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Pontiac Grand Prix Steering Hydraulic Power Assist System Safety Report | May 08, 2000
Reported on May 08, 2000
| WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND DURING MAKING 180 DEG LEFT TURN ON THE RAMP THE POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE HAS FAILED. IT REQUIRED EXTREME EFFORT TO CONTROL THE STEERING. WE HAVE NARROWLY ESCAPED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THIS WAS ONLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM A STRONG INDIVIDUAL. IT STILL REQUIRED ME TO PULL ON THE WHEEL WITH A LOT OF FORCE AND VERY QUICKLY TO CONTROL IT. NORMALLY THIS CAR IS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE, WHO WOULD NOT BE BLE TO CONTROL IT, SHOULD SHE BE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. IT WAS A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE. SPECIALLY THAT THERE WAS NO EARLY INDICATION OF THIS FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO RETURN TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION BY ITSELF MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IT WAS EITHER PURE LUCK OR GOD'S WILL THAT WE SURVIVE THIS ONE. TODAY I HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED AT THE SCRANTON PONTIAC IN VERNON, CT AND WAS CHARGED A TOTAL OF $1,258.63 TO HAVE THE ENTIRE RACK ASSY REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED REMANUFACTURED UNIT TELLING ME THAT THIS MUST BE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM SINCE THIS CAR AND THIS TYPE OF STEERING WAS INTRODUCED IN 1997. I HAVE FOUND SOME EVIDENCE OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON INTERNET. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE I DO WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY WIFE FROM NOW ON. WHEN TRIED TO ASK THE DEALER TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE PONTIAC REP THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS 68K, MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES. WE MOVED FROM FL TO CT LAST YEAR SO THE CAR WAS DRIVEN MOSTLY IN FL. PLEASE HELP PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN TO ANYBODY AND HAVE PONTIAC FIX THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GO THROUGH THIS AWFUL EXPERIENCE THAT ME AND MY WIFE HAVE EXPERIENCED. IF REQUESTED I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A COPY OF THE DEALER INVOICE STATING THAT THE STEERING IS BINDING WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT AND WHAT TYPE OF REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. *AK | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Prix |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Was a crash reported? | |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | COVENTRY CT |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1G2WP5218VF |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | 30 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS N/A. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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