Steering 'moan' on '07 LTZ

[MCF34]

Have '07 Tahoe with 12000 miles and today it started making a low 'hum/grinding' sound when turning steering wheel. Now today was the first day that it has rained really hard in a while and I was driving in some very bad rain. The car steers fine, but there is definetely a noise...it started shortly after the rain stopped. Any thoughts??? Drove today and everything is fine for about 20 minutes and then the 'moaning' starts when turning steering wheel. I checked power steering fluid level and it is fine....

 

[bocaytomas]

Is it in 4WD, whenever it is at least on my truck, it has a sort of moan when its on pavement and I'm turning the steering wheel fully.

 

[MCF34]

Thanks but not 4 wheel drive.

 

[Nnaboy]

It may need Alighnment, rotating and/or balancing I bet!
Take it to the dealer!

 

[TEXAS TAHOE]

it may need alighnment, rotating and/or balancing i bet!
Take it to the dealer!

same issue here and i jusrt got tires rotated and balanced 3 weeks ago.

 

[tug130]

Have your dealership check the steering column shaft. This sounds like the same thing that happened on my 03 Tahoe

 

[73shark]

The NBS trucks don't have the intermediate shaft problem of the previous generation.

 

[tug130]

Shaft

That's good to know. What did they do to fix it?

 

[73shark]

Went to rack & pinion.

 

[MCF34]

They changed the pinion and flushed the system and a couple other things and the problem is gone. Also, they adjusted toe in and now at high way speed the steering wheel now shutters a little more than before and it pulls a little to the right. Should I take it back to dealer or take it to a place and pay the $60 to have the alignment done. It does not pull bad to the right, but it does and I am afraid if I take it back to dealer, they are going to say it is in 'spec' and that a slight pull to right is normal at highway speeds..even though there was no pull before I took it in. Thoughts?

 

[73shark]

A slight pull to the right is not normal. Take it back and don't let them tell you that it's because of the crown in the road. That's BS.

 

[MCF34]

Ok..thanks. It will be back in tomorrow morning.

 

[MCF34]

Of course it is the crown in the road...

That is the first thing they told me this morning. I told them that it wasn't and that it does it on every road in every lane when I am going over about 55mph. And people wonder why the us Auto industry is failing. Took Tahoe in on last Monday morning for the moan, windshield wiper heater recall, and rattle in passenger door. They call Monday afternoon and say they don't hear a rattle in door so I tell them to not worry about rattle. The car if FINALLY done Wednesday afternoon so I pick it up. Driving to work Thursday morning, hear rattle. Take car to dealer and test drive with him and he hears it. Leave car with them on Thursday. Thursday afternoon I check and somehow the ticket got closed but no work done. They come pick me up at work, I take my Tahoe home and drop it off again Friday morning. Friday afternoon they pick me up, take me to dealer. Rattle fixed but both door handles inside are filthy with dirty and grease. Nice. Go home, clean that up. Saturday morning get car on highway and feel pull. Take car in again this morning - tell them the problem and he says it is crown. I say it didn't do it before and I don't want it doing it now. 20 minutes after dropping car off dealer calls and says alignment is not in warranty. I explain to him (same guy that I dealt with all last week) that they adjusted the toe in so fixing the alignment is part of the original warranty request. We will see where it ends up today. Oh, one thing is I did tell them that once when I left the car that the battery was drained so the did a program flash and gave me a brand new battery. The ONLY reason I use this dealer is because it is halfway between my home and work on the way and they will take me to work and pick me up to go back to dealer. I will drop it off every single morning if I have to until they get it right, which honestly, you take a car to a US dealer to get fixed and 99% chance they are going to screw up something else.....I take my wife's BMW to get fixed and it is done right the first time, she gets a loaner car, AND they wash and vacuum the car for you. Thiis is MY LAST USA automobile.....

 

[73shark]

I used to feel the same way about taking it to the dealer. Only as a last resort. But finally found a service dept that I can work w/ and they don't screw other things up.

I guess what I'm saying is don't condemn the industry because of a 5hitty dealer service dept. There are good ones out there.

 

[MCF34]

Yeah, but I have had this problem with other cars (Pontiac and Chevy) and almost every time they screw up something to fix something else...in fact, when the rear passenger side chrome door handle casing broke, they fixed the handle but now there is a rattle in the door. I found that putting child safety lock on fixed that rattle. I haven't even mentioned that issue to them this time because i don't want to distract them from the other issues...

 

[73shark]

Keep searching for that service dept that really cares.

 

[MCF34]

The fun of dealing with dealers...go to pick up car...they did an alignment and rotated wheels, but they said they couldn't balance the wheels on their machine because the wheels are too deep...same size as stock wheels with stock tires. Nothing special. Anyway, test drove and pull is gone and no steering wheel 'shimmy' so all seems fine. I asked if the reset the TPMS and they said 'YES'. I got home and let some air out of the right rear tire and of course it was adjusting right front tire on the TPMS. Drove right back up to dealer and they reset it...unbelievable. I would be embarrassed if I was them, but what can you do....Next time I need alignment, balance, rotation I am going to discount tire.