NHTSA Complaint #10579708 — 2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I WAS GOING OVER THE VEHICLE FOR THE SEASON AND FOUND I HAD A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING LINE. THE LINE EFFECTED WAS COVERED WITH A RIBBED PLASTIC SHEATHING LIKE WHAT IS USED FOR A WIRE HARNESSES. THE SHEATHING CAUSED ROAD SALT TO BUILD UP AND CORRODE THE LINE, CAUSING A LEAK AND LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THERE WERE TWO LINES HELD TOGETHER, SIDE BY SIDE, WITH A PLASTIC BRACKET BUT ONLY ONE OF THOSE HAD THE SHEATHING AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS THERE. I ALSO FOUND A WIRE THAT OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE INSULATION AND LEFT THE WIRE BARE. IT'S LOCATED BEHIND THE POWER STEERING PUMP AS VIEWED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE PLASTIC THAT DISPLAYS THE ENGINE SIZE. THE PLASTIC IS HELD DOWN WITH A COUPLE OF PINS THAT THE PLASTIC PUSHES DOWN OVER WHEN INSTALLED. THE DEALER COULDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE WIRE IS FOR WHEN I CALLED TO EXPLAIN WHAT I FOUND. *JS