Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
VECHILE RECENTLY STARTED MAKING GROANING NOISE WHEN STEERING AND FROM POWER STEERING PUMP. POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACE BACK IN 2011. TOOK TO GOODYEAR AND TECH INDICATED PUMP WAS FINE, PROBLEM POINT TO THE RACK AND PINION. *TR
WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2010 FROM A USED CAR DEALER. UPON 6 MONTHS OF DRIVING WE NOTICED A STEERING PROBLEM THAT WAS HARD TO THE LEFT AND JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT. THE ENGINE ALSO HAD OVERHEATING AND GASKET PROBLEMS SO WE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. UPON TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE MECHANIC WAS DRIVING AND THE POWER STEER HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE AND RAN HIM TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THEN BACK ANOTHER DIRECTION. UPON RETURN TO THE SHOP HE CONCLUDED THE ENTIRE RACK WAS BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACED. AT THE TIME IN 2011 WE WERE NOT AWARE THAT GM RECALLED THE LOWER PINION BEARING IN THE POWER STEERING RACK IN 2003 SO WE HAD PAID FOR A NEW RACK AND PINION TO BE REPLACED. THERE EVIDENTLY WAS LEFTOVER DEBRIS IN THE RACK IN PINION FROM THE ORIGINAL PART FAILURE AND NOW HAS RUINED THE 2ND RACK AND PINION. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IN 2004 OUR CAR IS LISTED AS A CAR THAT WAS AFFECTED AND HAD BEEN SERVICED IN 2004 IN GEORGIA. THE ONLY THING REPLACED WAS A TINY SNAP RING, IN WHICH THE DETAILED REPAIR PDF STATES IN MULTIPLE INCIDENCES THAT IT IS UP TO THE MECHANIC TO DECIDE HOW MUCH FAILURE HAS TAKEN PLACE WHAT TO DO AND THAT ANY MISTEPS WILL LEAD TO OTHER PART FAILURES!! WE BOUGHT THIS CAR W/ VERY LOW MILEAGE SO AT THE POINT THEY SAY THEY FIXED THE CAR AND WHEN IT BROKE WAS APPROX. 30,000 MILES. THEY EITHER DID NOT FIX CORRECTLY OR THEY DID NOT TOUCH THE CAR AT ALL BECAUSE THE VERY DESCRIPTION TO WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CAR WAS EXACTLY WHAT IS LISTED AS THE FAILURE OF THE PART. WE WOULD LIKE THE ORIGINAL PART FAILURE THAT IS NOW SHREDDED INTO HUNDREDS OF PIECES CAUSING FUTURE RACK AND PINION FAILURES TO BE FLUSHED CLEAN AND HONESTLY SHOULD REPLACED THE ENTIRE RACK BECAUSE THEY NEVER FIXED THE PART ORIGINALLY OR THEY DIDN'T FIX IT CORRECTLY AND THE ORIGINAL PART FAILED EXACTLY AS STATED ON THE RECALL TO THE POINT THE MECHANIC ALMOST WRECKED OUR CAR. *TR
I BOUGHT A 1997 CUTLASS SUPREME FROM GABRIEL JORDAN OF HENDERSON TEXAS. THERE IS A RECALL ON A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. IN THEIR WORDS: "CORRECTIVE SUMMARY: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668." THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO REPLACE THIS EQUIPMENT EVEN THOUGH IT IS FAULTY. THEY CLAIM THEIR PARTS ARE NOT ON THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE GIVEN ME A QUOTE OF $1,300 TO REPLACE IT.*JB
GROANING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN/GEAR WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. *JB
DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE STEERING GEAR BEARING RECALL 03V527000 BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING STEERING JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE FRONT WHEELS BUCKLED AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE STEERING LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 2004 FOR A RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER WAS WONDERING WHY THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS APPROACHING A RAIL ROAD TRACK, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN AND THE VEHICLE HAD TAKEN OFF TO THE RIGHT. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FIXED OR THE DEALER PLACED THE WRONG PART ON THE VEHICLE. THE LOWER PINION BEARING WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB
THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE STEERING GEAR BEARINGS RECALL 03V527000. AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE STEERING RACK, THEY INDICATED THAT IT WAS AN AFTER MARKET PRODUCTAND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE CORRECT PART FOR THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK *SC *JB
DEALERSHIP STATED THEY WOULD REPLACE THE STEERING RACK IF NEEDED TO FIX THE STEERING PROBLEM, THEY CHANGED THEIR MINDS. *PH
AFTER DEALERSHIP PERFORMED STEERING GEAR BEARINGS RECALL 03V527000 REPAIRS FRONT END WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OFF CENTER, AND THE RIGHT TIRE FACED OUTWARDS. DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE $80.00 TO ALIGN THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THE ALIGNMENT WAS FINE BEFORE THE RECALL WAS DONE.*AK
I HAD A RECALL ON MY STEERING RACK PINION AND THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTORY WOULD NOT HONOR IT BECAUSE THEY SAID THE ORIGINAL GM PART HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH AN NON GM PART. *AK
LOSS OF POWER STEERING, GRINDING NOISE, LEAKING FLUID. *LA
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2002 AND REPLACE STEERING COLUMN SEALS, ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2002 PROBLEM RECURRED. HAPPENED AGAIN ON JANUARY 8, 2003. THE STEERING EXPERIENCED MANY OTHER FAILURES AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. *NLM *NLM
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BROKEN WELD ON SUB FRAME CRADLE. *SLC
CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND NEAR COLLISION. *AK
STEERING GEAR IS LEAKING POWER STEERING FUILD, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BINDING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM, POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE LOCK UP, FINAL REPAIR OF THE RACK AND PINION AND POWER STEERING PUMP. *MJS
DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEMS- DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW REPLACED AT DELIVERY DUE TO LARGE SCRATCH. TAIL LIGHT COVER REPLACED DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP. DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS WINDOW MOTORS REPLACED DUE TO MALFUNCTION. BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT 2000 MILES, CV JOINTS REPLACED AT 1000 MILES, CONTROL ARMS REPLACED ONCE AT 5800 MILES AND AGAIN AT 10000 MILES. STEERING RACK REPLACED AT 12400 MILES, BY THIS TIME THE COMPLETE FRONT END HAD BEEN REPLACED FROM THE FACTORY ORIGINAL. AND AT 19000 MILES IT IS MAKING NOISE AGAIN. *AK
FAILURE OF RACK & PINION GEAR CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL ON VEHICLE
THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED TWICE; ONCE AT 2055 MILES AND ONCE AT 6000 MILES. THIS WAS DUE TO A NOISE THE DRIVER HEARD WHEN DRIVING. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THIS HAPPENED ON DECEMBER 13, 1997. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .