NHTSA Complaint #10132699 — 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 1998 SILVERADO WAS ABLE TO TURN WITHOUT THE WHEELS TURNING. TAKING MY TRUCK TO A LOCAL GARAGE FOR A CAUSE IT WAS DETECTED THAT THE BOLT IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS MISSING. I HAD THE BOLT INSTALLED AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. I CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF GM AND DID NOT RECEIVE A REASON WHY DID COULD HAPPEN IN A CAR I BOUGHT AND WAS THE SOLE OWNER. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVE IT TO BE A SAFETY ITEM AND THAT A NOTICE SHOULD BE ISSUED TO OTHER OWNERS. THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WAS THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE BROUGHT TO THEIR SHOPS AND THEREFORE COULD NOT COMMENT ON WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS,OR THAT THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT ISSUE A BULLETIN AS I HAD NOT BROUGHT IT INTO ONE OF THEIR SHOPS AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. I ALSO SAID I WOULD NOT DRIVE 27 MILES TO THE DEALER AS I COULD HAVE AN ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THEY REALLY HAD NO CONCERN FOR MY PROBLEM AND IF THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING ON OTHER VEHICLES LIKE MINE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY CONCERN AND I HOPE THAT THIS NOT CAUSE ANYONE ANY ACCIDENTS. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE WAS AN AGENCY LIKE YOURS UNTIL I READ THIS MORNINGS PAPER. I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING IF THERE ARE OTHER CONCERNS AS MINE OR AM I THE ONLY ONE. IT WAS VERY DISTURBING TO FIND OUT I HAD THAT BOLT MISSING. MARTIN WITKOWSKI. *JB