1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE Steering Problems

THE IGNITION SWITCH -- WHICH WAS REPLACED IN 2012 WITH A NEW GM DEALER PART -- TURNS BY ITSELF TO THE ACC SETTING WHILE DRIVING (ENGINE CUTS OUT AND POWER STEERING LOSES POWER). I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL PROBLEM, BUT SINCE THIS MODEL IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, I AM ENCOUNTERING A CHALLENGE TO GET IT REPAIRED. PLEASE PHONE ONLY -- NOT AN E-MAIL USER. *TR

WHEN DRIVING MY 1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH I HIT A VERY LARGE POT HOLE IN THE STREET. IT JARRED THE VEHICLE AND SWITCHED THE IGNITION IN MY VEHICLE OFF. I LOST POWER IN THE VEHICLE AND MY ABILITY TO PROPERLY STEER THE VEHICLE. I WAS THANKFULLY IN A LANE WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER WITHOUT ISSUE (POWER STEERING WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE WHEEL WAS ALMOST LOCKED AND IT REQUIRED A LOT OF PULLING TO BE ABLE TO PULL OVER) AND RESTART THE CAR. I DID HAVE A LARGE/HEAVY KEY RING ON MY KEYS AT THAT TIME. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE THAT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING LOSS AT LOW SPEEDS THAT GM IS HAVING WITH THEIR COBALT AND PONTIAC MODELS. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THE INTRIGUE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC CAN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR CLOSE TO 2 YEARS. THE LOSS OF STEERING OCCURS MORE IN HOT WEATHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN EXPLOSION THAT SHOOK HER VEHICLE. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING, THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. A RELATIVE, WHO IS ALSO A MECHANIC, STATED THAT THE FLUID ON THE MANIFOLD CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN SMOKING AND THE STEERING KNUCKLE FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD ALSO HAVE CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK AND SMOKE TO APPEAR. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CONTACT HEARD A HIGH PITCHED SOUND IN THE STEERING WHEEL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, SHE NOTICED AN OIL LEAK AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE PISTONS. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 137,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON START UP, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED, THE CHECK OIL LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, PRIOR TO THE ENGINE POWER FAILING. THE BRAKES SQUEAKED BADLY AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. ON THE FIRST VISIT, THE THERMOSTAT AND THERMOSTAT HOUSING WERE REPLACED. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ASSEMBLY WAS SERVICED AND THE OIL AND FILTER WERE REPLACED. THE STALLING CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE RIGHT PORTIONING VALVE WAS REPLACED AND THE BRAKE LINES WERE BLED. THE OIL AND FILTER WERE REPLACED AGAIN. THE POWER FAILED AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING 55 MPH. AFTER INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE THE SALES MANAGER INFORMED THE CONTACT, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, REAR STRUTS AND STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/3/2006 - *NM

POWER STEERING ASSIST (RACK/PINION-LONG SHAFT) UNIT SECOND FAILURE. *BF THE RIGHT REAR WEATHER STRIP WAS DEFORMED, ENGINE STALLED SHORTLY AFTER STARTING, PULSATING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END, TIRE NOISE, RIGHT REAR WINDOW INOPERATIVE, CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN TURNING, THE BATTERY LIGHT HAD COME ON FOR 20 MINUTES BUT THE PROBLEM BUT WAS ACTUALLY COOLANT LIGHT, THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT NO START, THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN ROUGH AND DIES, FAILED IGNITION SWITCH, FAILED CRANKSHAFT SENSOR, REMOTE WAS NOT WORKING, LOST POWER STEERING ON A LEFT TURN AND STILL HAD POWER ON RIGHT TURNS, THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT, AND EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE LEFT FRONT HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY. *SC

HAVING DIFFICULTY TURNING LEFT AT LOW SPEEDS, ALMOST FEELS LIKE STEEREING WILL LOCK UP. TAKING TO MECHANIC TO FIND OUT WHAT TROUBLE IS. SOUNDS LIKE SAME TROUBLE FROM RECALLED 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUES. *LA

THE ENGINE WILL DIE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AT ANY SPEED, WHICH IS A SAFTY HAZARD. WHEN ENGINE DIES... IT IS VERY HARD TOO STEER AND LOOSES BRAKING POWER. THE ENGINE THEN MAY NOT RESTART FOR SEVERAL MIN. TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPPS TO GET GOING AGAIN. IF A PERSON HAD TO GET TO A HOSPITAL ON TIME IT COULD MAKE THE DIFFERANCE BETWEEN LIFE OR DEATH. WE FEEL THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY GM...FREE...AND SOON!!! THANKS JOHN & DAWN

STEERING BROKE. CAR WAS TOTALLY UNCONTROLLABLE. WENT INTO A STEEP DITCH WITH A MOM AND TWO CHILDREN IN IT. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE FACING OUT LIKE STEERING COLUMN BROKE.

WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A LEFT TURN, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF. AT THE SAME TIME VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-65 MPH RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITIES. WHICH IS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT ON 7/5/03 THAT RESULTED IN DEATH AND INJURY. *LA

I HAVE A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I FEEL IT WHILE I DRIVE AND ALSO WHILE MAKING TURNS. ONE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE TIE RODS, SO I HAD THEM REPLACED ANOTHER SAID THE GEAR BOX. I STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM I THINK THIS IS JUST A PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN. SEVERAL MECHANICS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I DRIVE ON THE AUTOBAHN IN GERMANY SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF MY LIFE IS IN DANGER. *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *JB

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY, POWER STEERING SHORT, FAILED. HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED AT 19,584 MILES. 1995 THRU 1998'S WERE RECALLED

MY 1999 INTRIGUE HAS HAD THE STEERING SHAFT REPLACED TWO TIMES AND LUBED TWO TIMES. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS REPLACED THE DEALER PUT ON THE PAPERWORK THAT IT WAS REPLACED "DUE TO POOR DESIGN". NOW THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN AND THEY JUST LUBED IT. THEY SAID THAT GM IS SAYING THAT IT IS A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM AND THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WILL HAVE TO START PAYING FOR IT ($110.00 PLUS TAX). I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER HAVE I OWNED ONE THAT HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING SHAFT LUBED, MUCH LESS LUBED ON A "REGULAR BASIS". ANYBODY WITH HALF A BRAIN KNOWS THIS IS NOT A MAINTENANCE PROBLEM, THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I ALSO KNOW THE PROBLEM IS IN SOME OF THE OTHER GM MODELS. I WAS READING SOME OF THE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEB SIGHT AND WAS SURPRISED TO...

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS VERY LOOSE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT, PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND IT WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED. *MR * SCC *NLM

CONSUMER STATES HAS HAD SEVERAL STEERING MALFUNCTIONS WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY AND A "KNOCKING" NOISE IS HEARD FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY VIBRATE ALSO. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT INTERMITTENLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL SKID W/O WARNING AND EXPERIENCE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DLR WHO REPLACED STEERING SHAFT ON 11/27/01. THE PROBLEM REOCCURED. NLM

STEERING IS NUMB. LOWER SHAFT WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. WHILE MAKING A TURN THERE ARE CRACKING AND BANGING NOISES. *AK

STEERING IS LOCKING UP WHILE MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. OLDSMOBILE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX DEFECT 3-4 TIMES BY REPLACING STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND OTHER RELATED PARTS, BUT THERE IS STILL A CRUNCHING NOISE WHEN TURNING. CONSUMER AGAIN TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO CLAIMED A PULLEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE A SPECIAL TOOL WAS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR . TOOL WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER AND HAS NOT PROVIDED A DATE AS TO WHEN TOOL WILL BE AVAILBLE.*AK

VEHICLE HAS AN INTERMITTANT STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM (NO OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED) *SLC

CAR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL DIM AND THEN BRIGHTEN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. SEEMS TO ACT UP MORE IN COLDER TEMPERTURES BUT IS STILL ACTING UP IN WARMER WEATHER. FAN SPEED FOR AIR & HEATER WILL FLUCUATE. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ALTENATOR BUT IT DIDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO HAVING PROBELMS WHEN STARTING UP THE CAR. ACTS LIKE IT IS "MISSING" BUT NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALERSHIP TRIED RUNNING A FUEL INJECTOR FLUID THROUGH IT BUT HASN'T CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNCKING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING AND A LOUD WINDING NOISE WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS. DEALER CLAIMED STEERING MECHANISM NEEDED OT BE REPLACED.*AK