1996 BUICK REGAL Steering Problems

1996 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THE BALL BEARING WENT THROUGH THE GEAR BOX WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL, ON THE STEERING. HOWEVER, HE WAS INFORMED HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A GARAGE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. WE CALLED BUICK AND WERE TOLD THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT RECALLED. WE WERE ADVISED BY BUICK THAT IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS THE RECALL AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ONE OF THEIR DEALERS TO LOOK AT IT. *TR

Mileage: 176,000

THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A GARAGE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. WE CALLED BUICK AND WERE TOLD THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT RECALLED. WE WERE ADVISED BY BUICK THAT IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS THE RECALL AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ONE OF THEIR DEALERS TO LOOK AT IT. *TR

Mileage: 176,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING AN OIL CHANGE. AFTER THE OIL CHANGE, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY CHANGED. SHE DROVE APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF MILES, MADE A RIGHT TURN, AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL # 03V527000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 86,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING IN MY 1996 BUICK REGAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO NEUTRAL. IT HAS ONLY BEEN TWO DAYS NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT IT'S DANGEROUS, AS IT GIVES NO WARNING. THE TURN ALMOST PUT ME INTO A TREE! IT HAPPENED TODAY BUT I WAS MORE AWARE THAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN AND ALERT FOR IT. MY 1995 CENTURY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS THAT THE STEERING RACK GETS TIGHT IN COLDER WEATHER AND AFTER 75000 MILES! *NM

Mileage: 78,000

A RECALL WAS ISSUED REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ON OUR 1996 BUICK. THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR. MY 17 YEAR OLD SON WAS PUT IN SERIOUS DANGER BECAUSE THE 'FIX' DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NOW BUICK IS TELLING US THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN TO THE LEFT. BUCIK REPS ARE INCOMPETENT AND RUDE. *NM

Mileage: 127,000

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 03V527000 IN 2-04 REGARDING THE POWER STEERING LOWER PINION BEARING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 2-17-04 FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CAR HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS DONE, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE IN THE POWER STEERING. ON 5-9-05 THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING. THEY REPLACED A POWER STEERING HOSE . THEN, AT 64,000 MILES, HE HEARD A HUMMING NOISE, THEY RE-ROUTED THE HOSE, AND TOLD HIM THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. ON 6-02-05 HE TOOK VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. THEY TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A WHOLE NEW POWER STGEERING UNIT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EVER SINCE HE HAD THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE, WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THERE WAS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE. IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE.*AK *JB

Mileage: 56,425

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 03V527000 IN 2-04 REGARDING THE POWER STEERING LOWER PINION BEARING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 2-17-04 FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CAR HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS DONE, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE IN THE POWER STEERING. ON 5-9-05 THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING. THEY REPLACED A POWER STEERING HOSE . THEN, AT 64,000 MILES, HE HEARD A HUMMING NOISE, THEY RE-ROUTED THE HOSE, AND TOLD HIM THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. ON 6-02-05 HE TOOK VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. THEY TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A WHOLE NEW POWER STGEERING UNIT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EVER SINCE HE HAD THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE, WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THERE WAS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE. IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE.*AK *JB

Mileage: 56,425

LEFT HAND RETURN WENT OUT, MY CAR, A 1996 BUICK REGAL, HAS A BULLETIN # 03062 ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND A RECALL FOR THIS PART, HOWEVER ON NOTIFYING THE BUICK DEALERSHIP AND THE 800 # HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY VIN # ISN'T INCLUDED. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MY CAR DOES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IS THE CORRECT YEAR. *NM

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE PINION SHAFT PRODUCED A WHINING NOISE WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. RECALL 03V527000 WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER THE DEALER STATED THAT WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE, AND CHARGED THE CONSUMER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST.*AK

Mileage: 107,760

THERE WAS A SEVERE WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL THAT INTENSIFIED WHEN TURNING. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 30,000

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT BECAME WORSE WHEN STEERING THE WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY RACK AND PINION FAILURE. THERE WAS A STEERING GEAR BEARING RECALL , BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *JB

Mileage: 18,000

RECALL 03V527000 CONCERNING STEERING GEAR BEARINGS. CONSUMER READ A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT THE GMC POWER STEERING RECALL. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE NOTICE, BUT CALLED GMC TO GET AUTHORIZATION FOR RECALL REPAIRS. VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES WHEN STARTING AND WHEN TURNING, BUT GMC REPRESENTATIVE STATED IT MAY NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER MUST PAY $90.00 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. *AK *JB

CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO A STREET WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF. THIS MADE IT HARD FOR THE DRIVER TO COMPLETE THE TURN. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND DEALER REPLACED THE PINION BEARING. HOWEVER, THAT DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 124,400

ABS LIGHTS FLICKERED ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE REAR DISC BRAKES. AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE THE REAR DISC BRAKES WERE REPLACED AGAIN. ALSO POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. *AK

Mileage: 17,000

HARD TO TURN LEFT IN MY 1996 BUICK REGAL, STEERING WENT TIGHT. CAUSED ME TO HIT THE CURB AND OVER THE SIDEWALK, DAMAGING THE 2 FRONT TIRES, RIMS, RADIATOR, BODY AND UNDER CARIDGE. THE POLICE HELPED ME WITH AAA TO GET IT HOME, BUT NOT SURE IF IT WAS REPORTED. * CB

Mileage: 59,087

LEVER THAT CONTROLS THE 'TILT WHEEL' BROKE OFF AT THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AUTO WAS PURCHASED NEW BY ME AND I ONLY HAVE 44,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED LIVINGSTON MOTORS, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THAT PART..I HAVE BEEN A REGULAR CUSTOMER THERE.

Mileage: 43,000

LEVER THAT CONTROLS THE 'TILT WHEEL' BROKE OFF AT THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AUTO WAS PURCHASED NEW BY ME AND I ONLY HAVE 44,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED LIVINGSTON MOTORS, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON THAT PART..I HAVE BEEN A REGULAR CUSTOMER THERE.

Mileage: 43,000

CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVE SELECTOR MOVEMENT WAS BECOMING STIFF AND WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, THE DRIVE DETENTS COULD HARDLY BE FELT AND CONSUMER HAD TO WATCH THE SELECTOR POINTER TO DETERMINE WHAT DRIVE POSITION WAS BEING SELECTED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT RUST WAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*JB

AFTER CAR WARMS UP AND WHEN STARTING TO MOVE FROM FULL STOP CAR WILL NOT TURN TO THE LEFT EXCEPT WITH EXTREEM FORCE. *AK

THE RUBBER SEAL AROUND THE FRONT STEERING BALL JOINTS RUPTURED, CAUSING ALL LUBRICANT TO LEAK OUT. THE CAR PULLS RIGHT AND MAKES A SLIGHT NOISE WHEN STEARING, DUE TO ADVANCED WEAR. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFATURER, BUT SINCE THE CARS JUST CAME OUT OF WARRANTY, THE COST OF REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED.