GM to recall 824,000 cars
 

GM Steering defect recall

DETROIT (CBS) General Motors Corp. is recalling approximately 824,000 cars because of a power steering defect that has led to at least eight injuries.

Most of the cars involved are in the United States, with about 55,000 in Canada are involved. All were made between Jan. 1, 1996, and Oct. 31, 1997, GM said Monday.

The models are the 1996 Buick Regal, 1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 1997-98 Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevrolet Lumina, Monte Carlo, Malibu and 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue cars. Also, some 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and 1997-98 Buick Regal cars are being recalled.

GM's Jim Shell said the vehicles become hard to steer when a lower pinion bearing fails, causing its shaft to move.

"If it moves too far, the drivers could experience even higher resistance when turning left," Shell told Jeff Gilbert of CBS radio station WWJ-AM Detroit. It usually happens at low speeds, he said.

Eight injuries have been reported that may be related to the defect, but no fatalities, the automaker said.

General Motors will begin instructing car owners by mail in February to bring the affected vehicles to dealers for repairs.

Believe it or not, I've actually had the symptoms that they describe. I drive a 1997 Cutlass Supreme, so I guess I'll talk to the dealer shortly, and figure out what the best course of action is.

That is quite a large number of cars to be recalling. Glad that no one got seriously injured though.

Thats huge, not quite as bad as the 1.2m that was recalled last year by one of our favorite Jap manufatures but still! This is where using the same damn part on every car is coming to bite GM in the butt.

wow, didn't know GM would recall cars that are about 6-8 years old

Pretty cool of them to do that...usually after so long of period of years a manufacturer could blame it on age...

Don't worry, GM didn't go willingly.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Association FORCED GM to recall the vehicles.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/040112/na_fi..._recall_4.html

GM has known about the problem for quite some time but was in full denial mode that there was even a problem. Only when the gov't forced them to take action did they.

It doesn't matter how old the cars are, when it comes to the public safety, GM has an obligation to ensure that the cars that they build are at least safe and this obligation outweighs any warrantee written or otherwise implied.

To all you anti government types out there, this is the kind of thing that demonstrates the effectiveness of government regulation in industry.

GM wouldn't "willingly" recall anything. Even if its cars were exploding half they time they were starting up, GM wouldn't recall them unless they were forced to.