Consumer Safety Complaints

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE THROUGH A PUDDLE AND GETTING WET THE STEERING BECOMES DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. DEALER CANNOT FIX. *AK

Incident date: Jul 16, 1996

REPLACED STEERING DAMPNER AND TRACK BAR.

Incident date: Aug 22, 1996

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED.

Incident date: Sep 1, 1996

STEERING FAILURE.

SEAT BELT ANCHOR IS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. THE ONLY WAY THE RESTRAINTS CAN BE LATCHED IS IF TWISTED THE RESTRAINT ACROSS TO THE BUCKLE. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND IS WAITING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. *AK THE STEERING BECOMES HARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREPPED, INSPECTED AND SOLD TO HIM WITH DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT IN TOT... Read more

Incident date: Sep 9, 1996

WHEN IT IS WET OUTSIDE VEHICLE LOSES ALL STEERING. VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER STEERING AND THE DRIVER HAS TO USE BOTH HANDS TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE ON THE PROBLEM CONCERNING THE STEERING. *AK

POWER STEERING IS STIFF AND MAKING POPPING NOISE.

Incident date: Mar 2, 1997

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY ABOUT 70MPH, HAS TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO GO STAIGHT. IF TAKING SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF THE STEERING WHEEL, THE VEHICLE WILL GO OUT OF CONTROL. *AK

Incident date: Jul 1, 1995

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE HAS DIFFICULTY STOPPING. HAS GONE TO DEALER ONCE. *AK THE EGR VALVE GETS CARBON IN IT AND FAILS. WHEKN THIS HAPPERS, THE VACUUM IS CUT OFF FROM THE POWER BRAKES OF THE POWER STEERING FAILS.

Incident date: May 12, 1997

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN THERE SEEMS TO BE EXCESS PRESSURE ON LEFT, CAUSING CLUNKING AND POPPING NOISES. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. DEALER TOLD OWNER THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. *AK

Incident date: Aug 29, 1997

WHEN MAKING A TURN THE STEERING WHEEL STEERS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. *AK CONSUMER STATES THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING RIGHT TURNS AND IN THE PASSING LANE, DEALER HAS PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT AND REPLACED RACK AND PINION, HOWEVER THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *SLC

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE STEERS TO THE LEFT. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. *AK

NO PARTS.

Incident date: Mar 30, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN WET CONDITIONS WITH A/C ON, WHEN TURNING LEFT, THE STEERING WOULD LOCK UP. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SOLD. *AK

Incident date: Aug 14, 1997

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#97VO58000) BACK IN JUNE. CALLED THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THEY HAD NO PARTS. CALLED OTHER CHEVROLET DEALERS IN AREA AND NONE OF THEM HAD PARTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UNKNOWN PRESSURE BUILDS UP IN STEERING WHEEL. PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AT LOW DRIVING SPEEDS. *AK

NEW ELECTRONIC VARIABLE ORIFICE STEERING SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION WELL DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. THERE IS A LACK OF ROAD FEEL AT MOST SPEEDS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, LACK OF NORMAL STEERING RETURN TO CENTER AFTER STEERING. *AK

Incident date: Aug 15, 1997

HEATER CORE LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE COOLANT AND STEAM THROUGHT VEHICLE'S DUCTWORK. IN ADDITION, PLASTIC HOUSING TO WHICH THE THERMOSTAT ATTACHES WARPED AND WAS LEAKING, AND RADIATOR FAN MOTOR WAS REPLACED WHEN IT STARTED SQUEALING AND SEIZED. *AK

Fire

Incident date: Jun 3, 1997

DOOR HINGE ON CONSOLE BROKEN AND AIR CONDITIONER MAKE LOUD HUMMING NOISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STEERING LOCKS UP AND CAUSE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.

Incident date: Apr 25, 1997

STEERING DAMPER FAILED.

STEERING VIBRATION AT HIGH SPEEDS.

Incident date: Jun 25, 1997

STEERING FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

STEERING DAMPER FAILED.

Incident date: Jun 18, 1997

CONSUMER WAS SLOWING VEHICLE DOWN, THEN SUDDENLY COULDN'T STEER THE VEHICLE, LOST CONTROL AND VEHICLE JUST WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD. *AK

Crash

Incident date: Jul 1, 1997

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER/ STEERING CONTROL BUT NOTICED NO SEPARATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK CONSUMER STATED AS SHE CAUTIONED TO MAKE THE TURN, THE POWER STEERING RE-ENGAGED.*JB

Incident date: Apr 17, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS WANDERING. WOULD RUN OFF THE ROAD, AND THE VEHICLE HIT A GUARD RAIL, AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Apr 21, 1997

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROX. 35-40 WHEN HE BEGAN TO FEEL VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING CONTROL PANEL. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED 3 TIMES. FINALLY THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN POSTED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE BULLETIN SPECIFIES THE PROBLEM, AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN INCLUDES THE INSTALLATION OF A DAMPER INTO THE STEERING COLMN. THE INSTALLED DAMPER ELIMINATED ... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 1997

