NHTSA Complaint #11290716 — 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA

THIS VEHICLE, IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 41,000 MILES BEGAN MAKING A "POPPING" NOISE FROM THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION/STEERING AREA, PRIMARILY WHILE TURNING LEFT (AND SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING RIGHT). THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER A ONE MONTH PERIOD. SUSPECTING IT MAY BE A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD END (PASSENGER SIDE), I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE (ON 12/21/2019) AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE (AT THE STEERING KNUCKLE ARM - WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE PASSENGER TIRE ROD) WAS FRACTURED/BROKEN, CREATING A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM (THE STEERING KNUCKLE IS FRACTURED AT THE TIE ROD KNUCKLE ARM, AND THEREFORE IT APPEARS POSSIBLE THE STEERING KNUCKLE COULD SHEER OFF AT THE TIE ROD, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL). THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, OR HIT ANY CURBS, POT HOLES, OR SIMILAR ITEMS. I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHILE MAKING A 90 DEGREE LEFT-HAND TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ABOUT 500 FEET FROM MY RESIDENCE (WHILE DRIVING HOME). THE ISSUE/NOISE HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SINCE THEN, AND BASED ON MY INSPECTION LAST NIGHT IT IS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IT APPEARS THAT THE STEERING KNUCKLE WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY (IT'S AN ORIGINAL GM PART, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MADE OF CAST ALUMINUM). FROM MY ONLINE RESEARCH, IT ALSO APPEARS THAT A LOT OF OTHER 2000-2013 CHEVY IMPALA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME. THIS VEHICLE, IN MY OPINION, NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR THIS SAFETY ISSUE (BAD STEERING KNUCKLES). ALSO, THIS IS A CALIFORNIA VEHICLE WITH ZERO CORROSION ISSUES. ALSO, I WORK AS AN ACCIDENT/CLAIMS INVESTIGATOR FOR A MAJOR AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY (AND THEREFORE HAVE SIGNIFICANT KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLES, COLLISIONS, ETC). THIS VEHICLE IS (BY ALL OBJECTIVE STANDARDS) IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL (IN MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL OPINION).