NHTSA Complaint #10173778 — 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 CHEVY IMPALA. WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, THERE ARE CLUNKING NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SHARPER THE TURN, THE WORSE THE PROBLEM IS. I ALSO HEAR AN INTERMITTENT WHIRRING NOISE WHEN I MAKE TURNS (THE SOUND IS LIKE WHEN YOU WEAR A NYLON COAT, AND YOUR SLEEVES RUB AGAINST THE BODY OF THE COAT). IT IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM, AND I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE I'M AFRAID THAT I WILL LOOSING STEERING CONTROL. I MADE THE MISTAKE OF LOOKING AT THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE, AND I HAVE FOUND 17 OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS EXACT ISSUE WITH 2002 CHEVY IMPALA VEHICLES. NOW I AM REALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. I AM PLANNING ON GETTING THE FIRST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT, OF COURSE, SINCE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. BUT I FEEL THAT MY LIFE IS WORTH THE MONEY. HOWEVER, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE BY NOW? HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO YOU NEED BEFORE YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED? I HOPE THAT SOMEONE DOESN'T NEED TO BE INJURED OR KILLED BEFORE ANY ACTION IS TAKEN. I HOPE THAT MY ADDITIONAL COMPLAINT WILL HELP OTHER IMPALA OWNERS GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED THROUGH A RECALL NOTICE. I'M SURE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE NUMEROUS MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE (AND OTHERS) IF MORE PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THIS COMPLAINT PROCEDURE WAS AVAILABLE. MAYBE THE ROADS WOULD BE SAFER. PLEASE TRY TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RESOLVED THROUGH A RECALL NOTICE. *NM