NHTSA complaint: 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 — STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ON 09/27/2000 I WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A DIP,WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS I CROSSED THE HIT THE DIP AND/OR JUST AFTER THE DIP, I HEARD A NOISE COME FROM THE LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF TRUCK. AT THE SAME TIME THE LEFT FRONT OF TRUCK DROPPED A LITTLE. I WAS STILL ROLLING AND DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING WAS WRONG, SO I ROLLED ON ABOUT 100 FT. TO A RIGHT CURVE. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN THE VEHICLE IT ONLY TURNED FROM A 2 OCLOCK POSITION TO A 4 OCLOCK POSITION. TRUCK WENT INTO DITCH, AND STOPPED ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE FRONT WHEEL WAS BROKEN OFF WITH LUG NUTS, STUDS, AND OTHER PIECES OF METAL STILL IN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE UNDER THE TRUCK. WHEN THE WRECKER CAME, I GOT INTO THE TRUCK TO TRY TO GUIDE IT AS THEY PULLED IT OUT. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES BEFORE I TRIED TO START THE TRUCK, AND THERE WAS NO BRAKE PRESSURE AT ALL. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE TIE ROD HAD SNAPPED AT THE KNUCKLE, BUT 80 % WAS SHINE AND ABOUT 20% WAS TARNISHED AND GREASE LOOING LIKE THE TIE ROD HAD BEEN CRACKED A LONG TIME. ON YOUR SEARCH ENGINE SITE FOR RECALLS THE ONLY 3500 IS LISTED AS 3500HD. IN THE YEAR 2000 CHEVROLET DIDN'T MAKE A 3500HD. THEY ONLY MADE 3500'S THAT HAD SOME HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT ON THEM, SUCH AS HEAVY DUTY TRANSMISSION, ETC.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation