Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | ||||||||||||||||
| 09E005000 | DORMAN PRODUCTS, INC. | E (Equipment) | 979 | 02/23/2009 | MFR | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 02/17/2009 | 02/17/2009 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Dorman is recalling 979 steering knuckles, dorman p/nos. 697-902 and 697-903, sold under dorman's oe solutionstm brand name, and napa p/nos. 7-8502 and 7-8503 which were sold for replacement use on the various vehicles listed above. a potential material or design defect could result in the steering knuckle breaking in the hub area. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | A broken steering knuckle could result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without warning. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dorman will notify owners and replace the defective steering knuckles free of charge and reimburse the repair facility or owner for labor. the recall began on february 23, 2009. owners may contact dorman's toll-free hotline at 1-800-523-2492. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket dorman steering knuckles and has no relation to any original equipment installed on vehicles manufactured by general motors corporation.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 060232009 | 08/01/2007 | 060232009A | 10022924 | Overview of steering system noises. *nj | 10/05/2007 |
| 050232007 | 11/01/2005 | 10018690 | Power steering moan or groan noise while driving. *jb | 01/10/2006 | |
| 01-02-32-001 | 04/01/2008 | 010232001O | 618086 | Concerns with clunk noise from front of vehicle turning maneuver / steering wheel rotation.*jb (lubricate or replace intermediate shaft as appropriate). updated 10/05/07. *nj updated 4/1/08. *nj updated 7/1/2008 *pe | 04/03/2001 |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | |||||
| PIC-5318 | 02/01/2010 | 10034425 | Chevrolet/pontiac: power steering hose retrofit procedure for v8. supplement to campaign 09132 and bulletin 06-02-32-014. parts listed in bulletin no longer available for vehicles with a v8 engine. when ordering and receiving correct po | 11/15/2010 | |
| PB-09132 | 11/01/2009 | 10032330 | Pontiac/chevrolet: power steering hose leak. vehicles may have a condition in which the power steering cooler line may leak or split. when started in cold weather, the pressure on the hose is substantially higher than in warmer weather a | 03/05/2010 | |
| 060232014 | 11/01/2006 | 10020769 | Power steering fluid leak. *kb | 01/09/2007 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | |||||
| 06072 | 10/01/2006 | 10020657 | Power steering hose leak. *kb | 12/08/2006 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | ||||||
| PE09025 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/13/2009 | 10/02/2009 | POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS - FIRES | ||
| General motors (gm) initiated a customer satisfaction campaign in october of 2006 to address a failure of the power steering hose and/or clamps that could occur when the engine is started in vehicles primarily operated in the following states that experience extremely cold temperatures:alaska, maine, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin and wyoming.at the time this preliminary evaluation (pe) was opened, only 1 of the 33 complaints received by the office of defects investigation (odi) was from a state covered by the customer satisfaction campaign.in response to an information request sent by the odi, gm provided information that included 6 alleged fires and 1 alleged minor crash potentially related to the alleged defect. one of the alleged fires is a duplicate of a report received by odi.of the fire incidents, 2 of the 6 alleged fire incidents occurred after the remedy detailed in the customer satisfaction program was performed.one of the vehicles was totaled as a result of the incident.it is undetermined whether the incidents were related to the alleged defect or were a by product of the repair.of the other four alleged fire incidents, 1 incident involved smoke only and no visible flames.based on the information provided, the remaining 3 fire incidents were localized events that primarily involved damage to the power steering components and surrounding wiring.all 3 of these vehicles were subsequently repaired.none of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was unattended.odi is aware of 1 additional alleged fire incident that was not included in gm's information request response.based on the consumer's description of the incident, the fire was quickly extinguished by a friend and the vehicle was subsequently repaired at a dealership.in total odi is aware of 6 alleged fire incidents where the consumer alleged flames were visible.all of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was still attended. odi is aware 1 minor crash alleged to be related to a power steering fluid leak.the consumer alleged a minor crash occurred as the consumer was attempting to pull into a driveway and had difficulty negotiating the turn due to experiencing high power steering efforts and struck a snow bank.in a letter dated september 21, 2009, gm informed odi that a customer satisfaction program will commence in december of 2009 for the entire us. as a remedy the power steering hose assembly for vehicles with v8 engines and the power steering return hose and clamps for vehicles with v6 engines will be replaced with upgraded components.based on the low frequencies and minor severities of the alleged fire incidents and crash,no safety related defect trend has been identified in the subject vehicles.gm's expanded customer satisfaction program will provide free repairs to vehicles excluded from the original campaign.accordingly, this investigation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. | ||||||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID | ||||||
