NHTSA Complaint #10086513 — 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I HAVE A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS SEDAN WITH ONLY 18K MILES ON IT. IT IS NOW EXPERIENCING A 'CLUNKING' IN THE STEERING. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER YESTERDAY, HE SAID (1) IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND (2) SINCE I AM 6 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, REPAIR WOULD BE AT MY COST! HE SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A MINOR ONE, SOME $200.00 TO FIX (WITH GREASE?) , NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANY DANGER, ETC. SINCE I WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SAME. SINCE YESTERDAY, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM INDEED IS VERY SERIOUS, BUT THAT GM IS IGNORING IT, AND HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL(S) FOR THE PROBLEM. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY (1) THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THERE ARE MANY CASES OF 'LOCKED' STEERING RESULTING IN CRASHES, (2) AND THAT GM SHOULD FIX THIS KNOWN PROBLEM UNDER AN 'IMPLIED WARRANTY' SCENARION. OTHERWISE, MY IMPALA MIGHT INDEED CRASH HURTING OR KIILLING US. I INTEND TO DEMAND THAT AN GM AREA REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT ME SOONEST TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO AND WHAT GM WILL DO FOR ME. I HAVE DOCUMENTED MY SITUATION AND AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY LAWYER FOR LEGAL ACTIONS IN CASE SOMETHINGS BAD DEVELOP FROM THIS DOCUMENTED DEFECT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO, SINCE MY DEALER IS TREATING THIS PROBLEM SO LIGHTLY. THANK YOU JOHN WILLIAMS