GMC Owners - Montana Owners Club

Sue · 10-19-2004, 03:18 PM

Looking for advise. I drove my husbands truck tonite, its the GMC below my signature. I don't know how to describe it, but there is like a rattle in the steering wheel when it drives over bumps. Has anyone ever experienced this? It kinda like rattles almost a shake kinda thing. (just slightly) Also, I haven't driven his in a while and it doesn't seem to stear around corners as easily as mine, maybe some power steering issues.

Any adivse would be appreciated. I will deffinatley push for a dealership run, but wondered if anyone here had any ideas.

Thanks in advance.

CountryGuy · 10-19-2004, 04:05 PM

Sue, this is a known problem,

Intermediate Steering Shaft.

There is a brand new one out that is supposed to stop this problem.

Call your dealer. The "temporary" fix was to lube the shaft. The replacement shaft is rather new. Note, it is a "redesigned" shaft.

This problem has been ongoing since about 1999.

Al had the replacement shaft put on last week and he is very happy with the results to date.

Carol

NJ Hillbilly · 10-19-2004, 04:05 PM

The steering "rattle" is a documented problem. The first thing that the dealer will di is lube the slip shaft. This does help many but not all. It didn't help mine but the rattle went away on it's own. I have about 50,000 mi on and the noise has been gone for a long time now.

John

DrivesBGM · 10-20-2004, 07:24 PM

Wow, thanks for the post. I had experienced this a few times and thought that I was imagining things. I'll pay closer attention now that I know that the Chevy Service Dept should not look at me as if I have three eyes when I tell them that I have this problem!

Craig

Glenn and Lorraine · 10-20-2004, 07:32 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by CountryGuy

Sue, this is a known problem,

Intermediate Steering Shaft.

There is a brand new one out that is supposed to stop this problem.

Call your dealer. The "temporary" fix was to lube the shaft. The replacement shaft is rather new. Note, it is a "redesigned" shaft.

This problem has been ongoing since about 1999.

Al had the replacement shaft put on last week and he is very happy with the results to date.

Carol

If this is an on going problem is GM charging anything for the replacement? If they do charge what did the "redisgned" shaft cost?

BillyRay · 10-21-2004, 03:08 AM

I have a chevy, but the same thing. I noticed it mainly on slow turns...took it to dealer and they fixed it. I have several friends with the same problem.

tweir · 10-21-2004, 11:03 AM

Yup---its a problem....! When I first took it back to the dealer they put in a "steering shaft kit"---are you ready for this: grease. I was told that the real fix is the super-dooper redesigned shaft. Seeing how my truck went off warranty about 3k ago; I hope I don't get it----the shaft that is...!

Bob Pasternak · 10-21-2004, 11:06 AM

GMC: Get More Cash!!!

My son was a 'Ford Freak' and a mechanic. A little sign on his tool box read: "Ashes to ashes; Dust to dust: Were it not for GM's, my tools would rust!!!"

OntMont · 10-21-2004, 11:17 AM

I have not noticed this problem, but I do have an extended warranty, wonder if I should ask them about it?

Dave e Victoria · 10-21-2004, 01:48 PM

Bob Pasternak, Not trying to start anything but, you might tell your son FORD is an acronym for "Found On Road Dead." I heard that years ago when I was a student at General Motors Institute. One of the refrains in our school anthem was "To hell with ford and Crysler products. God bless GMI." GMI is now renamed Kettering University and they accept students from bot Ford and Crysler. I expect they have changed the lyrics as well.
Sorry about that. I'm an old codger that remenices a lot..

CountryGuy · 10-21-2004, 03:48 PM

Glenn,

Our GMC is still under warranty, all work, including the lube fix (done before the Rally) and the new installed replacement shaft (done after the Rally) were done for FREE!!

Tweir, If I had a truck out of warranty, but had that lube fix done before the warranty was up, I would go back to the dealer and ask about the replacement shaft. You are on record as having a problem.

Britney 10 · 10-21-2004, 04:23 PM

WOW!!!! Our GMC 2500 HD Durmax 4/4 Sierra is just almost a year old and we have a little over 20,000 miles on it and have not heard anything with the steering yet... Does this happen to all of them.... Another thing that I have been wondering about is the fuel mpg it has been 15.7 for months and I am wondering if something is wrong..????

HomeOnTheRoad · 10-21-2004, 04:36 PM

The brand comments are probably just in jest. But not everyone will take it that way. So let's be very careful not to let this digress into a brand war. Thank you for your understanding.

