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Pontiac Bonneville Structure Frame And Members Safety Report | Apr 06, 2006



Reported on Apr 06, 2006


I OWN A 1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, VIN [XXX] WITH JUST OVER 160,000 MILES ON IT. ON THE EVENING OF APRIL 6TH, 2006 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS CAR NEAR OUR HOME. SHE WAS AT A STOP SIGN ON ORTMAN ROAD AND AS SHE PULLED ONTO CHERRY CREEK ROAD SHE HEARD A LOUD CLUNK. AT THE SAME TIME SHE LOST ALL STEERING ABILITY. WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IT JUST SPUN IN CIRCLES AS IF IT WERE NO LONGER ATTACHED TO ANYTHING. I WAS CALLED AND WENT TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE I SAW THAT THE SUB FRAME AND MOTOR HAD DROPPED DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES. THERE ARE FOUR BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE SUB FRAME TO THE BODY OF THESE VEHICLES. THE BOLTS WERE ALL IN PLACE AND IN GOOD SHAPE. EACH BOLT HAS A WASHER, WHICH RETAINS THE SUB FRAME TO THE BODY OF THIS CAR. ON MY CAR THE WASHERS CORRODED AND WORE TO THE POINT THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER RETAIN THE SUB FRAME. THE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE MOUNTING HOLES OF THE SUB FRAME, THUS ALLOWING THE ENGINE AND ALL RELATED COMPONENTS TO DROP ABOUT 6 INCHES. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE SHAFT FROM THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TO THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED APART, THEREBY LEAVING THE OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH NO ABILITY TO STEER. ON FRIDAY APRIL 7TH I CALLED PUBLIC SERVICE GARAGE IN MARQUETTE MI. AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS Â??NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THAT HE SEES THIS A FEW TIMES A YEARÂ??. I CALLED AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH PONTIAC ALSO. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS Â??VERY UNLIKELY THAT PONTIAC WILL DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MIDWEST WHERE THE WINTER ROADS ARE SALTEDÂ?? THUS CAUSING HIGH RATES OF CORROSION. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIVE-MINUTE FIX IF IT WERE DONE BEFORE THE FAILURE. YOU COULD PULL THE BOLTS OUT ONE AT A TIME AND SIMPLY REMOVE THE OLD WASHER AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE. I FEEL THAT THE OWNERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBLE PROBLEM. I ALSO BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF GM VEHICLES. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012*JS
Make: Pontiac
Model: Bonneville
Manufactured by: GENERAL MOTORS LLC
Year: 1993
Was a crash reported? N
Was an injury reported? 0 person(s) were injured.
Was a death reported? 0 person(s) died.
Was a fire reported? N
Location: MARQUETTE MI
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): 1G2HX53LXP1
Mileage: 160000 miles.
Speed: 5 MPH
Number of cylinders: 6
Vehicle type: FWD
Vehicle fuel: GAS Fuel injection.
Was a police report filed? N
Tire size:
Dealer name and location:
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