NHTSA Complaint #10477352 — 2005 BUICK RENDEZVOUS

A TOTAL AND SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING OCCURRED AS I LEFT THE CURB AND STARTED INTO THE STREET. ALTHOUGH IT FELT LIKE I HAD POWER STEERING, I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF THE FRONT WHEELS AND THEREFORE THE CAR WAS TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE BUICK DEALER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DESCRIBED THE FAILURE SEQUENCE AS FOLLOWS: FIRST THE BRACKET HOLDING THE STEERING RACK ON THE R/H SIDE BROKE LOOSE THEN THE MOUNTING BOLT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RACK FELL OUT. I FOUND THE BOLT IN THE STREET AND GAVE IT TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. AFTER THE BOLT HOLDING THE LEFT SIDE FELL OUT, THERE WAS NOTHING HOLDING THE STEERING RACK IN PLACE SO THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF CONTROLLING THE CAR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK TWO OR THREE TIMES DURING THE NEXT WEEK THINKING THAT THE REPLACEMENT RACKS WAS DEFECTIVE. HOWEVER THERE WAS STILL A PROBLEM IN THE POWER STEERING. IT SEEMED TO BIND UP WHEN MAKING A TURN, ONLY SOMETIMES. FINALLY, THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT SAYING THAT A U-JOINT IN THE STEERING SHAFT WAS BROKEN OR BADLY DAMAGED. NOW IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. I HAVE A PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING THE RACK WITH THE BROKEN MOUNT. IT APPEARS THAT THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE MOUNTING BRACKET TO THE RACK, BROKE LOOSE. MY WIFE IS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR ANY TYPE OF OFF-ROAD USE. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON CITY STREETS AND PUBLIC HIGHWAYS BY DRIVERS THAT ARE MORE THAN 60 YEARS OLD. THE CAR (AND WHEELS) SHOW NO SIGN OF DAMAGE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL CAR AND THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A FAILURE. BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE MANUFACTURER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURES. HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH I DID PAY TO HAVE THE STEERING RACK REPLACED, THEY DID NOT CHARGE ADDITIONAL FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR