,J bodys and now i hear the Uplander is doing this....seen the same part on a 07 tahoe....to be continued...................................................

jeeezissssssss...what was ever wrong with the old "rag-joint" shaft,it NEVER did this ?????

Hey, sounds like the grease job is a cheap fix, sure coundn't hurt.

My '02 Duramax developed the steering knock at around 20+K miles. The dealer showed me the service bulletin that specified installing the grease kit as a temporary fix until the back-ordered replacement intermediate steering shaft could be available.
The dealer installed the grease kit and the knock was gone. Not too much later he called to tell me the replacement shaft had arrived. I scheduled the vehicle in and they installed the replacement shaft for me. All of this was under warranty, of course.
I thought the truck drove great before the new shaft installation but it felt even better with the new one.
All had been fine until just the last couple of weeks where I have noticed the knock is returning. It seems to be deteriorating more rapidly this time than last. It worries me that it might be that a bolt was not tightened well enough on the last repair, and I could go careening off the freeway at 70 mile an hour when it finally lets go although the symptons seem to be exactly the same as before.
It bothers me to read that Chevy is not considerig this a warranty or recall item. It bothers me that the updated replacement shaft is no better than the original. It will really bother me if I have to pay them to put grease in to "fix" this since, at 51K, I am now out of warranty.
That said, I agree 100% with GMJunkie regarding those who purchase vehicles from foreign owned companies. I won't even consider Chrysler products anymore since they sold their soul to, and are now controlled by a foreign company.

Any one know what the retro fir kit GM Junkie is talking about. I asked the local dealership and they at least said they did not know. does anyone know if the 2007 Silverado has this same steering shaft/problem?

Ok, I just resolved this problem (for the time being) in my 2003 Chevy Tahoe Z71. You have to re-grease the intermediate steering shaft. I wanted to clarify some issues when doing this procedure. I spent 3 hours reading thru forums and decided to take on the job myself today. Took me about 1.5 hrs and went fairly smooth, but please note the following if you decide to do this job yourself.

1. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT AND STRAP THE STEERING WHEEL WITH A RATCHET STRAP OR ROPE REAL TIGHT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING. DO NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL DURING THE PROCEDURE UNTIL YOU HAVE EVERYTHING TORQUED AND IN PLACE. IF YOU MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL ONCE YOU HAVE REMOVED THE SHAFT, YOUR GOING TO INCUR ANOTHER $300+ REPAIR.

2. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REMOVE THE ADJUSTABLE PEDAL ASSEMBLY (IF YOU HAVE THEM) TO GET THE SHAFT OUT. IT IS A TIGHT FIT AND YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK AT IT, BUT IT WILL COME OUT. REMOVE THE END OF THE LEG HEATER ASSEMBLY UNDER THE DASH AS IT JUST POPS OFF AND THIS WILL BUY YOU SOME SPACE.

3. 15mm OR 17mm WRENCHES WILL GET THE JOB DONE, A 3/8 DRIVE RATCHETT WILL ALSO HELP. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE DEEP SOCKETS OR AN AIR RATCHET IF YOU HAVE ADJ. PEDALS, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SPACE.

4. I USED HIGH TEMP WHEEL BEARING GREASE AS RECOMMENDED BY A SERVICE TECH IN ONE OF THE FORUMS I READ. THE HIGH TEMP WILL KEEP THE GREASE FROM BREAKING DOWN AS THE SHAFT SITS 5 INCHES FROM THE EXHAUST MAINFOLD. I PERSONALLY DID NOT WANT TO RE-GREASE THIS SHAFT EVERY 2 YEARS. I PUSHED AS MUCH GREASE INTO THE CLIP SIDE OF THE SHAFT AND PUT THE CLIP BACK IN. I OPENED AND CLOSED THE SHAFT MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE GREASE TO WORK ITSELF UP INTO THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. I MADE SURE I HAVE ABOUT A 1/2 OF GREASE ON THE SHAFT NECK BEFORE I PUT IT BACK IN THE VEHICLE.

5. GOOD LUCK GETTING A TORQUE WRENCH ONTO THE BOLTS! THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT!

6. TAKE YOUR TIME, BE CAREFUL AND PUT EVERYTHING BACK JUST HOW YOU TOOK IT OUT, JUST WITH EXTRA GREASE! SOME OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO ALL MAKES, MODELS AND YEARS. THESE TIPS ARE MEANT TO BE HELPFUL, NOT PROFESSIONAL GUARANTEED ADVICE. USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Good Luck

Dan

Alright, here is the scoop on the intermediate steering shafts on the Silverado.

They have a problem, but it is only an annoyance and not a safety issue. Yes, it sounds like a shock is loose.

GM was replacing shafts w/ the same part # and them they came out w/ a revised part for the trucks... guess what the revised part did the same thing.

Unfortunately, to have the dealer install the lube kit it will cost approx $100.00 and it may last a couple of months to a couple of years.

Olpro has the idea.

The GM lube kit includes a syringe of grease and a stopper type plug. You remove the little U-spacer from the center, squirt in the grease, install the cork and then compress the shaft until grease is seen coming out of the splines. remove the plug and reinstall the u-spacer and reinstall in the truck.

I could do it in about 30 mins.

quote:

ORIGINAL: GMJunkie
If you drive a honda, toyota, nissan, kia, or any other rice burner look in the mirror because your the problem with this country today.

