ON APRIL 10, 1999 I WAS DRIVING ON SUNRISE HIGHWAY WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF MY STEERING. TRYING TO CENTER MY CAR IN THE LEFT LANE WHERE I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR WOULD SWING TO THE LEFT AT A SUBTLE TILT OF THE STEERING WHEEL IN THAT DIRECTION; AND WOULD LIKEWISE, SWING TO THE RIGHT WITH A TILT OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. BREAKING DID NOT SEEM TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN AT THIS POINT. I CONTINUED TO SUCCESSIVELY ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE CAR, SWINGING TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT UNTIL I ROAD ALONG THE GUARDRAIL IN THE RIGHT LANE, AT WHICH POINT THE REAR END OF THE CAR SWUNG AROUND TO HIT THE RAIL, BRINGING ME TO A COMPLETE STOP. A WITNESS WHO CAME TO MY AID AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THAT THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS SEEMED TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE, AND RECOMMENDED THAT I INVESTIGATE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. BOTH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, PROGRESSIVE, AND MY AUTO BODY REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THESE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT TO PROVE AND THAT I SHOULD JUST REPAIR IT. I DID. HOWEVER, $8,000 AND A ONE NYS INSURANCE CLAIM LATER, I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR BACK TO THE BODY SHOP (5/14/99)BECAUSE MY STEERING FEELS VERY 'LOOSY-GOOSY'. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DELAY BETWEEN MY INSTRUCTION WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE RESPONSE OF THE ACTUAL TIRES OF THE CAR. WHEN I DESCRIBED THIS TO THE AUTO BODY REPRESENTATIVES THEY INVESTIGATED TELLING ME THAT IT'S PROBABLY THE RACK AND PINION AND THAT THEY WOULD ORDER ME A NEW PART, AND "EAT" THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL REPAIR WHICH WOULD TAKE SEVERA