1996 Pontiac Sunfire Steering Problems

FEBRUARY 25, 2009 - NOTICED WHEN USING THE TILT STEERING LEVER, THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK AT CERTAIN LEVELS (LOWER POSITION). WITHIN A WEEK OF NOTICING THIS PROBLEM, I NOTICE THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMED LOOSE AND WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT. IN ONE INCIDENT, NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO MY LANE ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. I HAD TO OVER COMPENSATE THE IMMEDIATE TURN TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING. MARCH 13, 2009 - NOISE HEARD WHEN TURNING OR STEERING THE VEHICLE. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID - SLIGHTLY LOW, ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID - NOISE WENT AWAY. MARCH 14, 2009 - NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK NEAR BOTH FRONT WHEELS. NOISE AGAIN HEARD - IT APPEARS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL BY GM (NHTSA NO 02V286000) AND MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2003 BASED ON THE RECALL. FURTHER RESEARCH INDICATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CONSUMERS AFTER THE REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC AT A DEALERSHIP. THE GM DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THEIR PREVIOUS WORK AT NO CHARGE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO ME, AS IT WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL, SERVICED WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM THAT COULD OR WILL RESULT IN A CRASH OR INJURIES TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SHOULD THE STEERING LOCK-UP DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION FAILURE. MARCH 15, 2009 - TILT STEERING DOES NOT WORK AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS IN ONE POSITION, ALL THE WAY UP AND TENDS TO EXTEND MORE LEFT THAN RIGHT. IT APPEARS A PIN ON THE STEERING COLUMN HAS FALLEN OUT AND IS LOOSE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. REMOVED IGNITION COVERING AND FOUND METAL PIN FOR THE STEERING COLUMN HAD POPPED OUT, NOW CAUSING THE TILT STEERING TO LOCK IN THE MOST UPWARD POSITION AND EXTEND LEFT. RESULTS IN THE DRIVER OVER CORRECTING TO MAKE TURNS AND A CRASH WITH INJURY WHAMMY OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262706

Incident

Feb 27, 2009

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. THE VEHICLE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WAS TURNED ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. THERE WAS RECALL 02V286000 FOR THE RACK AND PINION STEERING, BUT IT DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT FELT THAT IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS STATED IN THE RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187960

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

112,000 mi

THIS IS ABOUT A RECALL THAT THE DEALER WILL NOT FIX ON MY 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE. YOU LIST THE PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING IN YOUR RECALLS. IT TAKE ALL THE STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND CAN TURN TO THE RIGHT WITH ONE FINGER. 02V-286000. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177956

Incident

Sep 20, 2005

DEC 19, 2001 THE RACK AND PINION IN THE CONSUMER'S 1996 PONTIAC SUNFIRE FAILED. *NM THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A RECALL IN THE MAIL AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT WHICH WAS APPROVED. IN MARCH THE STEERING RACK AND PINION FAILED AGAIN TO THE POINT THE GEAR WAS STRIPPED AND THE HOUSING WAS CRACKED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10127927

Incident

Dec 19, 2001

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING, CONSUMER'S SON LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014736

Incident

Mar 29, 2003

NHTSA.02-V-286-000: THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION, HOWEVER THE RECALL REPAIR FAILED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10007354

Incident

Feb 13, 2003

ON SUN FEB.9,2003 MY RACK AND PINION WENT OUT OF MY CAR AND IS NOW NOT DRIVABLE . I STARTED NOTICING PROBLEMS THE LAST FEW WEEKS A WEIRD SOUND AND PROBLEMS TURNING LEFT. I HAD IT LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AND HE SAID MY RACK AND PINION WENT OUT. I DO KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN RECALLS RECENTLY, BUT I HAVE NOT AND I HAVE A 9 MONTH OLD BABY AND SINGLE MOTHER. IM JUST GLAD HE WASNT IN THE VEHICLE OR I WASNT ON THE HIGHWAY WENE THIS HAPPENED BUT NOW I AM FACED WITH THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS, WHAT DO I DO?

