ON HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY RAIN, VEHICLE LEFT ROADWAY ALONG SLIGHT CURVE BY FAILING TO TURN FRONT WHEELS AND HYDROPLANED STRAIGHT OFF PAVEMENT. VEHICLE THEN LEFT THE GROUND FLYING DOWNHILL, SMASHED FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BUMPER INTO AND THROUGH 10+ INCH TREE, SPUN 90 DEGREES CLOCKWISE BEFORE SIDE IMPACTING TWO 25+ INCH TREES AGAINST DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND REAR WHEEL, BEFORE COMING TO A STOP (ON STEEP HILL HELD BY THE TREES), TOTALING THE JIMMY. TOP OF VEHICLE HAD TO BE CUT OFF TO FREE DRIVER. POLICE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT ACCIDENT WAS FATALITY. VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED FAILURE TO TURN AFTER BRAKING LIGHTLY, LIKE BEFORE ENTERING DRIVEWAYS OR PARKING SPACES. STEERING WOULD LOCK IN STRAIGHT POSITION AND CAR HAD TO BE SHIFTED TO PARK AND RESTARTED BEFORE WHEEL COULD BE TURNED AGAIN. WHEN TAKEN TO WELL KNOWN AUTO SHOP FOR THIS STEERING ISSUE BEFORE ACCIDENT, SHOP STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS LOCATED IN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND WAS THEN REPAIRED. *TR