Recall campaign: power steering gear recall. *nm the consumer had difficulty keeping the steering from wandering after the recall repair was done, the consumer had no problems with the vehicle prior. Recall# 02v286000. *sc after having the vehicle in the dealer 3 times the rack and pinion was finally replaced in which the consumer stated should have been included in the recall. The consumer is requesting reimbursement.
1996 Chevrolet Cavalier: pulls to one side
5 of the 503 complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier describe pulls to one side.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for this area of the car. See below
Pulls to one side by model year
- 20051
- 20033
- 19976
- 19965
- 19951
- 19941
What owners say
While driving on a back road between 25-30 MPH vehicle started pulling to left. This resulted in the vehicle crashing into an embankment. Upon impact, the vehicle turned around and went backwards 15 yards. The vehicle was totaled. The driver had to climb out of the window to exist the vehicle. The police officer indicated that this occurred due to an equipment failure. The axle broke on the rear passenger wheel.
The vehicle pulled to the left and the steering wheel was not aligned.
When applying the brakes the vehicle pulls to the left and the vehicle will start to vibrate, causing the steering wheel to shake.
Failure of the driver's and passenger's side seats, the driver's and passenger's side seats did not lock, the consumer was involved in a rear end collision and the passenger's side seat moved forward. Also, clutch pedal clicks when depressed/front end misaligned, causing vehicle to pull to the left/dome light inoperative at times when opening left door.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Steering: rack and pinion
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
- Risk
- If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- 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 january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 02V286000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier pulling
Is pulls to one side a common problem on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
5 of 503 owner complaints about the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier (1%) mention pulls to one side. The model year with the most reports is 1997.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier?
There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
Stalling 33ABS 28No deployment 17Check engine light 17Brake failure 13Fire or smoke 13Loss of power 12Overheating 12Transmission failure 12Won't start 11Engine failure 9Headlights 9Seat belt 9Steering lock-up 9Knocking 7Fuel pump 6Jerking 5Power steering loss 5
VIN decoder
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