1996-1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, Chevrolet Lumina Apv and others recall: rack and pinion

General Motors Corp. reported this safety recall on November 4, 2002. It covers about 1,159,156 vehicles.

vehicles affected: 1,159,156
reported: Nov 4, 2002
owners notified: Jan 24, 2003
related complaints: 803

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

Affected vehicles

Chevrolet Cavalier 1996-1998 1996 1997 1998
Chevrolet Lumina Apv 1996 1996
Chevrolet Venture 1997-1998 1997 1998
Oldsmobile Silhouette 1996-1998 1996 1997 1998
Pontiac Grand Prix 1997-1998 1997 1998
Pontiac Sunfire 1996-1998 1996 1997 1998
Pontiac Trans Sport 1996-1998 1996 1997 1998

Owner complaints about the same problem

Owners of these vehicles have filed 803 complaints about steering problems.

1996 Chevrolet Cavalier 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier 1996 Chevrolet Lumina Apv 1997 Chevrolet Venture 1998 Chevrolet Venture 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette 1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix 1996 Pontiac Sunfire

Questions about recall 02V286000

Is there a recall on the 1996-1998 Chevrolet Cavalier, Chevrolet Lumina Apv and others rack and pinion?

Yes. Recall 02V286000, reported on November 4, 2002, covers about 1,159,156 vehicles.

What is the fix for recall 02V286000?

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.

Is the recall repair free?

Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers. A dealer can confirm with the VIN whether a specific vehicle is included and whether the repair has already been done.

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