1996-1998 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Lumina and others recall: rack and pinion

General Motors Corp. reported this safety recall on December 11, 2003. It covers about 750,283 vehicles.

vehicles affected: 750,283
reported: Dec 11, 2003
owners notified: Feb 5, 2004
related complaints: 703

Steering: rack and pinion

What is wrong: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers 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 on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080; chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537; or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.

Recall number 03V527000

Affected vehicles

Buick Regal 1996-1998 1996 1997 1998
Chevrolet Lumina 1997-1998 1997 1998
Chevrolet Malibu 1997-1998 1997 1998
Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1997-1998 1997 1998
Oldsmobile Cutlass 1997-1998 1997 1998
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996-1997 1996 1997
Oldsmobile Intrigue 1998 1998
Pontiac Grand Prix 1996 1996

Owner complaints about the same problem

Owners of these vehicles have filed 703 complaints about steering problems.

1996 Buick Regal 1997 Buick Regal 1998 Buick Regal 1997 Chevrolet Lumina 1998 Chevrolet Lumina 1997 Chevrolet Malibu 1998 Chevrolet Malibu 1997 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass 1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass

Questions about recall 03V527000

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

Yes. Recall 03V527000, reported on December 11, 2003, covers about 750,283 vehicles.

What is the fix for recall 03V527000?

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 on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080; chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537; or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.

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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