NHTSA Complaint #10659609 — 2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

ACCELERATED QUICKLY TO 35 MPH AND WHEN I REACHED THE END OF THE BLOCK I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW AND MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN. AT THAT TIME I GOT A WARNING TO CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND NOTICED I HAD NO POWER STEERING. MANAGED TO MUSCLE THE WHEEL TO COMPLETE THE TURN (HAD IT BEEN MY WIFE THERE IS NO WAY SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL) AND CONTINUE SLOWLY DOWN THE STREET TO MY DRIVEWAY WHERE I AGAIN MUSCLED THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY. DISCOVERED THAT THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING BUT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS NOT MOVING. THUS NO ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING ETC. I HAD MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT, DISCOVERED THAT THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY ON THE CRANK SHAFT STRIPPED AND THE CRANK SHAFT WAS TURNING AND NOT MOVING THE PULLEY. HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE PARTS AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE PLENTY IN STOCK. HE THOUGHT THIS WAS SURPRISING AND THAT IT WAS NOT A SPECIAL ORDER PART. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS. BOTH MY MECHANIC AND I THINK THIS SHOULD QUALIFY FOR SOME TYPE OF RECALL IF IT IS HAPPENING WITH FREQUENCY. OBVIOUSLY SOME KIND OF DESIGN FLAW AND/OR MATERIAL FLAW, PLUS THEY DIDN'T KEY THE PULLEY SO IF THE BOLT STRIPS YOU WOULD NOT LOOSE THE POWER STEERING, ETC. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEED OR DURING THE ACTION OF TURNING I BELIEVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY COULD HAVE OCCURRED. COST OF THE PARTS AND REPAIR WERE $2300.00. *TR