NHTSA Complaint #11203875 — 2009 SATURN AURA

NOTICED A SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT IT WAS HARD TO TURN MY STEERING WHEEL WHEN I WOULD BACK OUT OF A DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT AND THEN IN THE LAST MONTH, THE STEERING COLUMN HAS STARTED TO CREAK EVERY TIME I TURN IT, EVEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY OLD VEHICLE (1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME). AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO CREATE THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS HARD TO TURN ON PAVEMENT A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND WAS DRIVING IT REGULARLY (I DIDN'T DRIVE IT A LOT AT FIRST). I ALSO NOTICED THAT IF MY VEHICLE WAS ON GRAVEL, IT WAS EASIER TO TURN, BUT ON PAVEMENT WAS HARDER TO TURN. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT A LOT MORE LATELY, WHICH IS WHEN I NOTICED IT GOING FROM BEING HARD TO TURN WHILE BACKING OUT TO A CREAKING NOISE BEING MADE WHILE TURNING ON THE ROAD.