NHTSA Complaint #10676793 — 2007 SATURN OUTLOOK

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (14329) FROM GM AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2014. THE RECALL STATED: THIS LETTER IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT SOME 2007 MODEL YEAR SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP A POWER STEERING PUMP WEAR CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE AN INTERMITTENT DROP OF POWER STEERING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE THAT WILL CAUSE REDUCED OR LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST. THE VEHICLE MAY REVERT TO MANUAL STEERING WHICH REQUIRES GREATER DRIVER EFFORT, PARTICULARLY AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN DECEMBER. THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK YESTERDAY. AT FIRST THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TRIED TO TELL ME THAT THE LETTER WAS MORE OF "IF YOU WANT TO BUY A WARRANTY". I INFORMED HIM THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN MAKING A 'WHIRRING' SOUND AND TO INSPECT IT. OF COURSE THEY CALLED WITHIN AN HOUR TO STATE THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS BAD. THE VEHICLE ALSO NEEDED TO HAVE THE RACK AND PINION REPLACED, FRONT STRUTS REPLACED, AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE COST TO ME WAS $1800. ALL OF THIS IS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE GM PRODUCT. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THEM. SHAME ON GM. I AM AWARE THAT THERE IS A GM RECALL ON THE 2009 AND NEWER TRAVERSE, ACADIA, AND ENCLAVE MODELS. THE SATURN MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS TOO. *TR