NHTSA Complaint #10150598 — 1999 BUICK REGAL

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1999 BUICK REGAL LS. I HAVE 70,000 MILES ON MY CAR. IN DECEMBER I NOTICED PROBLEMS MAKING SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT. I WOULD BE BACKING OUT OF DRIVE WAYS OR MAKING 3-POINT TURNS AND I WOULD HEAR AND FEET A CLINK LIKE SOMETHING IT STUCK AND THEN PUSHES THROUGH WITH PRESSURE. ON FEBRUARY 3, 2006 I DROVE MY CAR AS USUAL AND THERE WAS A VERY STRONG RESISTANCE TO TURN TO THE LEFT. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MAKE LEFT TURNS WITHOUT LOTS OF FORCE AND STEPPING OFF THE BRAKE. I LOSE POWER STEERING ASSIST ONLY MAKING LEFT TURNS, THE RIGHT TURN IS JUST FINE. I WOULD HEAR A POP WHEN I WOULD FORCE THE TURN. I HAD THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT RIGHT AWAY AND WAS SAID TO BE A STEERING RACK AND PINION PROBLEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT MY SAME MODEL WAS RECALLED FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM IN 96' 97' AND 98 MODELS, BUT NOT THE 1999. I CONTACTED GM FOR THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND PAY FOR THIS, BUT THEY WILL NOT!!! I WAS FORCED TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALERSHIP IN TAMPA, FL TO GET THIS FIXED, AS THE CAR WAS UNABLE AND NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT ALL. THEY INSTALLED A NEW RACK AND PINION AND A TIE ROD, COSTING $1,000.00 FOR THE TOTAL WORK. I AM UPSET WITH THE FACT GM IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE SAME CAR 3 YEARS BEFORE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM AND I HAVE FOUND MANY MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS MY CAR AND THEY HAD TO PAY FOR IT THEMSELVES AS WELL. I HAVE A ONE YEAR OR 12,000 WARRANTY ON THE RACK AND PINION AND TIE ROAD. I HAD THE WORK DONE ON FRIDAY, FEBURARY 10, 2006. *JB