NHTSA Complaint #10031177 — 2002 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

BOUGHT MY 2002 CHEVROLET LS SPORT CAVAILER ON 5/27/02. SINCE THEN THE RACK AND PINION WENT IN MARCH 2003--WHICH THEY DID NOT DISCOVER UNTIL MAY, AND WHEN DRIVING I GET A LOUD GRINDING NOISE STILL WHICH IS METAL ON METAL. I ASKED ANOTHER MECHANIC NOT AFFILIATED W/ THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP (THAT TOLD ME AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS THIS CAN NOT BE FIXED-AND THAT THEY HAVE A PI OUT ON IT), IF THIS COULD POSE A PROBLEM. HE SAID THE CONTINUOUS GRINDING W/ METAL ON METAL WHEN STEERING, CAN CAUSE TOO MUCH FRICTION AND HEAT UP AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE, ETC. I AM HAVING MY HUSBAND DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 13,300 MILES NOW. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT, AND THE DEALERSHIP, NOR GM CAN TELL ME OR SIGN OFF IN IN WRITING THAT THIS WON'T CAUSE A PROBLEM. THEY (GM) BELIEVE STEERING PROBLEMS, AND NOISES YOU HEAR WHEN STEERING LIKE METAL ON METAL ARE NOT DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD THAT GM KNOWS THIS IS A DEFECT BY THE DEALERSHIP AND GM NOW ITSELF CALLED ME AND TOLD ME, BUT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHY DOESN'T THE REGIONAL MGR FOR GM DRIVE MY CAR THEN, AND TELL ME THAT--SINCE SHE MAKES ALL DECISIONS THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS, AND HENCE WON'T DO A THING ABOUT IT. SEEMS LIKE THE DEALERSHIP AND GM SAYS IT'S A PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING ON A CAR THAT I WON'T DRIVE. BESIDES THE CONTINUAL GRINDING IN MY STEERING, AND THE FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION THAT THEY FIXED, THE HORN DIED 2 TIMES AS WELL. *AK