NHTSA Complaint #705438 — 1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO

I AM ATTEMPTING TO NOTIFY YOU OF A PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE IS VERY PREVALENT AMONG THE 1996-1997 MONTE CARLOS. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE IN NUMEROUS SHOPS TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND I AM OFTEN TOLD THAT IT IS A "MONTE CARLO" PROBLEM. THERE IS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT OCCURS WHENEVER A STRONG LEFT TURN IS MADE WITH THE VEHICLE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE LEFT UPPER BEARING PLATE, ALTHOUGH IT IS UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AS IT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT. WHEN ONE TURNS A LEFT CIRCLE AND ROCKS THE STEERING WHEEL, THE NOISE WILL OCCUR AND STOP WITH THE ROCKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE WHEEL IS TURNED LEFT, THE NOISE OCCURS, WHEN THE WHEEL IS STRAIGHTENED OUT, THE NOISE CEASES. MANY OF THE MECHANICS I HAVE VISITED REFUSE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY TELL ME THAT IT MAY NOT BE FIXED JUST BY REPLACING THE BEARING PLATE AS THEY ARE UNSURE OF THE ACTUAL PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD NOW THAT THE ENTIRE LOWER CONTROL ARM (TO THE BALL JOINT) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THIS IS WHAT MOST OF THE MONTE CARLOS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH. I ALSO SEE THAT THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL-JOINT STUDS ON THE 1995 LUMINAS AND MONTE CARLO'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED. IS IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE MONTE CARLO'S IN NORTHERN IOWA? MY APOLOGIZES TO YOU FOR HAVING TO READ THIS AS I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE MECHANICS AND STRUCTURES OF AUTOS, BUT MY THANKS TO YOU FOR LISTENING. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MAJOR OCCURRENCE AS EVERY MONTE CARLO OWNER I HAVE MET SEEMS TO HAVE THE SAME NOISE WITH THEIR VEHICLE. *AK