NHTSA campaign 03V527000 · Manufacturer campaign 03062
GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Recall 03V-527: GM/STEERING GEAR BEARINGS
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 03V527000 (Manufacturer campaign 03062) was reported by GENERAL MOTORS CORP. on December 11, 2003, with 750,283 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Buick Regal, Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Malibu and more for model years 1996–1998. Owners were notified on February 5, 2004, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 03V527000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 03V527000 (also written 03V-527 or 03V527)
- Filed by
- GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Manufacturer campaign number
- 03062
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 750,283 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Steering — Rack and Pinion
- Owners notified
- NHTSA investigation
- Engineering Analysis EA03-019 (per NHTSA's investigations file)
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 03V527000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Buick
Buick Regal
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Lumina
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Oldsmobile Intrigue
- 1998 · Vehicles built November 1, 1996 – October 31, 1997 (per NHTSA)
Pontiac
Pontiac Grand Prix
- 1996 · Vehicles built January 1, 1996 – April 30, 1996 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 03V527000.
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
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.
Manufacturer 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.
Notes
GM RECALL NO. 03062.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 03V527000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.