Been werd for a while. while driving any speed, I have a 1-2 inch movement in the srearing wheel that it feals like it is not ingaugeing anything. took it to a shop and got a $800 est. Rack & Pinion needs replacing. BTW 2000' bonne with 66K.
Any other experence on the work.
Thanks,
Rich-

I can't recall hearing of any rack & pinion failures on the 00+ machines. Am I understanding that you have 1-2" of free play? The $800 sounds about right for rack replacement, you could check another shop for cost estimates.

Curious, I assume you can feel this play when just sitting in the driveway with the key on/Engine off right? Patrick

Seems to me that someone posted that they had a similar problem that turned out to be the bolts that held the rack, rather than the rack itself. I don't recall who or when, however.

The wife took it to the dealer :( It was the left tie rod, no charge, it was still under warrantee Thanks for the help, and a heads up for everyone else.

NOPE, Not fixed. Back at the Dealers. Now they say it'* the stering gear. So now we have to wait another week B-4 they get it shipped in.

Stearing problem got worse. 2nd time to the dealer, told them not to replace any more tie rod ends. Told them it was probably the most expensive part of the stering system, go and replace the Stearing Gear, aka Rack n Pinion.

Wife drives it home, I give it a try, still bad!!!!

Call the dealership bad and read them the Riot Act.. Drove it for an other month and started to make noises(Clunk) in the Colum!!! turning right or left at any speed.

Get it back and all is fine now.

PROBLEM: Intermediant Shaft has excessive clearance. They installed a "Lube Kit". A lube kit to fix it??? A lube kit to reduce clearance to fix it??. Seems strange to lube it up to fix a clunk.

So the stering is tight and no clunking when turning, I hope it lasts a while

The clunk is the usual symptoms for the intermediate shaft. No one has reported play in the steering as a symptom. If that is in fact the case, GM may have to revisit the problem, and their statement that it is just an annoyance, and not a safety issue. (You may want to read the sticky at the top of the page)

If your car is still under warranty, I'd suggest you insist that they replace it with the new shaft.
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=61603
or the clunking will come back. We don't know yet if the new shaft will clunk eventually, or not.

I have this problem in my car...although it is much older, it is basically the same problem. I have never really been worried about it, but I would think that it is just some loose linkage or something.

On a side note: Do we now have two bandits that can't spell very well? Kidding, but its a funny coincidence. kidding!

Wjc, you don't have the same column, tie rods, rack, or anything else in common with the car in question.

I do not have any clunking or creaking, however something funky is starting to happen with my steering (...no, not my driving, my steering wheel ). I'm starting to get a bit of play in the wheel... (65k miles, 00 SLE).

Since I drive it daily, sometimes it'* hard to notice things that happen so gradually... so I was going to have the next BC member who visits me to drive it and see what they think. I do recall the steering used to be extremely responsive to touch.... now, it'* like a husband... not as responsive anymore.