Expert help is needed, not just by me, but also my GMC dealer who cannot determine the problem. Long story, but will condense to the pertinent information.
I am the original owner, and love this car as it meets most of my needs including towing a bassboat. I bought it late in the model year, and it is one of the last models before ending production. I have 135,000 miles and drive between the Puget Sound to Orange County, SoCal a couple of times a month, which accounts for most of the mileage.
My wife noticed (more than I) that at freeway speeds the car was drifting more than when new, and that I was making corrections with my steering to keep the Denali straight. It was most noticeable on high speed curves like passing through Lake Shasta hills.
Since I want to keep this vehicle and can't replace it, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer thinking I needed to replace steering components, or since it has electronic assisted steering (which I don't know much about) I thought maybe there could be a position sensor adjustment necessary.
The official diagnosis was a worn steeringgear box and lower steeringshaft. I had them replace the parts as I work long hours and don't have time anymore to work on my car myself.
I picked up my car and it seemed the steering was tighter, but when parking in my driveway, heard a new noise when turning the steeringwheel. It is most noticeable when parked, with the engine running, and then turning the steeringwheel from stop to stop. Seconds after starting the turning, I hear a soft noise that sounds like a constant ssshhhhhhhhh only while turning the wheel. At speed you don't hear it above road noise, but whenever turning the wheel when stopped you clearly hear it.
I returned to the dealer and to make a long story short, after three weeks of my car in the shop, and after replacing the steeringgear box three times (yes, 3 times), I finally took back my car and the noise is still there. They readily admit they cannot determine the problem. They have called up the chain of command, which is why they replaced the steeringgear box 3 times, and they still have no answer for the problem.
The noise was never there prior to their work.
Since I need this vehicle for my work and fishing, and they have no idea what to try next, I am driving it as is instead of being in rental cars any longer. The dealer wants me to drive it and see if the noise goes away (still here a week later and many more miles), or gets worse so they can find the problem and then fix it.
So, any suggestions what I should be looking for in locating this noise?
I don't think the dealer has much experience with this model, as it is a Hybrid, and has Electronic Steering. Certainly I don't have the experience to troubleshoot this.
Originally I thought something was rubbing the steeringshaft, but now I am suspecting the problem is more likely associated with the electronic steering. It kind of reminds me of the noise a servo would make on some military equipment I used to work with.
Other than the noise, the steering performs as it should.
Any help from the experts is much appreciated!!
ciao,
Marc
I am the original owner, and love this car as it meets most of my needs including towing a bassboat. I bought it late in the model year, and it is one of the last models before ending production. I have 135,000 miles and drive between the Puget Sound to Orange County, SoCal a couple of times a month, which accounts for most of the mileage.
My wife noticed (more than I) that at freeway speeds the car was drifting more than when new, and that I was making corrections with my steering to keep the Denali straight. It was most noticeable on high speed curves like passing through Lake Shasta hills.
Since I want to keep this vehicle and can't replace it, I bit the bullet and took it to the dealer thinking I needed to replace steering components, or since it has electronic assisted steering (which I don't know much about) I thought maybe there could be a position sensor adjustment necessary.
The official diagnosis was a worn steeringgear box and lower steeringshaft. I had them replace the parts as I work long hours and don't have time anymore to work on my car myself.
I picked up my car and it seemed the steering was tighter, but when parking in my driveway, heard a new noise when turning the steeringwheel. It is most noticeable when parked, with the engine running, and then turning the steeringwheel from stop to stop. Seconds after starting the turning, I hear a soft noise that sounds like a constant ssshhhhhhhhh only while turning the wheel. At speed you don't hear it above road noise, but whenever turning the wheel when stopped you clearly hear it.
I returned to the dealer and to make a long story short, after three weeks of my car in the shop, and after replacing the steeringgear box three times (yes, 3 times), I finally took back my car and the noise is still there. They readily admit they cannot determine the problem. They have called up the chain of command, which is why they replaced the steeringgear box 3 times, and they still have no answer for the problem.
The noise was never there prior to their work.
Since I need this vehicle for my work and fishing, and they have no idea what to try next, I am driving it as is instead of being in rental cars any longer. The dealer wants me to drive it and see if the noise goes away (still here a week later and many more miles), or gets worse so they can find the problem and then fix it.
So, any suggestions what I should be looking for in locating this noise?
I don't think the dealer has much experience with this model, as it is a Hybrid, and has Electronic Steering. Certainly I don't have the experience to troubleshoot this.
Originally I thought something was rubbing the steeringshaft, but now I am suspecting the problem is more likely associated with the electronic steering. It kind of reminds me of the noise a servo would make on some military equipment I used to work with.
Other than the noise, the steering performs as it should.
Any help from the experts is much appreciated!!
ciao,
Marc
