# 1998 BUICK CENTURY — STEERING:RACK AND PINION
> NHTSA complaint `122191` · 1998-11-03 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BUICK
- **Model:** CENTURY
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** STEERING:RACK AND PINION
- **Speed:** 15 mph
## Narrative
I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 15 MPH DOWN DRIVEWAY AT WORK-CAR OVERSTEERED CRASHING INTO SIDE OF BUILDING-IMPACT SO INTENSE MY HEAD HIT REARVIEW MIRROR, BREAKING IT AND WINDSHIELD. ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF CAR (FRAME, TIE ROD, SUSPENSION,ETC.) IS DAMAGED.  NATIONWIDE INS. INVESTIGATOR PROVIDED ME WITH A COPY OF GM MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUED 11/17/97 REGARDING POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK FROM MAGNASTEER ACUTATOR PIGTAIL AREA FOR 1998  W,C,G &H BODY VEHICLES.  THE LEAK ORIGINATES FROM THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE MAGNA STEER ACTUATOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER.  THE CORRECTION SUGGESTED IS TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR AND FOLLOW UP WITH VME PRODUCT REPORT.  MY CAR HAS BEEN AT COOK BUICK EVERY 3000 TO 3500 MILES FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING FLUID LEVEL CHECKS, AND THIS WAS NEVER CAUGHT. ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR, MY CAR  HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS. HAD I BEEN GOING ANY FASTER WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO TELL YOU THIS! I COMPLAINED TO BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE - REFERENCE NO. 980168019 AND I GOT NOWHERE.  THEY SAY THE LEAK IN THE RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR WAS CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT!  MY INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR HAS PICTURES THAT PROVE OTHERWISE.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*