ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL STUD NUT/WASHER ASSEMBLIES WITH WASHERS WERE MADE OF THE WRONG MATERIAL. THE WASHERS MAY FRACTURE AND BECOME LOOSE OR FALL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE, REDUCING CLAMP LOAD. SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM BALL STUD AND STEERING KNUCKLE, DUE TO DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TAPERED ATTACHMENT AND RETAINING NUT, IS POSSIBLE.
Safety risk
IF THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATES FROM THE KNUCKLE, THE AFFECTED CORNER OF THE VEHICLE WILL DROP AND THE CONTROL ARM WOULD BE FORCED DOWNWARD, CONTACTING THE WHEEL. THE AFFECTED WHEEL COULD TILT OUTWARD AND CREATE A DRAGGING ACTION THAT WOULD TEND TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND CREATE A TENDENCY FOR THE VEHICLE TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AFFECTED WHEEL. IN EXTREME SITUATIONS, THE AFFECTED WHEEL ASSEMBLY COULD SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WOULD ALSO SEVER THAT WHEEL;S HYDRAULIC BRAKE HOSE AND RESULT IN DIMINISHED BRAKING PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BALL STUD JOINTS AND MEASURE THE TORQUE OF THE NUT FOR ALL FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS IN ALL MODELS AFFECTED AS WELL AS THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THE XLR AND CORVETTE. IF THE TORQUE IS NOT AT SPECIFICATION, THE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BALL STUD, THE KNUCKLE, AND THE NUT. IF THE TORQUE IS AT SPECIFICATION, THE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE NUT/WASHER ASSEMBLY ONLY. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON AUGUST 25, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC COLUMN LOCK SYSTEMS (ECL), WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO "LOCK," THE ECL SYSTEM PREVENTS TURNING OF THE STEERING SYSTEM. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ECL UNLOCKS THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED SO THAT IF THE COLUMN FAILS TO UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED AND THE CUSTOMER TRIES TO DRIVE, THE FUEL SUPPLY WILL BE SHUT OFF SO THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT MOVE WHEN THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE STEERED. IF VOLTAGE AT THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE IS LOW OR INTERRUPTED, HOWEVER, THE FUEL SHUT OFF MAY NOT OCCUR AND THE VEHICLE CAN BE ACCELERATED WHILE THE STEERING SYSTEM IS LOCKED. ALSO WHEN THE CONTROL SYSTEM SHOWS THAT THE ECL IS UNLOCKED AND THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, THE LOCK PIN LOCATION CAN VARY. DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCK PLATE RELATIVE TO THE SWITCH TRANSITION POINT, THERE COULD THEN BE CONTACT BETWEEN THE LOCK PLATE AND PIN CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING .
Safety risk
IF THIS OCCURS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.
Manufacturer remedy
ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL DISABLE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK BY REMOVING THE COLUMN LOCK PLATE. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WILL LOCK BUT THE STEERING COLUMN WILL NOT LOCK. ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER WILL REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL CHECK OF THE COLUMN LOCK AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE LOCK PLATE. THE STEERING COLUMN ON THESE VEHICLES WILL CONTINUE TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED. OWNER NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS OF 1997 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2004. OWNERS OF 1998 THROUGH 2004 VEHICLES (EXCEPT 1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING ON AUGUST 2, 2004. THE REMAINING OWNERS (1997-1998 MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES) WILL BE NOTIFIED LATER IN 2004, WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Fuel system, gasoline
78
34,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
52
37,954 mi
Steering
26
36,317 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
12
23,000 mi
Electrical system
8
23,312 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
8
56,480 mi
Service brakes
7
56,480 mi
Steering: column locking: anti-theft device
7
19,786 mi
Traction control system
5
37,550 mi
Air bags
3
88,010 mi
Steering: column
3
14,600 mi
Vehicle speed control
3
37,550 mi
Visibility: power window devices and controls
3
20,000 mi
Engine
2
30,000 mi
Exterior lighting
2
24,379 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
2
1,341 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
2
23,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline: storage
2
100 mi
Structure: body: roof and pillars
2
8,100 mi
Suspension
2
9,777 mi
Unknown or other
2
58,000 mi
Air bags: frontal
1
55,000 mi
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
1
130,000 mi
Electrical system: ignition
1
30,000 mi
Electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module
1
—
Electrical system: wiring: fuses and circuit breakers
1
—
Electronic stability control: automatic (ASC)
1
55,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine
1
25,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
1
18,550 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
1
22,747 mi
Fuel system, other
1
26,667 mi
Fuel system, other: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
1
11,982 mi
Interior lighting
1
130,000 mi
Parking brake
1
—
Power train: clutch assembly
1
25,000 mi
Power train: manual transmission
1
25,000 mi
Seats: front assembly: power adjust
1
725 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
35,400 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
1
40,929 mi
Steering: linkages
1
3,937 mi
Structure
1
30,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: cruise control
1
—
Visibility
1
30,000 mi
Wheels
1
69,400 mi
The 2003 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. The 2005 model has about a third as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.