NHTSA ID

10005566

Incident

Feb 9, 2003

Mileage

93,832 mi

THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY. (RECALL NUMBER 02V286000) THE VEHICLE'S' VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. PH SCC

NHTSA ID

10002081

Incident

Jan 6, 2003

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

760174

Incident

Oct 10, 2001

STEERING GETS LOCKED UP WHEN TURNING CORNERS. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALER IS UNCERTAIN, THEY CAN'T START REPLACING PARTS . THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT'S COMING FROM.*AK

NHTSA ID

872023

Incident

Sep 28, 2000

GOING AROUND A CURVE TOO FAST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

844386

Incident

Aug 4, 1999

THE POWER STEERING ACTUALLY HAD TWO INTERMITTENT INCIDENTS THE SAME DAY THAT INDICATED A PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP TWO TIMES, ONCE PULLING ME INTO A CURB AND THE SECOND TIME PULLING ME INTO A MEDIAN IN A PARKING LOT. EACH OF THESE TWO TIMES, THE POWER STEERING RELEASED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AGAIN. I, HOWEVER, HAD ABOUT 9 MILES TO GO TO GET HOME AND FELT THAT IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY HOME. I TURNED LEFT ONTO A STREET, WHERE OTHER CARS WERE ONCOMING, AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP AS I TURNED. FORTUNATELY, THE STEERING LOCKED AS I TURNED LEFT AND SUDDENLY PULLED ME TO THE RIGHT AND OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT MY STEERING NEVER RELEASED AGAIN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND WAS TOWED TO JK PONTIAC ON OGDEN AVENUE IN DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS. THEY INFORMED ME ON JULY 6TH THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE OUT OF MY CAR. I FEEL THAT MY CAR HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR THIS TO HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE HAVING THEIR RACK AND PINION GOING OUT OF THEIR CAR, LET ALONE FOR IT TO GO OUT OF A CAR AT THIS LOW MILEAGE. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE DEALERSHIP THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD A PONTIAC GRAND AM IN THE SHOP WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT THAT HAD ALSO HAD THE RACK AND PINION GO OUT OF IT. THIS INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT PONTIAC NEEDS TO GIVE ATTENTION TO. MY INCIDENT, FORTUNATELY, ENDED WITH NO ACCIDENT, INJURIES OR FATALITIES. HOWEVER, HAD THIS OCCURRED ONE DAY LATER, ON MY WAY TO WORK, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED, IF NOT KILLED. I DRIVE FIVE DAYS A WEEK ON A MAJOR TOLLWAY (I-355) IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA TO AND FROM WORK, USUALLY AT ELEVATED SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 65 MPH. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE TOLLWAY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT WOULD BE MY FAMILY WRITING THIS, NOT ME. I DID CONTACT PONTIAC REGARDING THIS, AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO PAY FOR THE PARTS INVOLVED IN THIS REPAIR. HOWEVER, I AM PAYING FOR LABOR ($350). *

NHTSA ID

708267

Incident

Jul 5, 1999

ANTI LOCK BRAKES ACTIUATE TOO QUICKLY AND EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES ALMOST RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID

539537

Incident

Jun 16, 1998

WHILE GOING AROUND CORNERS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. THE FLOOR MAT WOULD GET BOUND UP IN STEERING COLUMN. MAT IS NEAR FIREWALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

822195

Incident

Feb 11, 1998

VEHICLE LOOSES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF COLLANT BUT NO LEAK IS FOUND.

NHTSA ID

533081

Incident

Dec 18, 1995

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ID

603007

Incident

Oct 1, 1995

DURING OPERATION SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH BOARD. RESULTING IN FLAMES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN, AND THE VEHICLE BURNING DOWN.*AK

NHTSA ID

800515

Incident

Jul 27, 1996

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP 2 TIMES. *SD

NHTSA ID

504004

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

STEERING WHEEL FAILED. TT

NHTSA ID

975328

Incident

Nov 22, 1995