NHTSA Complaint #10039347 — 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA

I OWN A 1997 CHEVROLET LUMINA. THE STEERING MECHANISM HAS A SPORADIC PROBLEM WHICH MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS. MANY TIMES I HAVE HAD TO PANIC BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WON'T TURN QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID OTHER OBJECTS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR (MAY 1997). I'VE RETURNED IT TO THE LOCAL GM DEALER WHO TELLS ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. GM SENT ME A LETTER IN JANUARY OF 2003 SAYING THAT MY MODEL WAS BEING RECALLED AND I WOULD RECEIVE ANOTHER LETTER. NO OTHER COMMUNICATION ARRIVED. WHEN I CHECKED AT THE GM DEALER AND ON THE GM RECALL WEB SITE, IT REPORTED THAT MY MODEL WAS NOT AFFECTED. I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER TODAY THAT NHTSA IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO STEERING ISSUES INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MY CAR HAS THOSE ISSUES AND GM HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.