STEERING: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH APPROACHING TO AN EXIT, ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. APPLIED BRAKES, THERE WERE NO BRAKES AND COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. *AK

1 injured

Incident date: Aug 6, 1997

BILL BULL CHYSLER DODGE DEALER WILL NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX THIS CONSUMER'S VEHICLE UNDER RECALL. PLEASE DESCIRBE DETAILS. *AK

Incident date: Aug 6, 1997

GOING 30MPH, LOST CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL; VEHICLE JUMPED CURB & HIT TREE; DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. PASSENGER HAD HEAD INJURY & WENT TO EMERGENCY ROOM. NO SEAT BELTS ON. NOT AT DEALER. *AK

Crash 2 injured

FUEL SYSTEM AND STEERING PROBLEMS.

Incident date: Jul 12, 1997

DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE ON A DRY STRAIGHT ROAD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TWICE COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN ON HIGHWAY.

Crash 4 injured

Incident date: Jul 17, 1997

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THE LEFT CRADLE BOLT BROKE, AND THE RIGHT CRADLE BOLT FELL THROUGH THE FRAME, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE INOPERATIVE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Incident date: Aug 3, 1997

WHILE COMING OFF A RAMP THE AUTO WENT INTO A SKID AND WENT INTO A STORM TRENCH. THE AUTO TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Crash 4 injured

Incident date: Jul 31, 1997

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE A LOSS OF STEERING DEVELOPS. TURNING THE WHEEL ID VERY DIFFICULT WHEN LOSS OCCURRES. *AK

RECALL REPAIRS TO STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE MADE BECAUSE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. DEALER SAID OWERER WOULD BE NOTIFIED IN WRITING WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE.

Incident date: Jul 17, 1997

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE STEERING WAS LOST AND IT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jul 8, 1997

RECEIVED NOTICE (#97V058000) ON COMPANY VEHICLE; SPOKE TO JEANETTE FISHER & INFORMED NO CHEVY DEALER HAS PARTS & DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL. SAID KEEP CALLING BACK EVERY 2 WEEKS. DEALER WILL NOT COMPENSATE FOR NON-USE OF COMPANY VEHICLE. *AK

Incident date: Jul 15, 1997

RECEIVED NOTICE (#97V058000) & CALLED DEALER FOR APPOINTMENT, INFORMED BY MECHANIC PARTS ON BACK ORDER. DEALER SAID MANUFACTURER ONLY SENDING 2 PARTS TO EACH DEALER. DOES NOT KNOW WHEN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WILL BE FIXED. *AK

Incident date: Dec 1, 1992

STEERING FAILS INTERMITTENTLY.

WHEN DRIVING IN WET/PUDDLE AREA VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTENT LOSS OF STEERING FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS AT A TIME. *AK

Incident date: Jul 21, 1997

EVERYTIME THAT IT RAINS THE STEERING LOCKS UP, AND DRIVER LOSES STEERING COMPLETELY. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX. *AK

Incident date: May 9, 1997

HAD A RECALL REMEDIED FOR THE TIMING BELT ON 5/6/97. ON 5/9/97, THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO RUN OFF THE ROAD. *AK

Incident date: Aug 14, 1996

THE INTERMITENT STEERING SHAFT "RATTLES AND BANGS" CONTANTLY. STEERING COLUMN HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. PROBLEMS HAVE EXISTED SINCE DELIVERY OF VEHICLE.

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AS BEING DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY.

Incident date: Jul 14, 1997

WHEN DRIVING AT 25-30MPH & WOULD COME UPON & DRIVE THRU A PUDDLE OF WATER, WOULD LOSE STEERING CONTROL & IT WOULD LOCK UP. IT SOUNDS LIKE FAN BELT SLIPPING. WOULD DRIVE FOR 1 MIN. CONTROL OF STEERING WOULD RETURN. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER.

Incident date: Jun 27, 1997

STEERING: RECEIVED NOTICE FROM MANUFACTURE FOR CRADLE BOLTS ON 7-72-97. CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR 7-18-97. DEALER CALLED ON 7-17-97 AND SAID THEY DIDINOT HAVE ANY PARTS AND CALL AND MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT.

Incident date: Sep 9, 1996

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SHIFT INTERLOCK MACH. ON VEHICLE DID NOT WORK PROPERLY . THE CAR WOULD BE OFF AND THE CAR COULD SHIFT TO PARK. MANF. CONTACTED . VEHICLE HAS BEEN GIVEN BACK TO THE DEALER.

Incident date: Jul 17, 1997

THE VEHICLE WAS A WRECK AND THE DEALERSHIP SOLD IT AS NEW. THE STEERING IS OFF, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE NO LONGER WORKS AND FORD REFUSES TO REPAIR IT. **AK

STEERING LOOSE.