158 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue cite steering, 31% of all 518 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.
“VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER TURN TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I DON'T THINK RECALL 03052 WAS EVER DONE ON IT. CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE IT'S UNSAFE FOR ME AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC.”
“MY CAR WOULD MAKE NOISE AND RATTLE ALSO STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT , HAD TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION. THE 2 ND THING IS THAT MY CAR WOULD SHUT OFF ANY WHERE ANY TIME AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. NOW I FIND OUT THERE WERE RECALLS ON BOTH THESE THINGS WHICH I NEVER KNEW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, EXCEPT FOR THE REAR SEAT BELTS. NOW , I, MY FAMILY OR NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON THE ROAD COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED WHEN MY CAR SHUT OFF. I FIND OUT THAT GM KNEW ABOUT THESE THINGS AND NEVER TOLD ME? THAT MAKES ME VERY ANGRY AND I DON'T APPRECIATE ALL THE MONEY THAT FIXING THESE THINGS COST ME. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
“MY SON TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT BUT THE CAR KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. INSPECTION SHOWS NO LEAKS OR BREAKS ANYWHERE IN THE COLUMN... IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE STEERING "BOX" IDENTICAL TO PROBLEM DESCRIBED HERE: HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/AUTOS/OLDSMOBILE/INTRIGUE/RECALLS/000020836000202679000000008/RECALL.ASPX GM WAS CONTACTED AND CLAIMS THAT THE VIN NUMBER HAS NO OPEN RECALLS. *TR”
“A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS BACKING UP AND MY STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN TO THE LEFT. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A SERVICE STATION AND THEY TOLD ME THE RIVETS THAT HOLD THE ARM INSIDE THE RACK & PINION BROKE LOOSE AND THIS WAS THE REASON FOR THE HARD STEERING. REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW RACK AND PINION WHICH WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR AT THE TIME. SINCE THEN THE STEERING HAS GOTTEN WORSE. I DID SOME INVESTIGATION ON GM'S RECALLS AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE STEERING RACK & PINION 1. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V527000 (STEERING) 2. GM'S RECALL ID #64476 :STEERING: RACK AND PINION PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS RECALL IS VALID FOR MY CAR AND IF THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WILL HONOR THIS RECALL [XXX] *TR”
“KNEE JOSTLED KEY WHILE DRIVING WHICH TURNED IGNITION INTO OFF AND CAUSED ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO TURN OFF. WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY STOP CAR AND MANEUVER SAFELY. RESTARTED CAR ONCE STOPPED. *TR”
Showing 6 of 158 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" 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.
DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WELD CONNECTING THE INNER TUBE TO THE OUTER TUBE MAY BE DEFECTIVE.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.