Montana Sky · 10-21-2004, 08:22 PM

Britney 10,
I am assuming that you are talking 15.7 towing. I seem to average 19-21mpg on the highway empty, city is 16-18mpg, usually around 12-14mpg towing my 3400RL and 16-18 towing the boat. Over the past few weeks I did notice that I am not getting the usual mileage and called a friend who works at my dealership since I just had my fuel filter changed, thought it could have something to do with it. He said at least around here the switch to diesel 2 in the winter with the "anit-gel" already mixed in. This fuel causes a decrease in mileage, also running colder in the winter decreases mileage as well. Just thought I might pass that along.

tweir · 10-22-2004, 02:13 AM

I planned on it. Funny thing (not) when I drove it over to the dealership last Saturday because my low oil light came on (they just changed the oil on Wednesday & shorted me 1 1/2 quarts of oil---Technicians----yeah, right) I told the 'service advisor' about the steering shaft noise. When he brought it back from the 'technician' he said there was more wrong with the truck than just the steering shaft---"its something in the suspension" (again, "technician lingo" for 'I don't have a clue'). I replied and told the 'service advisor' that last time they "fixed it" with the same symptoms, the 'shaft kit' (grease) was applied and they found both front "Heavy Duty" shocks bad---one actually had a melted boot. They fixed both under warranty; so the 'service advisor' knew where I was going with this one....! Its going in next week for the fixes; and yes you are correct, its documented and the Dealership "fixed" the stuff, not I.

Sue · 10-22-2004, 05:48 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky

Britney 10,
He said at least around here the switch to diesel 2 in the winter with the "anit-gel" already mixed in. This fuel causes a decrease in mileage, also running colder in the winter decreases mileage as well. Just thought I might pass that along.

Explain Please!!! What is diesel 2 and when do we use it???

Britney 10 · 10-22-2004, 06:25 AM

Montana Sky,
This is not towing we have not even hooked the Montana to this truck as of yet. At one point it did go to 15.8 mpg and then it went back to the 15.7 and has stayed there for the past 6 months.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky

Britney 10,
I am assuming that you are talking 15.7 towing. I seem to average 19-21mpg on the highway empty, city is 16-18mpg, usually around 12-14mpg towing my 3400RL and 16-18 towing the boat. Over the past few weeks I did notice that I am not getting the usual mileage and called a friend who works at my dealership since I just had my fuel filter changed, thought it could have something to do with it. He said at least around here the switch to diesel 2 in the winter with the "anit-gel" already mixed in. This fuel causes a decrease in mileage, also running colder in the winter decreases mileage as well. Just thought I might pass that along.

NJ Hillbilly · 10-22-2004, 07:33 AM

Sue, many areas blend the diesel fuel with kerosene to thin it a little and improve it's cold weather characteristics. If Your area requires it then the fuel will be "winter blend" for the appropriate time of year.

The one thing to be careful is bringing fuel up north during the cold months. Florida (for example) does not need blended fuel. Over the road trucks carrying hundreds of gallons of fuel must be aware when travelling North and they use additives in the tanks to avoid gelling. If You run an auxiliary fuel tank it could be a problem unless the fuel is treated.

Gelling is when wax crystals form in the fuel due to the cold temperatures. These wax crystals slow the flow of fuel and clog filters. The newer trucks have heaters in the filters to warm the fuel and melt these wax crystals. I know the GMC does and I believe Ford and Dodge have also added them in recent years.

It is always a good idea to use an additive in the winter months in cold climates to reomve any condensation from fuel systems along with improving the lubricity and cetane of the winter fuels.

John

Sue · 10-22-2004, 08:22 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by NJ Hillbilly
The newer trucks have heaters in the filters to warm the fuel and melt these wax crystals. I know the GMC does and I believe Ford and Dodge have also added them in recent years.
John

Is this the same thing as plugging the truck in with an electrical cord? I know my husband will do that when it gets really cold.

If not the same, then is there an additive I can buy to put in the gas? And at what temperature should I start??

P.S. I should get my husband to post on here, would probably mean you guys wouldn't have to help me out so much. Thanks for all your help!

Bob Pasternak · 10-22-2004, 08:52 AM

Number 2 diesel is a summer blend. Number 1 is winter. Anymore most fuels are winter blended in the north.(Northwest Indiana) I haven't seen separate pumps for one and two for a few years now. I go to a truck stop and get a "diesel fuel conditioner" and put it in then run the truck 'til it's circulated. We'll probably not put many miles on ours 'til Jan. when we go to Florida. Until then I'll run the truck long enough to get it up to operating temperature about every week and a half. Diesel fuel will stagnate so a conditioner is essential.

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