REFERENCE RECALL 02V286000-PONTIAC GRAND PRIX-1997-RACK AND PINION PROBLEM-MY SON MATT WAS DRIVING IN SNOWY WEATHER AND WAS MAKING A SLOW LEFT TURN INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE CAR VEERED TO THE RIGHT ON HIM AND HE HIT A UTILITY POLE. HE JUST ASSUMED THAT HE HIT ICE, ETC AND IT WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY MATT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE STEERING PROBLEM IN THE MAIL. I FILED A REPORT WITH PONTIAC - CLAIM NUMBER 1-72613849. THEY JUST NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY HAVE REJECTED THE CLAIM BECAUSE THE BALL BEARINGS WERE NOT VISIBLY BROKEN. MY CONTENTION IS THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE INTERMITENT CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEM TO OCCURR THAT RESULTED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER THE GEARS / ASSEMBLY MAY NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY DAMAGE THAT IS RECOGNIZABLE BY HUMAN INSPECTION. THAT'S ALL THEY ARE DOING NOW IS HAVING A MECHANIC PERFORM AN INSPECTION. SO IF THERE ARE MORE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN SUCH AS THESE, THAT THE CAR EXIBITS THESE SYMPTONS DURING A SLOW LEFT TURN AND GM REJECTS THE FAILURE BECAUSE A MECHANIC DID NOT SEE ANY OBVIOUS DAMAGE, THEN MAYBE THE PROBEM IS A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN GM NOW KNOWS. AS I TOLD GM YOU MAY THINK THAT YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT PLEASE JUST KEEP AN OPEN MIND.