1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Steering Problems

ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR MONTE CARLO. UNBEKNOWNST TO HER THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING UNDERNEATH, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL WITH NEITHER STEERING NOR BRAKING CAPABILITY. OTHER DRIVERS, NOTICING THE SMOKE, WERE ATTEMPTING TO NOTIFY HER OF THE IMPENDING FIRE. SHE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE BEFORE LOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING INTO A TREE ON MY NEIGHBOR?S YARD. THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS DESTROYED. WERE IT NOT FOR SEVERAL GOOD SAMARITANS, AND POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE FOLLOWING IS A HISTORY OF ISSUES WITH THIS CAR, DOCUMENTED FULLY BY SERVICE RECORDS FROM ITS PURCHASE IN 1998. 1.BRAKE LIGHTS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. 2.TURN SIGNAL FAILURE. 3.UNABLE TO START DUE TO SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 4.WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED. 5.POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. 6.REAR SUSPENSION (PASSENGER'S SIDE) BROKEN. 7.PREMATURE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. 8.PREMATURE BRAKE REPLACEMENT, I.E., PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS. 9.TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE FROM HARD BRAKING (INCIDENT NOT CONNECTED WITH FIRE) 10.INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED DUE TO COOLANT FLOWING INTO CYLINDERS AND CRANKCASE. 11.PREMATURE RADIATOR REPLACEMENT. 12.ELECTRICAL SPIKE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH SYSTEM WHEN STARTING, CAUSING FULL-SCALE DEFLECTION OF INSTRUMENTATION AND LIGHTS TO BECOME EXTREMELY BRIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 190,000

AT APPROXIMATELY 4 PM I WAS DRIVING WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE IN MY CAR ON THE STREET IN THE SOUTH SAINT LOUIS COUNTY(RAILROAD CROSSING WEBER RD AND CLOSE TO NEW HAMPSHIRE) AND WE WERE GOING ACROSS THE RAILROAD, WHEN ALL FUNCTIONS OF MY CAR DIED AND THE BRAKES .STEERING. ENGINE , ALL WENT OFF AND I GOT SCARED BUT IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT I PULLED MY EMERGENCY BREAK AND PULLED THE CAR TO A STOP. ALL THESE HAPPENED ON A VERY WELL PAVED STREET., AND ALL HAPPENED JUST WHEN I CROSSED THE RAILROAD TRACKS. I WAS VERY FRIGHTEN AS WELL ALL THE PEOPLE IN MY CAR. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF THIS THAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALLS THAT HAPPENED WITH GM IGNITION SWITCHES. I ALSO TALK TO MY FRIEND AND HE SAID THAT HE USED TO HAVE A CHEVY LUMINA 1995 AND SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM ON A HIGHWAY IN SOUTH SAINT LOUIS AND HE DID SAME THING AND NO ONE GOT HURT. WHEN WILL ANYONE CONTACT US THAT AND ALL OTHER PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THESE TYPES OF CARS AND CHECK THIS OUT AND FIX THIS PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 175,000

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT 5 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 94,000

CONSUMER WAS PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT AND THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO STEER. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SOLENOID SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

HAVE GM PRESS RELEASE ON 1997-1998 MONTE CARLO ON STEERING GEAR PROBLEM STATING THAT GM WOULD BE RECALL SOME 824,000 CARS. MY 1998 MONTE CARLO IS EXPERENCING THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE REPEATLY TRIED TO GET GM TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ON 24 FEB. 2004 WHEN I WAS TOLD TO BRING IN MY CAR TO MY LOCAL GM DEALER AND THE CAR WOULD BE FIXED. ONE WEEK HAD PASSED AND I HEARD NOTHING FROM GM SO I CALLED AND NOW THEY TELL ME IT IS NOT THIER PROBLEM. HOWEVER THEY STILL HAVE AN ACTIVE RECALL BUT STATE MY CAR IS NOT IN THE RECALL.*AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT/RIGHT TURNS STEERING WHEEL INTERMITTENTLY LOCKED UP. DEALERSHIPS MECHANIC WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 87,000

1998 MONTE CARLO :COMPLAINED OF GROWLING NOISE AT LOW SPEED TURNS; ALSO, NOT MENTIONED TO SHOP BUT WAS TOLD BY FRIEND THAT HE THOUGHT THE WHEEL WAS HARDER TO TURN THEN OTHER VEHICLES. SHOP INFORMED ME THAT RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CHECKED THE SERVICE MANUAL TO FIND OUT WHY IT COULD NOT BE RECONDITIONED BUT STOPPED AFTER SEEING THAT THERE WAS A EXISTING PROBLEM BEING INVESTIGATED ABOUT FAULTY RACK AND PINIONS. NOTE THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 26000 MILES ON IT. *LA

Mileage: 26,759

RACK AND PINION WAS DEEMED FAULTY BY MY CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT.*JB

WHEN OIL WAS CHANGED NOTICED LOTS OF FLUIDS LEAKING. DEALER STATED RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

RUBBING NOISE IN STEERING WHEEL-CLUNKS UPON SLIGHTLY MOVING VEHICLE-REPORTED PROBLEM TO HOLIDAY CHEVROLET IN FARMINGTON HILLS-TORE APART DASH FOUND NOTHING STILL MAKING NOISE REPORTED TO GM ALONG WITH OTHER PROBLEMS( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE INNER TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING THE FRONT TIRES TO TURN INWARD. *AK

CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT END AT LOW SPEEDS/ CAR WANDERS FROM STRAIGHT LINE - LIKE TORQUE STEER/ CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES CAR RADICALLY WHEN YOU PRESS "RESUME".

STEERING RUBS AND MAKES NOISE AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT.

STEERING STIFF AND HEAVY, VEHICLE CONSTANTLY STEERS TO THE LEFT. ALSO CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.

POOR RACK AND PINON STEERING CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL.

RUBBING NOISE FROM WHEEL AREA KLUNKS AT TIMES WHEN TURNING A SLOW SPEEDS, INSTALLED RESTRICTOR IN P/S RETURN LINE, REDUCED NOISE, BUT IS STILL PRESENT, GM IS INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE CORRECTION

RUBBING NOISE FROM WHEEL AREA, KLUNKS AT TIMES WHEN TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS, RESTRICTOR IN POWER STEERING RETURN LINE INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, UNABLE TO RECTIFY.