1997 Pontiac Trans Sport steering problems

“DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS OF THE POWER STEERING RACK THE WELDS WHERE THE POWER STEERING RACK BOLTED TO THE FRAME CRACKED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTED EXPENSE. *AK”

“I WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO PARALLEL PARK NEXT TO THE CURB, THEN I HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE. WHEN I WENT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IT BEGAN VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. AFTER LEAVING THE STORE AND FROM THAT POINT ON EVERY ATTEMPT I MADE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I NOTICED LEAKING COMING FROM UNDER MY VAN. I CALLED THE LOCATION PONTIAC DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE MY STEERING PROBLEM AND THEY INDICATED THAT THE VAN HAD BEEN SERVICED FOR A RECALL IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 FOR THE RACK AND PINION RECALL SOMETHING RELATED TO THE STEERING. SO I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR THE RECALL AND IT MENTIONED THE SAME EXACTLY PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING NOW. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP BACK AND THEY SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS ALREADY DONE ONCE. I TOLD THEM IT IS DOING THE SAME EXACTLY THING, AND WHEN I WENT TO CHECK THE STEERING ONE MORE TIME I NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE UNDER MY VAN OF REDDISH BROWN FLUID. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS TRANSMISSION LEAKING AND WHEN I TURN THE ENGINE ON THE FLUID CAME POURING OUT LIKE A FAUCET. I CONTACTED A TRANSMISSION SHOP TO TAKE A LOOK AT MY VAN AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE AXLE WAS PULLED…”

“DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THE RIGHT AND LEFT STEERING KNUCKLES WERE CRACKED, RIGHT WHERE THE TIE ROD KNUCKLE CONNECTS. THE CONSUMER WAS DOING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS. THE CONSUMER THINKS BECAUSE THEY ARE MADE OF ALUMINUM, IT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF OLD AGE. *JB”

“WIFE MAKING LEFT TURN ONTO BUSY ROAD, VAN WOULD NOT RESPOND TO TO TURNING THE WHEEL. SIDE IMPACT AT 40 MILE + FROM SEMI. INJURIES SUSTAINED BY WIFE, BROKEN HIP CRUSHED LEFT ARM , FRACTURED TAIL BONE AND FRACTURED BASE OF SKULL. DAUGHTER AND FRIEND ALSO INJURED BUT RELEASED WITH MINOR INJURIES. WE DID NOT KNOW THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VAN UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THAT IS WHEN I RECIEVED THE RECALL NOTICE. NOTHING COULD BE DONE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE VAN HAD BEEN CRUSHED INTO A CUBE OF SCRAP METAL. I WAITED THIS LONG TO FILE A COMPLANT DUE TO LEGAL ADVICE, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THE BIG GUY ALMOST ALWAYS WINS. WE RECIEVED NO COMPENSATION FROM GM.”

“THE STEERING RACK FAILED ON MY 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT APPROX 14 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS RECALLED AND A PINON BEARING CHANGED IN THE RACK. THE ORIGINAL RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE BEARING FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT LOCKING OF THE STEERING RACK ON LEFT HAND TURNS. THE RECALL FAILED BECAUSE THE BEARING FAILED ( 14 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS CHANGED OUT). THE FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT IF CONDITIONS WERE RIGHT. FORTUNATLY NO PERSONS WERE INJURED WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP”

“TODAYS DATE- DEC 15TH, 2004.HAVE HAD 1997 PONTIAC TRANSPORT FOR ALMOST 1 YR. I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THE RACK AND PINION ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP.*AK REGARDING OPERATION OF THE RACK & PINION, THE TROUBLE STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I FIRST NOTICED PROBLEMS W/THE STEERING WHILE BACKING OUT. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN POWER STEERING, CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT WAS FULL. NOT TERRIBLE PROBLEMS, BUT LITTLE ENOUGH TO NOTICE SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. IT HAS NOW GOTTEN A LITTLE WORSE, SO I HAD IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THE TERRIBLE NEWS JUST THIS VERY DAY.”