The defect
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH MISSING OR UNDER-TORQUED STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT BOLTS. IF A BOLT IS MISSING, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE UNEVEN STEERING RESPONSE OR UNUSUAL NOISES DURING TURNS.
The risk
IF THE LEFT BOLT IS MISSING AND THE RIGHT MOUNTING STRAP FAILS, STEERING CONTROL IS LOST AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES FOR PRESENCE AND PROPER TORQUE OF BOTH STEERING GEAR BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 5, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300 OR CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Buick LeSabre | 2002 |
| Cadillac Deville | 2002 |
| Cadillac Seville | 2002 |
Components: STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buick LeSabre | 2002 | 310 | 2 |
| Cadillac Deville | 2002 | 176 | 5 |
| Cadillac Seville | 2002 | 45 | 2 |
Other steering recalls in 2002
26 of the 434 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2002 concerned the steering; GENERAL MOTORS CORP. filed 1,195 campaigns in all.
| 02V330000 12 Dec 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 02V326000 2 Dec 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 02V289000 6 Nov 2002 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 02V294000 6 Nov 2002 | PIERCE MANUFACTURING,INC. |
| 02V286000 4 Nov 2002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
| 02V285000 23 Oct 2002 | BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES, LLC |
| 02V037007 8 Oct 2002 | PIERCE MANUFACTURING,INC. |
| 02V265000 25 Sept 2002 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2002