2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END. THE TIRE WORE DOWN TO THE WEAR BAR, FROM THE CENTER OF THE TIRE TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE. THERE WAS A BAD VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END, MOST NOTICEABLE AT 45 MPH, BUT WAS FELT AT ALL SPEEDS, AND WHENEVER THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED IRREGULARITIES IN THE ROAD. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NOT THE MANUFACTURER.

I HAVE TWO CHEVROLET PRODUCTS, A 2002 TAHOE AND A 2005 1500 SERIES WORK TRUCK, BOTH WHICH HAVE A CLUNK IN THE STEERING WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLES. MY WIFE REFUSES TO HAVE THE DEALER WORK ON HER TAHOE SO SHE PUTS UP WITH THE NOISE. I HAD THE DEALER REPAIR THE WORK TRUCK AND THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS IDENTIFIED AS "AN INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT". AFTER CHECKING THIS OUT ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT GM HAS THIS PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE TRUCKS/SUVS FROM THE MODEL RUN 1999 TO THE FINISH OF THE MODEL RUN 2006. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SHAFT THAT CONNECTS THE IN- CAB STEERING ASSEMBLY TO THE STEERING BOX IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT STARTS OFF WITH AN OCCASIONAL ANNOYING CLUNK AND PROGRESSING TO A FULL TIME NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD AND FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE COLLAPSIBLE PART OF THE SHAFT AS GM'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO LUBRICATE THE SPLINES IN THE SHAFT AND / OR REPLACE IT. WHETHER THE ORIGINAL SHAFT IS REPAIRED (LUBRICATED) OR A NEW ONE IS INSTALLED, WITHIN 2K TO 15K MILES THE DEFECT IS BACK. FOR GM TO CONTINUE MANUFACTURING TRUCKS AND CARS (YES, THEIR CARS HAVE THE PROBLEM TOO) IS SIMPLY TEMPTING FATE. HOW LONG BEFORE THE SPLINES ON ONE OF THESE SHAFTS FAILS AND MAKES THE STEERING WHEEL NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE STEERING GEAR BELOW? WHEN THAT HAPPENS THERE WILL BE A CRASH. SO FAR GM IS QUIETLY REPLACING THESE PARTS, SATISFIED WITH JUST GETTING THE CUSTOMER OUT OF WARRANTY. I REALIZE THIS WILL PROBABLY GO NOWHERE, I JUST FEEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPORTED AS A POSSIBLE THREAT TO THE VEHICLE OPERATION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN THE EARLY MORNING OF 8/19/2006, POLICE AND WITNESS REPORTS SUGGESTED THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE RIGHT LANE ONTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, AND THEN SWERVED ACROSS AND OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD, FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN, IMPACTING A TREE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE ROAD WAS CLEAR AND DRY. A WITNESS STOPPED TO RENDER ASSISTANCE, RAN TO THE VEHICLE, VIEWED THE SITUATION AND RETURNED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CALL IN THE EMERGENCY. THE WITNESS FELT AND HEARD TWO EXPLOSIONS AND WAS UNABLE TO GET WITHIN 10 FEET OF THE WRECK DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT OF THE FIRE. THE DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEATBELT WHEN DEATH OCCURRED DUE TO THE FIRE. POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS WERE TAKEN. PHOTOS WERE TAKEN AT THE IMPOUND LOT BY THE CONTACT.

I PURCHASED MY CHEVROLET EXTENDED CAB SILVERADO TRUCK APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AGO. TODAY MY BRIDGESTONE V-STEEL RLB265 RADIAL LT245/75R16 LOAD RANGE E MTS 120/116S TIRE BLEW OUT. THE BLOW OUT OCCURRED ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE (ABOUT THE 'E' IN THE WORD BRIDGESTONE. THERE WAS NO FOREIGN OBJECT - IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A WEAKNESS IN THE TIRE WALL. I ALMOST CAREENED INTO ANOTHER CAR - SINCE I WAS JUST BEGINNING TO MERGE ON FROM ONE EXPRESS WAY TO THE OTHER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS & NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE IS EITHER INJURED OR KILLED. IS THIS GOING TO KEEP OCCURRING WITH THESE TIRES? IF SO, I WANT ALL 4 REPLACED WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT. *JB

2005 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. *KB THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHILE BRAKING. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE OUT BY 4 THOUSANDS OF AN INCH. THE DEALER RESURFACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS. THE BRAKES CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM SO THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS. THE CONSUMER STILL EXPERIENCED SOME BRAKE SHIMMY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEEDS FROM A STOP, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST THE FIFTH FAN SPEED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. GREY SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS, ACCOMPANIED BY A BURNING SMELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER HAD MELTED. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY MADE.

HAVE HAD FEATHERING ON FRONT TIRE EDGES ON 05' CHEVROLET Z-71. TWO ALIGNMENTS AND TWO SETS OF BRIDGESTONE DUELER A/T'S LATER TRUCK STILL HAS A VIBRATION AT 50 MPH. AM STILL WORKING ON THE PROBLEM, DEALER'S SERVICE ADVISOR HAS TOLD ME HIS TECH.'S CAN'T FEEL THE VIBRATION ALTHOUGH WHEN SAID SERVICE ADVISOR ROAD WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE HE HAD ADMITTED TO FEELING THE VIBRATION. SO... CAN I THROW MY HANDS IN THE AIR ALSO WHILE SENDING MY MONTHLY PAYMENTS ? *NM

ALL CAR MAKERS OF LIGHT TRUCKS INCLUDING THE 1500 SERIES (1/2 TON) SHOULD BE INSTALLING LT RATED TIRES OF AT LEAST 8 PLY RATINGS SINCE THE TRUCKS ARE BEING SOLD FOR AND USED TO HAUL TRAILERS AND HEAVY LOADS. IN PAST EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HAD TIRE FAILURES FROM THE PASSENGER CAR TIRES THAT CAME ON UNITS THAT WERE A RESULT OF BEING TOO SOFT ON THE SIDEWALL FOR SUPPORT OF CORNERING AND WEIGHT SHIFTING. *NM