NHTSA complaint: 1993 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS — STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
ON JUNE 10TH, TWO DAYS AGO, I TOTALED MY 93 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME ON I-93 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHILE MY YEAR (93) HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, 88 -91 WERE ALL RECALLED FOR SEPARATION OF THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR AS A RESULT OF CORROSION OF 2 BOLTS WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HIGH, INCLUDING IN MASSACHUSETTS. I HAVE BEEN COMMUTING FROM BOSTON TO HANOVER NH TO TEACH FOR THE PAST 10 WEEKS. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I STARTED WORRYING ABOUT STEERING. HAD TWO REAR TIRES REPLACED LAST WEEK AND ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH A BALL JOINT AND A TIE ROD REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT. BUT ON 93 SOUTH IN LONDONDERRY I STARTED TO MOVE INTO THE PASSING LANE, SAW A CAR THAT HAD BEEN IN MY BLIND SPOT SO SWERVED A BIT TO THE RIGHT. BUT I COULD NOT STRAIGHTEN MY CAR OUT - IT JUST KEPT GOING RIGHT, THEN IT SWERVED TO THE LEFT, I CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL, BOUNCED BACKWARDS AND STOPPED HORIZONTALLY TO THE TRAFFIC BLOCKING BOTH LINES OF TRAFFIC. AT FIRST I ASSUMED I WAS AT FAULT FOR LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR. THEN ON THE WAY TO THE TOW LOT, THE DRIVER ASKED ME IF A TIE ROD HAD SNAPPED. I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW BUT HAD JUST HAD ONE REPLACED. AT THE TOW YARD, HE AND A CAR DEALER (BOTH INSPECTORS) CHECKED - THE WORK I HAD DONE LOOKED FINE BUT UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAFT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL GEAR WHICH THEY SAID SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN - THEY SHOULD BE BOLTED TOGETHER. GIVEN MY DESCRIPTION OF LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE BIZARRE SKID MARKS, THE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation