1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

Defect. 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.

ENGINE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAS AN OILY SCENT AND HAS OIL DEPOSITS INSIDE.*AK

MRS. JONES OWNES A 1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME. ON MARCH 10, 2004, I ENTERED THE DRIVER SEAT OF THE SAID CAR TO DEPART FROM HOME. WHEN I ENGAGED THE IGNITION TO START THE CAR THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG STRUCK ME IN FACE, CAUSING INJURY.*AK

THE PLASTIC FASTENERS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FELL OFF. DRIVER'S SIDE THE SEAT BELT FASTENER CRACKED AND WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE LATCHED. DEALERSHIP DID NOT INDICATE WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THEY WERE JUST QUOTING THE REPLACING PRICE OF THE PART.*AK

AFTER HAVING RECALL 03V527000 PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE, I AM HAVING CLICKING NOISES EVERY TIME I TURN THE WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN BRAKING HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT REAR PISTONS WERE STUCK AND ENGAGED THE REAR BRAKES. REAR CALIPERS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. IT WAS NOT KNOWN HOW LONG THE VEHICLE WAS IN THIS CONDITION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THIS PROBLEM BESIDES THE NOISE. *AK *LA

RECALL 03V527000 CONCERNING STEERING GEAR BEARINGS FAILURE. CONSUMER WAS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP TO HAVE RECALL REPAIRS DONE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A LEAKING RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE RECALL WORK COULD BE DONE. REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK AND PINION WAS PART OF THE RECALLED PROBLEM. DEALER CHARGED THE CONSUMER FOR REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION. *AK THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE TRANSMISSION CABLE FROM THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HAD TO BE REPLACED *JB

CONSUMER WAS INJURED WHEN HER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AFTER SHE EXPERIENCED LOWER PINION BEARING SEPARATION. *PH *MR

WHEN BRAKING AND DRIVING HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED, WAS DETERMINED THAT REAR CALIPER SLIDES WERE FROZEN AND ENGAGED THE REAR BRAKES. REAR CALIPERS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER PULLED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND WENT INTO A DITCH. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

VEHICLE'S RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING. *LA *MR

MY VIN[XXX] IS NOT INCLUDED IN GM RECALL # 03V-527. MY 1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS DESCRIBED. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR FROM CALDWELL CLOVER CHEVROLET, AN AUTHORIZED GM FACILITY IS $843.00. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL EFFECTED AUTOMOBILES WITH THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED APPROX. 8 - 12 TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 MONTHS. ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS SAME CAR IS THE HORN. IT DOES NOT BLOW. AN AUTHORIZED GM FACILITY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM UNDER THE HOOD AND STATED IT IS IN THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE AIR BAG WHICH IS A TIMELY AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSTANT. THE HORN HAS NOT BLOWN IN OVER 1YEAR EXCEPT ON THE RARE OCCASION (APPROX. EVERY TWO MONTHS) IT WILL BLOW FOR LESS THAN 20 MIN. THEN STOP AGAIN.*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER STRUGGLED TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *SCC *JB

WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT AT 10 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. THE DEALER NEVER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT, IT FAILED AGAIN ONE MONTH LATER AND THE REPAIR SHOP REALIGNED THE POWER STEERING FLUID LINE. *SCC *JB

THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS TURN CORNERS.*AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. *NLM

WHEN PULLING TO THE LEFT OUT OF A PARKING PLACE I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO TURN. EVENTUALLY THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN EVEN WITH FORCE. WHILE TRYING TO TURN THE WHEEL A "SQUOOSHING" NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS THE STEERING WHEEL DID TURN, BUT WITH EXTREME DIFFICULTY, AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT STRAIGHT HOME (APPROXIMATELY 14 MILES). DURING THAT TIME I DID NOT MAKE ANY ABRUPT TURNS AND WAS VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVING ONLY 45 MPH AT THE MAXIMUM. UPON REACHING HOME I CONTACTED THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE, SINCE THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN ANY MAJOR DISTANCE. AFTER THE CAR WAS INSPECTED I WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE CAR TO BE OPERABLE. I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS ITEM SHOULD HAVE FAILED AT 6 YEARS SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY AND PROPERLY MAINTAINED. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE FULLY REIMBURSED BY THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER REPLACED RACK AND PINION AND RIGHT AXLE.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE LOWER PINION BEARING DAMAGED, DUST CAP MISSING, POWER STEERING PUMP LEAKING, SERPENTINE BELT CRACKED AND THE RIGHT AXLE BOOT TORN, WHICH CAUSED AXLE NOISE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION, AXLE SEAL, REPLACED AND RESEALED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND FLUSHED THE BRAKE AND POWER STEERING FLUID. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED AT THE LEFT REAR. THE BRAKE HOSE WAS TWISTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HOSE. *TS *NLM

PROBLEMS WITH SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH DASH. REQUEST INFORMATION ON VEHICLE AS FAR AS ACCURATE MILEAGE, LEMON CHECK AND RECALL CHECK.*MR DEALER REFUSED TO LET CONSUMER TRADE IN THE VEHICLE OR GIVE HER ANSWERS TO HER QUESTION. IN ADDITION, SHE REQUESTED INFORMATION ON ANY ACCIDENTS/RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. *PH THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY. *JB

THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAD DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED ON OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS.*JB