NHTSA Complaint #768808 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

THE STIFF/TIGHT STEERING ON MY IMPALA IS CAUSING MY HANDS, WRIST, ELBOW, SHOULDERS AND BACK TO BECOME VERY PAINFUL FINGERS. MY FINGERS ARE BENT AND TWISTED TO FIT TO THE CONTOUR OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WITH THIS TIGHT STEERING THE TEXTURE ON THE WHEEL WEARS OFF AND THE OPERATOR HAS TO GRASP THE WHEEL HARDER TO TURN THE WHEEL. HAVE TO USE TWO HANDS AND GRIP WHEEL HARD TO TURN IT. GO TO WEB SITE HTTP://PHOTOS.YAHOO.COM/MIKETOMICH FOR VIEWS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH BENT FINGERS FROM SAME PROBLEM. POLICE OFFICERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME BENDING AND TWISTING. THIS BENDING AND TWISTING RESULTS IN ARTHRITIS. THE POLICE ALSO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WHEEL BEING TOO SMOOTH TO HOLD THE WHEEL (SAGINAW COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT). ALSO BAY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPTARTMENT DEPUTIES ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT BACK PAIN. REASON THEY HAVE THE BACK PAIN IS BECAUSE THE TORQUE THEY HAVE TO EXPERT ON THIS STIFF STEERING (WHICH IS MUCH MORE THEN IN THE PAST) TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SMALL OF THEIR BACK IN THEIR HIPS, BECAUSE THE HIPS ARE SECURED TO THE SEAT BY THE SEAT BELT. THE SEATS ARE VINYL, AND THE EXCESSIVE TORQUE TRANSMIT TO THE SECURED PART OF THE BODY (THUS BEING THE BACK/HIP AREA). THE STEERING WHEEL TORQUE REQUIRED TO TURN THE WHEEL GOES FROM A STATE OF THE MUSCLES BEING RELAXED TO AND IMMEDIATE TAUNTNESS WHICH RESULTS IN A SHOCK LOAD TO THE JOINTS IN THE BONES. WHEN MAKING A TURN, THE TORQUES REQUIREMENT DOESN'T EASE UP, IT BECOMES HARDER TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL IN A TURN THUS MORE TORQUE IS REQUIRED. TO MAKE A TURN REQUIRES ONLY 90% TURN OF THE WHEEL. THIS LIMITED USE PROVIDES A BREAK DOWN OF THE FLUIDS IN THE SOCKET. ANY MINOR STEERING ADJUSTMENTS WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD REQUIRE THE MUSCLES TO SNAP TO ATTENTION TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT...THUS THE SHOCK LOADING OF THE JOINTS AND MUSCLES. WHILE DRIVING MY IMPALA, I MADE 68 STEERING ADJUSTMENTS IN A ONE MILE OF LEVEL ROAD, WHICH MEANT I FLEXED ALL THE REQUIRED MUSCLES TO ATTENTION 68. DT