NHTSA Complaint #10393522 — 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU

WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU AT SLOW SPEED (LUCKILY), THE STEERING MAKE A CRUNCHING NOISE AND COMPLETELY FAILED. THIS CAUSE THE COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SIMPLY SPIN, WITH NO EFFECT ON THE ACTUAL STEERING GEARBOX. THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY MECHANICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE RACK AND PINION GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY MOTHER'S HOME ABOUT A MILE AWAY AND THERE WAS AN INITIAL INSPECTION BY MY STEPFATHER (A 25 YEAR VETERAN OF THE AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS). HE STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS AND SUGGESTED THAT A CONTACT CHEVROLET TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS, WHICH I DID. HE ALSO CHECKED AND THERE WAS ONE IN THE STEERING COLUMN BEARING AND IT WAS COMPLETED IN 2004 ON THIS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED GM BY E-MAIL AND THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY REPAIRS. I SUBSEQUENTLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY DID A PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS AND ADVISED ME OF THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE (ALONG WITH A $900 ESTIMATE TO REPAIR IT). THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A FAILURE LIKE THIS. THE MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE HIGHWAY, AS THE RESULTANT LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD LIKELY HAVE COST US OUR LIVES. *TR