The steering wheel on my 2007 Tahoe squeaks when I turned it and it is cold outside. I brought it into the dealer when it was under warranty and they temporarily fixed the issue. They said they took the steering column apart and greased a bunch of stuff. Needless to say the issue has returned and I am no longer under warranty. it really seems like it is the plastic from the steering wheel rubbing against the steering column, but I can't see where. Anyone else had this issue and/or no the best way to fix it?
Tahoe Squeaking Steering Wheel
- Thread starter ace2878
- Start date
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1STIMEYUKON
Full Access Member
i just noticed my steering wheel squeek on my 08 yukon about a week ago. and yea it only does it when its cold out
badtothe bone
Full Access Member
With you being there and me being here all I can do is ask a few questions.
Does your vehicle have redundant steering wheel controls - radio volume etc?
There is a ribbon inside of the assembly that feeds power to those controls, that is usually what goes bad and makes the squeaking noise.
Yes it is nice to get things fixed while it is still under warranty, but when the design is poor and even if they replaced the ribbon assembly, in about the same amount of miles as when it went bad the first time, it will go bad again.
The worst part about working on those vehicles is the Air Bags.
Once the wheel is off, the repairs is not that hard to do.
Might I suggest that you find a good local mechanic who is good at repairs on new vehicles and is reasonable. You are going to need his services more then once in the next couple of years, if you plan on keeping this vehicle for any period of time.
I would not suggest that you try to repair this on your own unless you have the proper tools and equipment and a through knowledge of mechanic's.
About the only other thing you can do is buy a used steering column and take your chances that it won't do the same thing that this one is doing.
Does your vehicle have redundant steering wheel controls - radio volume etc?
There is a ribbon inside of the assembly that feeds power to those controls, that is usually what goes bad and makes the squeaking noise.
Yes it is nice to get things fixed while it is still under warranty, but when the design is poor and even if they replaced the ribbon assembly, in about the same amount of miles as when it went bad the first time, it will go bad again.
The worst part about working on those vehicles is the Air Bags.
Once the wheel is off, the repairs is not that hard to do.
Might I suggest that you find a good local mechanic who is good at repairs on new vehicles and is reasonable. You are going to need his services more then once in the next couple of years, if you plan on keeping this vehicle for any period of time.
I would not suggest that you try to repair this on your own unless you have the proper tools and equipment and a through knowledge of mechanic's.
About the only other thing you can do is buy a used steering column and take your chances that it won't do the same thing that this one is doing.
badtothe bone
Full Access Member
That's right.
I have never taken one apart, but some friends of mine has and they said that the ribbon is a couple of feet long. I think that it works like a fishing reel or a tape rule where the tape is on a reel and goes in or out depending on which direction you turn the wheel.
There is not a lot to a older style steering wheel where there is nothing inside of the wheel except the air bag. You just take the 2 screws out of the back of the air bag and then take the wheel apart, the same as it has been since about 1974 when the locking steering column came out.
It takes a special tool that unloads the pressure against the snap ring to get the snap ring off. Some also has a snap ring on the end of the shaft and a nut that holds the wheel on and then you just take it apart one layer at a time.
There isn't any way to spray anything up under the steering wheel to ********* the parts that are squeaking, so the only way to fix it is to have someone take it apart and look at what is causing the offensive sound. Probably some lithium grease or some dielectric grease is all that is needed to lubricate the bearings inside of the wheel.
On the 02 that we just got rid of, when I took it apart several times. One of the times - something happened when I put it back together and after I put it together, the locking wheel no longer worked. I had to tear that one apart several times because the shifter - tow haul switch was no good. The wire that went from the switch to the column would break and then you had to throw away the whole shifter.
The columns with the redundant controls are a pain in the butt to work on.
I have never taken one apart, but some friends of mine has and they said that the ribbon is a couple of feet long. I think that it works like a fishing reel or a tape rule where the tape is on a reel and goes in or out depending on which direction you turn the wheel.
There is not a lot to a older style steering wheel where there is nothing inside of the wheel except the air bag. You just take the 2 screws out of the back of the air bag and then take the wheel apart, the same as it has been since about 1974 when the locking steering column came out.
It takes a special tool that unloads the pressure against the snap ring to get the snap ring off. Some also has a snap ring on the end of the shaft and a nut that holds the wheel on and then you just take it apart one layer at a time.
There isn't any way to spray anything up under the steering wheel to ********* the parts that are squeaking, so the only way to fix it is to have someone take it apart and look at what is causing the offensive sound. Probably some lithium grease or some dielectric grease is all that is needed to lubricate the bearings inside of the wheel.
On the 02 that we just got rid of, when I took it apart several times. One of the times - something happened when I put it back together and after I put it together, the locking wheel no longer worked. I had to tear that one apart several times because the shifter - tow haul switch was no good. The wire that went from the switch to the column would break and then you had to throw away the whole shifter.
The columns with the redundant controls are a pain in the butt to work on.
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