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Pontiac Grand Prix Steering Rack And Pinion Safety Report | Mar 25, 2003
Reported on Mar 25, 2003
| I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX (CAMPAIGN ID 02V286000) REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. AT THE END OF DECEMBER, 2002, I STARTED EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO MY RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE, I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE PONTIAC DEALER BECAUSE I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING LEFT TURNS. AT THAT TIME, I WAS TOLD THE GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I OPTED TO GET A SECOND OPINION, AND IN THE MEANTIME I WENT TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND DISCOVERED THE RECALL. I RECEIVED MY RECALL NOTICE MID-FEBRUARY BUT HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL WEEKS TO GET INTO THE DEALER DUE TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ALREADY SCHEDULED WITH THIS RECALL PROBLEM. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALER'S RIGHT NOW (3-25-03) AND I'M BEING TOLD THAT SINCE THE BEARING IS NOT DAMAGED, THEY CAN'T REPLACE THE GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY UNDER THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT EARLY ON, THEY WERE REPLACING GEAR BOX ASSEMBLIES TO CORRECT THE STEERING PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THE BEARING WASN'T BAD, BUT WHEN THEY SENT THEM TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REIMBURSEMENT, THEY WERE TOLD THAT SINCE THE BEARING WASN'T BAD THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE REPLACED THE GEAR BOX, AND THEREFORE WEREN'T REIMBURSED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, ALL THEY ARE DOING NOW IS REPLACING THE BEARING, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S DAMAGED WHICH THEY HAVE DONE TO MY CAR. BOTTOM LINE, I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH DIFFICULTY MAKING LEFT TURNS, BUT BECAUSE MY BEARING WASN'T DAMAGED, IF I WANT IT FIXED, IT WILL BE AT MY EXPENSE. I'M EXTREMELY UNHAPPY THAT THE MANUFACTURER SO OBVIOUSLY HAS FIGURED IN A LOOP HOLE TO LIMIT THEIR EXPOSURE UNDER THIS RECALL, SINCE FROM WHAT MY DEALER TOLD ME THERE HAVE BEEN OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PAY TO CORRECT THE SITUATION FOR THE SAME REASON. I BELIEVE THIS RECALL NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND AMENDMENT TO THE POLICY. | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Grand Prix |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1997 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | ST. LOUIS MO |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1G2WP52K2VF |
| Mileage: | |
| Speed: | |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | LOU FUSZ |
| Previous Report:Steering Rack And Pinion | Next Report:Service Brakes, Hydraulic |