| PE09025 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/13/2009 | 10/02/2009 | POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS - FIRES | ||
| General motors (gm) initiated a customer satisfaction campaign in october of 2006 to address a failure of the power steering hose and/or clamps that could occur when the engine is started in vehicles primarily operated in the following states that experience extremely cold temperatures:alaska, maine, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin and wyoming.at the time this preliminary evaluation (pe) was opened, only 1 of the 33 complaints received by the office of defects investigation (odi) was from a state covered by the customer satisfaction campaign.in response to an information request sent by the odi, gm provided information that included 6 alleged fires and 1 alleged minor crash potentially related to the alleged defect. one of the alleged fires is a duplicate of a report received by odi.of the fire incidents, 2 of the 6 alleged fire incidents occurred after the remedy detailed in the customer satisfaction program was performed.one of the vehicles was totaled as a result of the incident.it is undetermined whether the incidents were related to the alleged defect or were a by product of the repair.of the other four alleged fire incidents, 1 incident involved smoke only and no visible flames.based on the information provided, the remaining 3 fire incidents were localized events that primarily involved damage to the power steering components and surrounding wiring.all 3 of these vehicles were subsequently repaired.none of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was unattended.odi is aware of 1 additional alleged fire incident that was not included in gm's information request response.based on the consumer's description of the incident, the fire was quickly extinguished by a friend and the vehicle was subsequently repaired at a dealership.in total odi is aware of 6 alleged fire incidents where the consumer alleged flames were visible.all of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was still attended. odi is aware 1 minor crash alleged to be related to a power steering fluid leak.the consumer alleged a minor crash occurred as the consumer was attempting to pull into a driveway and had difficulty negotiating the turn due to experiencing high power steering efforts and struck a snow bank.in a letter dated september 21, 2009, gm informed odi that a customer satisfaction program will commence in december of 2009 for the entire us. as a remedy the power steering hose assembly for vehicles with v8 engines and the power steering return hose and clamps for vehicles with v6 engines will be replaced with upgraded components.based on the low frequencies and minor severities of the alleged fire incidents and crash,no safety related defect trend has been identified in the subject vehicles.gm's expanded customer satisfaction program will provide free repairs to vehicles excluded from the original campaign.accordingly, this investigation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. | ||||||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | ||||||
| PE09025 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/13/2009 | 10/02/2009 | POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS - FIRES | ||
| General motors (gm) initiated a customer satisfaction campaign in october of 2006 to address a failure of the power steering hose and/or clamps that could occur when the engine is started in vehicles primarily operated in the following states that experience extremely cold temperatures:alaska, maine, minnesota, montana, new hampshire, north dakota, south dakota, vermont, wisconsin and wyoming.at the time this preliminary evaluation (pe) was opened, only 1 of the 33 complaints received by the office of defects investigation (odi) was from a state covered by the customer satisfaction campaign.in response to an information request sent by the odi, gm provided information that included 6 alleged fires and 1 alleged minor crash potentially related to the alleged defect. one of the alleged fires is a duplicate of a report received by odi.of the fire incidents, 2 of the 6 alleged fire incidents occurred after the remedy detailed in the customer satisfaction program was performed.one of the vehicles was totaled as a result of the incident.it is undetermined whether the incidents were related to the alleged defect or were a by product of the repair.of the other four alleged fire incidents, 1 incident involved smoke only and no visible flames.based on the information provided, the remaining 3 fire incidents were localized events that primarily involved damage to the power steering components and surrounding wiring.all 3 of these vehicles were subsequently repaired.none of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was unattended.odi is aware of 1 additional alleged fire incident that was not included in gm's information request response.based on the consumer's description of the incident, the fire was quickly extinguished by a friend and the vehicle was subsequently repaired at a dealership.in total odi is aware of 6 alleged fire incidents where the consumer alleged flames were visible.all of the alleged fire incidents occurred while the vehicle was still attended. odi is aware 1 minor crash alleged to be related to a power steering fluid leak.the consumer alleged a minor crash occurred as the consumer was attempting to pull into a driveway and had difficulty negotiating the turn due to experiencing high power steering efforts and struck a snow bank.in a letter dated september 21, 2009, gm informed odi that a customer satisfaction program will commence in december of 2009 for the entire us. as a remedy the power steering hose assembly for vehicles with v8 engines and the power steering return hose and clamps for vehicles with v6 engines will be replaced with upgraded components.based on the low frequencies and minor severities of the alleged fire incidents and crash,no safety related defect trend has been identified in the subject vehicles.gm's expanded customer satisfaction program will provide free repairs to vehicles excluded from the original campaign.accordingly, this investigation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 10/29/2009 | 79000 | ||
| I am currently having problems with my steering at different intervals. when taking the interstate exits on 4 recent occassions my power steering fails and it is hard to turn the steering without veering into another lane. i am also having lack of power streering intermittently when i am not accelerating or when i come to a stop light. this morning when turning the wheels the power steering pump is making a loud noise. i have had this problem 4 times before and the power steering pump has been replaced and i have had the steering gear (re-conditioned) replaced 3 times. i checked the power steering fluid and it is full. this is costly and dangerous when it occurs. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 39480 | ||
| Power steering became increasingly difficult to manuever, accompanied by gradually worsening noise. upon inspection, noted that power steering fluid reservoir was empty. added fluid which temporarily alleviated both problems. after driving car approximately 25 miles, problem returned and fluid was again empty. attempted to add fluid again and noted that it was leaking profusely, leaving a large puddle beneath the vehicle. researched issue on the internet to identify likely cause and recommended action and discovered that gm/chevrolet was already aware of this particular problem, specifically with the year, make and model of my vehicle. i parked the vehicle and contacted the dealer to make arrangements to have it serviced. due to the possibility or likelihood (based on past history) of a vehicle fire, the dealer had the vehicle towed to their location. | |||
| 11/15/2008 | 26000 | ||
| I have a 2006 chevy monte carlo (v6) and the power steering return hose has exploded 3 times.i asked the dealer to change the power steering pump, but he claimed it was a design flaw and he gets at least one monte carlo per week with the same problem. i now open the cap to the power steering fluid reservoir everyday to relieve the pressure. you can actually hear the pressure release like when you open a can of soda. i haven't had any problems since, bit i don't take the car on long trips and if i do the pressure may increase to the point where the hose blows again. this is a very dangerous problem considering i nearly crashed twice because the hose blew in mid turn. | |||
| 04/18/2008 | 37567 | 1 | |
| Failure of both outer tie-rod ends. caused car to have loose steering and wander about road. replaced at cost of $219.00. *tr | |||
| 11/08/2009 | 54403 | 1 | |
| Complete power steering failure in a curved intersection. heard a whine in motor for about a week before the event. was able to complete the turn and drive the six blocks to home using very hard manual steering. had to have a new power steering pump installed for $336.00. *tr | |||
| 09/20/2007 | 10000 | 1 | |
| 2006 chevrolet monte carlo lt w/ flexfuel engine. 1. i was exiting a highway and the steering became stiff and hard to control. it progressively got worse. 2. a power steering hose ruptured/split, total failure of hydraulic assisted steering. 3. part was replace by dealer via warranty replacement. dealer said they were aware of a raising trend, but no recall was issued. *tr | |||
| 03/22/2009 | 63400 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet monte carlo. while driving 55 mph, the contact lost control of the steering. he was able to slow down the vehicle and maneuver to the shoulder. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the power steering hose failed. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of $123. the contact called the manufacturer and was informed that no compensation would be provided because there were no recalls. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 63,400 and current mileage was 63,502. | |||
| 01/21/2008 | 45000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet monte carlo. while driving approximately 25 mph, the power steering suddenly failed. the failure has occurred approximately ten times and only in cold temperatures. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice and they stated that the clamp at the end of the power steering lines was the cause of the failure. the clamp has been replaced at least six times by dealers and private mechanics; however, it has only been a temporary remedy. the length of the remedy depends on the temperature outside. the repair can last for two days or as long as three weeks. the contact called the manufacturer numerous times, but they refuse to repair the vehicle. they stated that he was responsible for the repairs. through online research, the contact has found numerous complaints for the same failure. the vehicle has still not been repaired properly. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 45,000 and current mileage was 55,000. | |||
