NHTSA Complaint #10174834 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

GRINDING WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS TURNED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID GMC WAS AWARE OF A STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN GREASED AT ABOUT 30,000 MILE INTERVALS. I CONTACTED GMC AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT YES THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN SOME OF THE IMPALAS BUT IT WAS COVERED IN THE 30,000 MILE WARRANTY. I ASKED WHAT ABOUT AFTER THAT THEY SAID SINCE IT WAS NOT ALL CARS IT WOULD THEN BE A MAINTENANCE ITEM. DEALERS ARE CHARGING ABOUT $100.00 TO GREASE THE STEERING COLUMN. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS CAR IS JUST NOW 1 YEAR OLD AND IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING I WOULD LIKE THEM PERMANENTLY FIXED. GMC SAID SINCE NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN CAUSED AND IT WAS ONLY SOME CARS, THAT IS WAS NOT REALLY WORTH THEIR TIME TO HAVE THEM PERMANENTLY FIXED. NO ON TOP OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE WE MUST PAY TO HAVE A DEFAULT IN THE STEERING COLUMN FIXED ON A REGULAR BASIS AS LONG AS WE OWN THE VEHICLE. WHAT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IT CAUSES ACCIDENTS? PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. *NM