1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,519.

Mileage: 107,519

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. A BEARING BLEW THROUGH THE LOWER CASING, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER FLUID. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPAIRED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN RECALL 02V286000 CONCERNING POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Mileage: 80,000

RECALL FOR STEERING, DIFFICULTY TURNING LEFT,POWER STEERING INOPERATIVE. REPLACED RACK AND PINION. *BF LEFT TURNS COULD ONLY BE DONE AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND AT A WIDE ANGLE. CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND WAS CHARGED FOR SERVICE. MECHANIC LEFT THE RECALL PAPERWORK ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT WAS FOUND BY THE CONSUMER SHOWING THAT HE USED THE PAPER WORK DETERMINE HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TC

RECALL FOR STEERING, DIFFICULTY TURNING LEFT,POWER STEERING INOPERATIVE. REPLACED RACK AND PINION. *BF LEFT TURNS COULD ONLY BE DONE AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND AT A WIDE ANGLE. CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND WAS CHARGED FOR SERVICE. MECHANIC LEFT THE RECALL PAPERWORK ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND IT WAS FOUND BY THE CONSUMER SHOWING THAT HE USED THE PAPER WORK DETERMINE HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TC

THE DRIVER'S VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WHILE INSIDE OF A PARKING LOT. THE DRIVER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. THE DRIVER TRIED TO UNLOCK IT BUT WAS UNABLE. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC'S SHOP FOR REPAIR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

THE VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 02 V 286 000, BUT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND AND A SLIGHT EFFECT TO THE RIGHT. *SC *JB

Mileage: 110,000

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING WHEEL GETS REALLY STIFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THERE IS A RECALL DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM RECALL # 02 V 286 000. CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

Mileage: 75,000

WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE, AND ANY AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING, AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP.*AK

REL. CLAIMS: 731603, 848089, 870477, 871178, 890098 STEERING FAILS WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLE AT ANY SPEED, EVEN 20 MPH. I BARELY MISSED HITTING SOMEONE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY 20 YEARS OF DRIVING. IS THEIR PATCH OR FIX AVAILABLE SINCE THIS WAS FIRST FOUND OUT ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO? THIS PROBLEM CREATES A DANGEROUS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL ON WET ROADWAYS. PLEASE ADVISE [email protected]. *AK

DURING WET ROAD/WEATHER CONDITIONS POWER ASSISTED STEERING FAILED. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED A WATER DEFLECTOR PLATE TO PREVENT WATER FROM CONTACTING POWER STEERING BELT. HOWEVER, WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH IN A RAIN STORM, POWER STEERING FAILED, AND BELT FOR ALTERNATOR SLIPPED WHICH CAUSED LIGHT FOR BATTERY ON THE DASH BOARD TO COME ON. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE WET CONDITIONS CAUSED A BELT TO SLIP FROM THE ALTERNATOR AND DISABLED THE ALTERNATOR. *YH

WHEN TRAVELING AND WATER GOES THROUGH, WATER SPLASHES UP TO THE SERPENTINE BELT/THE STEERING CUTS OFF. PROBLEM STARTED WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 20 TO 35MPH. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, AND STEERING IS LOST. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE WILL CALL THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE DEALER SAID REPLACE BELT SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *YH

WHEN DRIVING THRU PUDDLES DURING RAIN, WATER SPLASHES ON THE SERPENTINE ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT , CAUSING THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY TO SLIP AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE SERVICE MANAGER A THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE VAN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY TO TIGHTEN THE BELT. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES AND LUCKELY THE SPEED HAS BEEN SLOW AND THE STEERING CAME BACK AFTER A FEW SECONDS.

WITH FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE , WATER WILL SPLASH FROM WHEEL AND GET INTO THE SERPENTINE BELT, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS NORMAL.AK

AUT6OMATIC DOOR GASKET FELL OFF, REPLACE WEATHERSTRIP, HARD STEERING, REPLACE STEERING RACK, FUEL PUMP BAD, REPLACED, BRAKE SQUEAKING, REPLACED FRONT PADS DISC BRAKES, REAR WINDSHIELD WASHER SPRAYED INSIDE CAR, REINSTALLED NOSE TO NOZZLE

THE POWER STEERING WOULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF STEERING PROBLEM. *YC