I know this is digging up a very old post, but I had to comment.
Theoretically I suppose you are right...buying a car from a foreign firm seems like you're hurting the domestic industry. Unfortunately you're wrong. The majority of Toyota's, Honda's, etc. (>75%) are made right here in the USA stamped from US Steel, using US made parts, providing thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs to US workers. The nature of the modern car manufacturing process (JIT) also helps to support the domestic economy, as all parts are generally required to be within a 1 day shippable radius of the plant, providing even more US based jobs at the manufacturer's upstream and downstream suppliers. All of these "evil" foreign companies manufacture the majority of their cars and car parts right here in the states.

What's hurting the US Economy more than buying a Toyota is eating shrimp @ Red Lobster (90% foreign market), buying your kid a new action figure (China), or getting a new pair of Nikes (China & Malaysia). Where do you think 99% of the parts in the computer you're typing on were manufactured? I can promise you it wasn't here in the US.

You can make the argument that the profits go back to the foreign company, which would be partially correct, but thats how the global economy works. It provides a huge boost in the domestic economy, thousands of jobs, and supports many an American. A HUGE number of US based companies send all their manufacturing, support, programming jobs overseas to increase their profit margins. I bet that doesn't keep you from wearing your Levi's and buying a new Dell. Its called free markets and capitalism.

Oh yeah, I've owned 3 Chevy trucks.

well said!  I do my best to support "American Companies" but how about some support back our way!  You have a problem, so lets FIX it.  I bet the salesman forget to tell new customers about this trouble.

JDHAWK.. GM puts so much more money into our economy than you can imagine.

Toyota had a commercial recently saying how they have 10 plants in the USA putting their cars together. What they don't tell you is the only reason they do this is because if they import a whole car there is a crazy high import tax on it. Importing the parts is much cheaper.

I like GM's response to that .. look at this billboard http://jalopnik.com/cars/ads%252fpromotions/gms-billbored-of-toyota-drops-pants-and-shows-size-190778.php . It says "We have 10 plants too. In OHIO. 54 GM PLANTS IN THE US". GM has been great to me. Everyone lasts over 200,000 miles and if I ever have any issue they will do anything to help me. They go out of their way to please me.

And look at this.. http://www.americascarshow.com/tc/Welcome.html?article=Is_Toyota_s_Quality_Waning 
Nice to see the facts now a days :). Toyota is going down! Another funny fact.. I know a guy thats Mr. I love toyota. His tranny went the other day on his new one hahaha. And then he got a recall notice because some other vehicles were having the air bags deploy for no reason at all haha.

Now.. I am not calling certain vehicles junk. But, I am saying that we here in the USA are making some very nice vehicles with great quality.. Support them.. we live here. More US jobs are connected to the big 3 us auto makers than you know. The makers, the suppliers, the machine shops, etc.

Ok.. now for the real reason I just joined this forum real quick.. GM has come up with a perm. fix for this issue 1 month ago.


Subject: Clunking Noise Under Hood and Can Be Felt in Steering Wheel and/or Steering Column (Replace Upper Intermediate Steering Shaft (I-Shaft) Assembly) #00-02-35-003M - (01/31/2007)



Models: 2002-2006 Cadillac Escalade Models

1999-2007 Chevrolet Silverado Models (Classic)

2000-2006 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe Models

2002-2006 Chevrolet Avalanche

1999-2007 GMC Sierra Models (Classic)

2000-2006 GMC Yukon, Yukon XL Models

2003-2006 HUMMER H2



Attention: This Service Bulletin DOES NOT include Mid-Size Utilities such as Buick Rainier, Chevrolet TrailBlazer Models, GMC Envoy Models or Oldsmobile Bravada. Refer to Service Bulletin 02-02-35-006A or newer for Mid-Size Utilities.



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This bulletin is being revised to update the repair procedure with a permanent fix. Please discard Corporate Bulletin Number 00-02-35-003L (Section 02 -- Steering).


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Condition
Some customers may comment on a clunk-type noise coming from under the hood that also can be felt in the steering wheel. These conditions may be more noticeable when turning at low speeds on rough road surfaces.

Diagnostic Tips
Use the information below to help diagnose the source of the noise.

• Frame Snap and/or Popping Type Noise -- A frame snap or popping type noise can be duplicated on rough or smooth road surfaces with steering wheel input to the left or the right. This type of noise can be HEARD and is typically louder with the windows rolled down. For additional information, refer to Corporate Bulletin Number 03-08-61-002F or newer -- Snap/Popping Type Noise Coming from Front of Vehicle (Remove Front Crossmember, Change Fastener Orientation).

• Intermediate Shaft Clunk -- Intermediate shaft clunk is heard and FELT in the steering wheel and/or steering column area, typically while driving on rough road surfaces with steering wheel input.

Correction
DO THIS
DON'T DO THIS

Replace the I-Shaft with P/N 19153614.
Do NOT lubricate or exercise the I-Shaft.


Important:

• I-shaft P/N 19155614 has been designed to replace previous designed dampened and non-dampened I-shafts. The physical difference in the yoke size will accommodate all vehicles listed in this bulletin.

• Due to the design of the new I-shaft, it is not possible to lubricate/grease the I-shaft.