If you are replacing an intermediate steering shaft on a GM vehicle, inspect the lower steering column bearing while the shaft is out. One owner reported that a new shaft reduced a clunk but did not eliminate it; replacing a slightly loose bearing cleared the remaining noise. That is a useful inspection tip—not proof of a universal fault or a factory repair procedure.
What the original PSA reports
An AnandTech Forums post started October 13, 2013, describes clunking emanating from under the dash. The owner says they replaced the intermediate steering shaft first, which reduced but did not eliminate the noise. They later noticed that the lower steering column bearing was slightly loose; replacing it eliminated the remaining clunk on that vehicle. The author’s practical advice was to “replace the darned bearing while you have the shaft out.” Read the forum discussion.
Other participants disagreed about whether similar clunks come from shaft play, a universal joint, or a bearing. The thread is an owner’s report, not a diagnosis of every GM clunk, evidence that the bearing commonly fails, or instructions validated by GM.
Why the advice is not a universal repair
“GM” covers many vehicle applications. The PSA does not identify the owner’s year, model, engine, or VIN, so it cannot establish which bearing or shaft fits another vehicle—or whether either part is the cause of another driver’s noise.
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- Country of Origin : United States
- Package Dimensions: 3.81 H x 9.398 L x 9.144 W (centimetres)
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GM’s Bulletin 06-02-35-009H, dated March 2012, covers specified 2006–2009 Buick Lucerne V6 configurations and names intermediate shaft part 25810450 for the concern described in that bulletin, when the condition can be duplicated. Its application and part number should not be transferred to another model. GM cautions that bulletins are intended for professional technicians and may not apply to every vehicle. Read GM Bulletin 06-02-35-009H.
A separate GM campaign document illustrates why a clunk should not automatically be treated as a shaft-only repair: for the population and condition it covers, the campaign calls for checking excessive lash or clunk and, in the stated condition, replacing both the steering gear and intermediate shaft. That campaign remedy is not a general instruction for other GM vehicles. Read GM Bulletin 11149A.
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What to do before ordering parts
- Identify the vehicle. Record the model year, model, engine, and VIN. A make alone is not enough to establish fitment or applicable service information.
- Confirm the noise and diagnosis. Have the condition inspected and duplicated; a clunk can have more than one possible source. Do not assume the shaft or bearing is responsible based only on the forum post.
- Check current VIN-specific service information. Confirm whether a bulletin, campaign, or other procedure applies, and follow its scope rather than borrowing a part number or repair from a different GM application.
- Inspect the bearing if shaft removal is already part of the confirmed repair. The forum tip is to check the lower steering column bearing while access is available. Replace it only if inspection and vehicle-specific service information support doing so.
- Verify every part before purchase. Compare the listing’s confirmed VIN fitment and specification with current service information. The PSA and the Lucerne bulletin do not establish the correct part for an unidentified vehicle.
Finding a compatible replacement
A search for a GM intermediate steering shaft is a category search, not a fitment check. Confirm compatibility for the exact vehicle and VIN before ordering a replacement intermediate steering shaft. If considering a lower steering column bearing, treat it as a separate part that requires its own diagnosis and fitment confirmation; the forum author’s successful repair does not establish that every vehicle needs one.
Quick Recap
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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