NHTSA Complaint #10130723 — 2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO

2002 CHEV MONTE CARLO SS EXPERIENCED "POPPING" IN STEERING WHEEL AT 21,862 MILES AND AGAIN AT 45,299 MILES. BOTH TIMES DEALER INVOICE INSINUATED THAT STEERING SHAFT WAS REPLACED. AT 84,000 MILES THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT IN FACT THEY FOLLOWED THE GM SERVICE BULLETINS AT THE TIME AND ONLY LUBED THE STEERING SHAFT. A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM 8/1/04 SAID TO REPLACE, BUT THIS WAS AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT AND NO ONE CALLED TO LET ME KNOW (AND OF COURSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE REPLACEMENT HAD ALREADY OCCURRED.) THE STEERING WHEEL FELT VERY LOOSE AND UNSTABLE AND I FEEL IF LEFT UNCHECKED COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FAILURE AND ACCIDENT. *NM