NHTSA Complaint #10242568 — 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

MY 1998 CHEVROLET CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE HAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT. GENERAL MOTORS ISSUED A RECALL FOR A "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT." THIS RECALL IS VERY WIDE SPREAD OVER MANY MODEL YEARS OF CORVETTES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY AND ROAD HAZARD. I HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED THE 5TH INCIDENT IN LESS THAN 40,000 MILES AND THE 3RD TIME WITHIN 13,000 MILES. WHEN THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING APPEARS, IT KILLS THE MOTOR. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE I AM DRIVING? IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 4 TIMES BY OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP JERRY CHAMBERS CHEVROLET IN BELLINGHAM, WA. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2008 FOR THE 5TH TIME, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED AND THE MOTOR DIED. NOW THE SAME DEALERSHIP SAID THE CAR IS TOO OLD AND GM WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE RECALL. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO FIX IT AT MY COST WITHOUT WARRANTY OR GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL FINALLY FIX THE RECALL "STEERING COLUMN LOCK". I NEED TO UNDERSTAND MY CONSUMER RIGHTS UNDER THE RECALL. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A RECALL THAT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED EVEN IF THE CAR HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT AND IS 10 YEARS OLD, IT IS A WELL KNOWN RECALL. ARE THERE OTHER AGENCIES I SHOULD BE CONTACTING? DO YOU HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING HOW A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS INITIATED? KATIE ZOWADA *TR