I first started noticing a knocking or popping sound in my steering wheel at 21,000 miles. I took it in and GM greased up the steering shaft. The service tech said that if the knocking comes back then the steering shaft will have to be replaced. At 40,000 miles the knocking came back and I finally took it back at 50,000 miles. I explained that I had it in at 21,000 miles for the same problem and that I want it fixed right. The guy told me that GM has a bulletin (not a recall) out on this problem. He said even if they replace the bad part I will always have to bring it in to be greased. The cost for a grease job is $85. I can't believe they can get away with this crap.

First noticed the problem around 3000 miles. When going through a turn and road surface is bumpy a knock can be felt coming up through the steering column. Took the truck back to the dealer on several occassions. Service manager and senior techs both felt steering knock while driving the truck. Both said it's the intermediate steering shaft. Dealer added a lube kit to the steering shaft 2 times and replaced the intermediate steering shaft once. The lube kit helped out temporarily as it tightened up the steering shaft assembly, but after a few weeks of normal use the knock could be felt again. After all was said and done it turns out that the problem lies where both intermediate steering shafts come together just inside the cab wall. According to the service manager at my dealership there is a little play at the union of the two steering shafts and this play is (of course) within the tolerance specifications according to GM. The service manager said that this steering knock is more or less the same on all 1/2 ton GM trucks. It is annoying, but not overly annoying. Every couple of months I take it back to the dealer to have a new lube kit installed. As a peace offering GM gave me a 5yr / 60,000 mile warranty on the entire steering operation of my truck. They said there's nothing more they could do. They told me to call GM customer care. GM customer care is useless. They have no authority to do anything and they refuse to allow you to contact anyone in GM who does have authority. I would like to contact a GM engineer and pose this problem to them to see what the engineer says, but there's no chance that will happen.