| 12/24/2008 | 1 | ||
| I have a 2006 monte carlo w/35k miles, clean title. took it to chevy 2 months after purchasing it in august, 08. steering issues appeared, very dangerous when driving. chevy, repaired the issue, but 3 days later, the problem re-appeared while parking to move out the way for a car coming at a fast speed and almost got hit due to the defective steering. this scared my brothers 10 month old baby and we knew this had to be resolved. i'm not quite sure what i can do as this issue seems to be repaired but it is a very dangerous issue and i'm sure if you research it, you will noticed it is on a vast majority of gm vehicles. please advise as to what i can do. i'm currently financing the vehicle, and would like to plane and simple cancel the contract. i'm afraid something worse down the road is possible of happening, and don't want a child to be apart of the scenario in the event it is a crash. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2007 | 1000 | 1 | |
| I bought my 2006 monte carlo, it has less than 23,000 miles on it. i have experienced continued harsh shifting/slippage of the transmission since i purchased it. i have had it in the local chevy dealership a few different times and they are not able to diagnose the problem. they say they can't fix it if it doesn't shift hard for them when they have it. just yesterday i had to have it towed to the chevy dealership because it blew a power steering hose. *tr | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 58500 | 1 | |
| While sitting at a stop light my 2006 monte carlo unloaded it's power steering fluid on the pavement. the return hose had failed. this appears to be a common occurrence as it is the second time this happened in 3 years of ownership. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2006 | 1000 | 01/30/2006 | |
| I have a 2006 chev. monte-carlo, bought new with 9 miles on it. i complained to my dealership ( cooper chev. anniston al. ) about the car had a light shifting movement from left to right in the front of the car,( at 90 miles a hr. the card will dart to the left into the other lane )also a very loud wind noise coming from the windshield area,my dealership drove my car and said yes your car have a movement in the front end,and a wind noise coming from the windshield, they had me to test drive another monte carlo and it did the same as my car did, so my dealership said you do not have a problem with the car, since the two cars have the same thing, its normal for this car to do this. you have no problem. my dealership never even looked at my car,never raised the hood,i took my car to another dealership, they test drove my car and stated you have wind noise coming from both doors, the windshield, the bumper is loose, the grill is loose, the wiper blades are mounted too hi, i told my dealership about this and they said, i know them they can't find there way out of the rain with out help. i took my car to another dealership, they help a lot fixed some things wrong, but could not fix the wind noise, or find anything wrong with the front end,my car has a safety issue with the front end shifting or floating from side to side, i can not get a gm person to look at my car,or any help because my dealership keeps saying i do not have a problem. since 2 cars do the same thing. i need help with this problem. *nm | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN | |||
| 11/14/2009 | 40000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet monte carlo. when driving the steering column became loose. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the steering column was replaced. the current and failure mileages were 40000. | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX - SHAFT PITMAN | |||
| 01/05/2007 | 19018 | 5 | 12/31/2006 |
| I heard a noise in my steering. it would make the noise when you turn the wheel left or right. i took it to the dealership to be fixed. the first time(1/5/07) i took it in they replaces both inner and outer tie rod boots. the second time(4/4/07) they said there was nothing. the third time they greased it. the fourth time(9/19/07) they replaced intermediate shaft. the fifth time(11/14/07) replaced shaft again. *tr | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 58000 | 1 | 01/16/2007 |
| Leaving a place of business and had unexpected loss of power steering. pulled into another parking lot and discovered a puddle of power steering fluid under car. drove 20 miles home with no power steering. husband discovered low pressure return power steering hose had failed (hole in hose). *tr | |||
| 01/20/2008 | 56485 | 2 | 09/05/2006 |
| Power steering fluid leak in fluid return hose. *cn | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 08/23/2007 | 23300 | 1 | 01/05/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet monte carlo. while pulling into a driveway at 4 mph, the vehicle became impossible to steer. the mount that holds the rack and pinion steering failed and both front wheels were headed in opposite directions. the front of the vehicle bounced up and down a few inches above the ground. the contact turned off the vehicle and had it towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that they have never before seen this type of failure and will replace the steering rack. the current and failure mileages were 23,300. | |||