5.9

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$150
Average Mileage:
46,350 miles
Total Complaints:
64 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. all the dealer did was lube it up (16 reports)
  2. replaced steering shaft (15 reports)
  3. not sure (14 reports)
  4. dealer replaced steering shaft (10 reports)
  5. lube failed replaced lower shaft three times (3 reports)
  6. dealer took a grinder to steering shaft. (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.

problem #64

Nov 062014

Silverado LS 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

THUMPING FROM STEERING COLUMN - Thump/Tap felt through steering wheel when driving. Most prevalent when turning and slight bumps or rough road. Stated replacing the steering rod resolves the issue. If so will this be a recall and covered repair?

- galenvm, Albuquerque, US

problem #63

Jun 012011

Silverado LS 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,000 miles

I've bought my last Chevy truck. Or for that matter any Chevy product! I paid 36,000 for this Piece of crap. Not only the steering rattle but the control modules and power windows. Along with problems with the four wheel drive and transmission. It spurts antifreeze from the heater on occasion and at times the electronics take a vacation. The radio stops working and the cab is pitch black at night . In the summer when it's hot the air cond. quits, if that's not enough, sometimes the intermittent wipers take on a mind of their own . And imagine this! No cab filter!!!! 36,000 $$$$ vehicle and no cab filter! What MORON. Designed this truck! Hey GM, kiss my ass. You'll never get another nickel from me !!!!

- fisherindiana, Valparaios, IN, US

problem #62

Apr 012004

Silverado LT 4.8L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,000 miles

After the dealer replaced it, got it lubed two more times and it is still doing it.

- blehman, Johnstown, PA, US

problem #61

Jun 012004

Silverado 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

Noise started at 35,000 they fixed it and it was good for 5 or 6 months. It is REAL bad now. They need to fix this problem and if they don't, Chevy sucks and I wont ever buy another one!

- Robert H., Niles, MI, US

problem #60

Apr 012005

Silverado 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 13,500 miles

I bought this 03 Silverado 1500 extended cab used, with 13,500 miles.

I've had problems ever since I bought it. Took it to a local dealer

four times. They started off by greasing it, next time was told they changed

the shaft, next time said they greased it, and last time they said they changed the shaft. I was told by one of the mechanics, that GM changed something about the front end in 1992, and they (Dealers) had problems ever since, and they couldn't fix it.

I've always been a loyal Chevy customer, but look out Ford here I come!

Gm should be forced to take care of our problems with this front end problem. I believe if we had all been told about this problem at the time we were buying it, we would have walked away.

- archiem5, Opelika, AL, US

problem #59

Sep 012010

Silverado LS 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 53,000 miles

Truck clunks and can be felt in the steering wheel when turning on rough surface. Bothers me to no end.

- Mark G., Port Charlotte, FL, canada

problem #58

Oct 062010

Silverado LT 5.3

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,000 miles

Just bought the truck around the first of October. Bought it "as is" which didn't bother me. I'm no mechanic by any means but I know my way around a Chevrolet enough to fix most things that might happen. When this "thump" started, however, I was clueless.

Did some research on recalls and such and came across this site and saw that many people were having the same problem. I work at a NAPA store and we have mechanics come in all the time so I asked one. He said he can't even count the number of times he's replaced a hub assembly for this problem on my model truck. I don't know when the last time you've looked at one might be, but my price for one is $194?! So I went for a second opinion.

My uncle works at a Chevrolet dealership in Huntsville. He's the Maintenance manager there so I called him to see if he knew anything. As soon as I started to describe what was happening he stopped me and said "intermediate steering shaft." Haven't tried it yet but the part is MUCH cheaper. $56 plus tax, not even counting my discount. Check this out before you drop a lot of cash.

Hope this helps!

- rgipson, New Hope, AL, US

problem #57

Jan 152009

Silverado Z71 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,000 miles

As I expected It happened again, this time it was 1/15/09, the last time i had it repaired in 2006 I was told its ok to drive nothing is going to happen to the steering its just annoying , and that it is. I have not had it fixed since I was told I dont need to worry about the steering totaly going out it just needs lubed, but let me tell you it is really getting on my nerves that this vehicle was built and they knew about the problem but yet I still have to pay to get it repaired every couple of years......

- Scott V., Vero Beach, FL, US

problem #56

Feb 202006

Silverado Z71 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,684 miles

Had this repaired 2 years earlier, was told it is something in the way it was designed, and the part is plastic, nothing can be done to fix it permantly, it will continue to happend every couple of years, and so far it has, had it repaired again for $ 177.91 the part it self only cost $14.91 the rest was labor. come on chevrolet REALLY....

- Scott V., Vero Beach, FL, US

problem #55

Nov 122004

Silverado Z71 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 37,597 miles

The truck was 1 1/2 years old when this first happened, I thought ok things happen, not that big of a deal other then having to take it in and wait a couple of hours for it to be fixed.

- Scott V., Vero Beach, FL, US

problem #54

Feb 012006

Silverado 1500 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,012 miles

As others, this was annoying. I took it to Van Chevrolet in Carrollton Texas for a free lube job. No free lube job because I do my on maint. Truck only has 10K. Well the tech had put down that it had a steering problem and that I refused the repairs. I asked how could I refuse something I haven't been informed about. Then they said the tech made a mistake and it was for another vehicle.

So I took it to Reliable Chevrolet in Richardson and asked it they were any bulletins or recalls and was told there were none. I had to pay to get this fixed!!!

So many complaints on this problem and recalls?? ,

- Arthur A., Dallas, TX, US

problem #53

Mar 252008

Silverado 1500 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles

All this time, and not once did the dealership say they would replace the i-shaft. Instead they just kept greasing the darn thing. I had to replace it myself, since they were charging an outrageous price.

- mattgarza, Edinburg, TX, US

problem #52

Jan 012005

Silverado 1500 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

I've read all 51 complaints on this site and it sounds similar to the thumping I've had on my 2000 Blazer for years. It was driving me crazy. I could never pin point the problem. I thought a mechanic had left a tool or something in the engine and it fell onto the frame and was rattling around. It didn't happen all the time, usually when I was on one of our well maintained streets in So. Cal or when going in or out of a driveway. One day I was checking one more time and I happened to push down on the corner of the hood near the windshield and thump. Again, thump. Wow, I found it.

I just got home from looking at trucks and the salesman pointed out a safety feature on the hood to keep it from coming through the cab in a head on collision. That's how I found this complaint website. GM put a hook on either side of the hood that slips under the fender support bracket when you close the hood. When the rubber seal under the hood gets flattened out the hood has just enough play in it to cause the hood to thump.

This is how I fixed it. I had some foam insulation tape that has a peel off strip on 1 side. I cut a piece to fit on the rubber insulation and peeled the tape off and stuck it on. I had to put 2 thicknesses of it on the driver side and 3 thicknesses on the passenger side. No more thumping, I love my Chevy again.

I hope this helps.

- Thomas W., Azusa, CA, US

problem #51

Oct 202004

Silverado Ls1500 4x4 4.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles

Friends the problem is inside the cab at your feet above them . a plastic white collar is made wrong and allows the shaft to move up and down and causes a annoying noise.I pet a stainless hose clamp next to the collar and pushed it toward the engine and tightend it down. The noise is almost gone. The problem is a gap around the shaft in the cab. Push white collar down and clamp it with hase clamp the noise is almost gone. I am going to take it apart and make my own bushing or something.30,000 dollars and I have to do this my self.

- Bo D., Festus, MO, US

problem #50

Apr 042005

Silverado LT 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,000 miles

I lowered my truck and thought that was the cause. Then I came across this site. My steering makes noise only in the morning. the first right turn I make. How can this be fixed does anyone know? I also had to replace my rack from new. Is it in the rack or the column?

- kellyca, Los Angeles, CA, US

problem #49

Apr 202006

Silverado LT 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

Going in for third lube today. We'll see what they want to rip me off for this time!!

- raffer2, Saint Paul, MN, US

problem #48

Sep 122005

Silverado 3.2L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

As with everyone else the problem came back after about 10000 miles.

Conveniently for Government Motors it was out of warranty by then.

How do you start a class action to force a recall????????

- Dave M., Litchfield, NH, US

problem #47

Dec 162004

Silverado 1500 LS 5.3L V8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 11,000 miles

I have this same thumping sound in my steering. I never had it repaired because I had installed a lift kit on my truck and thought it probably had something to do with it but now that I have discovered this site, I now know the true problem. It only takes one person to file a class action lawsuit against GM.

- manac32, Windsor, CA, US

problem #46

Sep 122007

Silverado LS 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 27,000 miles

The rattle/thumping came back after the dealer fix, but

- dogeared, Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #45

Nov 032004

Silverado LS 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles

First time for my truck. The dealer said it was a common problem with this truck and replaced the part after I waited for about 2 weeks for the part to come in. The fix lasted for about 10K miles and then came back just as bad.

- dogeared, Phoenix, AZ, US

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