1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Steering Problems

FRAME, WHERE STEERING RACK BOLTS TO, RUSTED OUT. STEERING RACK BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME CAUSING A DANGEROUS STEERING CONDITION. FRAME NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A VERY HIGH COST. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN WHEN MAKING RIGHT AND LEFT TURNS. HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER PERTAINING TO THE STEERING RACK AND PINION, WHICH STATED THAT THE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THIS IS WHERE THE RETAINER TABS WERE LOCATED. THE FAILURE COULD ALLOW THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V527000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT FELT NO CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURES STILL PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CONTINUOUS BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,051 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN 125,096.

TOTAL FAILURE OF STEERING SYSTEM. MECHANICAL LOCK UP. STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED BY HAND. PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED CLOSE TO HOME. THE STEERING RACK BRACKET SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. GM COMPLAINT # 1-399 751 487 MARCH 18,2006. *JB

I CURRENTLY HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 OLDS CUTLASS GL. MY POWER STEERING IS STIFF AND MAKES A "WAILING" NOISE. MY COOLENT SYSTEM HAS A LEAK. MY HEAT AND AIR HAVE COMPLETEY STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS (IN THE PAST THAT HAVE BEEN REPAIRED_ WITH MY POWER WINDOW LOCKING UP (DRIVERS SIDE). THE SOUND SYSTEM SHORTED OUT. THE CD PLAYER QUIT WORKING. I HAVE REPLACED MY WIPER BLADES SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY STILL DO NOT CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY. ONE TIME WHEN MY TEENS WERE USING MY CAR, THEY WERE ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD...NOT ONLY WERE THEY TERRIFIED, IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THEM TO BE IN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING IT WAS HARD FOR CONSUMER TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT/RIGHT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN OCTOBER 2002 THERE WAS NOISE FROM FRONT LEFT END OF VEHICLE....THERE IS ANOTHER NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE STEERING WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS TRYING TO PARK THE CAR.....I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY DON'T HEAR ANYTHING...ALSO I HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT THE SAME DAY FOR THE BRAKES...THERE WAS A SQUEALING NOISE ON THE FRONT LEFT SIDE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T BRAKE PROPERLY...THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT BRAKE PAD..I HAVEN'T HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKES SINCE...THREE WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE STEERING NOISES AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE COSTLY FOR THE LABOR TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY...THEY SAID SINCE IT'S ONLY MINOR AND IS NOT CAUSING ANY PROBLEMS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER TO KEEP DRIVING IT...

STEERING PULSATES WHEN BRAKE ARE APPLIED. ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE, AND REPLACED ONCE. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK