NHTSA Complaint #10124943 — 1998 BUICK REGAL

I WAS DRIVING ON AC EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY STEERING FAILED. I COULD TURN RIGHT BUT WAS BLOCKED FROM TURNING LEFT. AFTER SOME TIME I COULD FORCE THE CAR TO GO LEFT, BUT IT FORCED THE GEAR BEARING TO SLIP AND NOW THE STEERING WHEEL IS 180 DEGREES UPSIDE DOWN AT STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR REPAIRED YET. IT IS STILL INOPERABLE. THIS REGAL WAS MADE IN CANADA IN APRIL OF 1998, MORE THAN SIX MONTHS AFTER THE BUICK REGAL RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. I AM ASKING FOR AN INVESTIGATION FROM ODI SO THAT IF ALL 1998 AND 1999 REGALS HAVE THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM, THAT THEIR OWNERS BE NOTIFIED THAT STEERING MAY FAIL WHILE DRIVING. ONLY THE 1998 REGAL OWNERS WHO HAD CARS BUILT FROM 1/1/97 TO 10/15/97 HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED SO FAR. AND WITH MY VEHICLE BEING MANUFACTURED SIX MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL, IT WASN'T JUST BUILT WITH AN ERRANT 'OLD' PART, AS G.M. CLAIMS, BUT WHICH CAN BE REFUTED BY ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS SINCE THEN. OWNERS MUST BE INFORMED, AS THE REGALS WERE ORIGINALLY SOLD WITH THE PITCH THAT THE CARS COULD GO 200,000 MILES BEFORE WEARING OUT DUE TO THE 'W' WHEEL BASE. AND OWNERS LIKE MYSELF MAY TRY TO DRIVE THAT FAR- NOT KNOWING THAT THE STEERING FAILS AT AROUND 100,000 MILES.