1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE Complaints

STEERING TO THE LEFT EXTREMELY HARD WHEN THE CAR IS COLD. ONCE IT WARMS UP IT IMPROVES. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I GO TO DRIVE THE CAR, UNLESS I LET IT WARM UP FOR 10 MINUTES. *AK

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF OIL PUMP WITHOUT WARNING (I.E., OIL PRESSURE LAMP DID NOT REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER ENGINE START) RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE. *LA

A CLUNKY NOISE ORIGINATING IN THE FRONT END OF MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE REQUIRED A $150 STEERING COLUMN LUBRICATION TO REPAIR. THIS PROBLEM IS DETAILED IN TWO TSB'S ON NHSTA'S WEB SITE: #051101 AND 010232001B. I CONSIDER THIS CHARGE OUTRAGEOUS BASED ON THE FACT THAT IN THE NEARLY 50 YEARS I'VE OWNED CARS, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A STEERING COLUMN REQUIRING LUBRICATION. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN EITHER A DESIGN OR A MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT GM IS MAKING ITS CUSTOMERS PAY FOR OVER AND OVER RATHER THAN CORRECTING. *LA

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN. ALSO NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID SO THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING.

STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS WAS CAUSED BY RACK AND PINION FAILURE. THE PARTS NEED TO BE REPLACED.*AK *PH *NLM

I HAVE COMPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT MY STEERING LOCKING UP ON OCCASION. THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED A COUPLE TIMES AND NOTED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY OCCURRED DURING WET WEATHER AT SLOWING SPEEDS (10-15MPH WITH BRAKES APPLIED), BUT ADDED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER EVEN WITH THE FULL FORCE OF MY BODY WEIGHT APPLIED TO ATTEMPT TO TURN THE WHEEL. I AM FEARFUL THAT THE PROBLEM COULD OCCUR AT HIGHER SPEEDS BUT LUCKILY HAVEN'T YET. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES AND IS FRIGHTENING TO SAY THE LEAST. INCE THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE OFFERED NO SOLUTION.*AK

STEERING COLUMN PRODUCES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WHICH CAUSES A LOT OF PLAY IN THE WHEEL. *AK *TS

WHILE MAKING A HARD LEFT TURN DRIVER WOULD HEAR A LOUD CLANKING NOISE UNDER THE FLOORBOARD. STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK UP. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO MAKE EITHER A SOFT LEFT OR RIGHT TURN TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO RACK AND PINION FAILURE. THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED.*AK

I RECENTLY READ AN ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE IN THE PAPER ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION INTO A STEERING DEFECT IN THE 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AMONG OTHER CARS. I JUST HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING RACK REPLACED BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTY WHEN STEERING LEFT. THIS WAS THE SAME PROBLEM LISTED IN THE ARTICLE. *LA

GASOLINE EVAPORATION LEAK AT TANK HOSE CAUSING ENGINE WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. GM DEALER SAYS HOSE IS BROKE AT TANK AND ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE LENGTH OF HOSE AND FUEL TANK AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $780. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A ONE PIECE SEALED SYSTEM AND WOULD APPEAR THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL IF THE LEAK IS OCCURRING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE TWO ENDS. *LA