NHTSA complaint: 1998 FORD MUSTANG — STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
I WAS INVOLVED IN A VERY BIZARRE ACCIDENT. ON AUGUST 10, 2004 AT 8:30 AM, I WAS GOING TO WORK USING THE HIGHWAY I REGULARLY USE EVERYDAY, HIGHWAY ONE IN PACIFICA, CALIFORNIA, LOCATED FOUR BLOCKS FROM MY HOME. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL. AS I WAS GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY ENTRANCE, GOING NO MORE THAN TWENTY MILES PER HOUR, AND AS I MADE MY WAY DOWN THE RAMP A FEW INCHES, MY CAR STARTED SWAYING BACK AND FORTH. PULLING ME RIGHT, AND THEN TO THE LEFT. I WAS NOT DISTRACTED, PREOCCUPIED, NOR ON A CELL PHONE. I WAS LOOKING AT THE ROAD STRAIGHT AHEAD. I TRIED TO STEAR THE CAR, BUT IT KEPT SHIFTING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CAUSING ME TO FALL OFF THE RAMP AND LAND ONTO THE TRAFFIC GOING THE SAME DIRECTION I WAS HEADED (NORTH). ONE CAR ENDED UP HITTING ME. THE POLICE WAS ALREADY ON THE HIGHWAY SO THEY IMMEDIATELY CAME TO THE SCENE. SINCE THIS WAS SUCH A FRIGHTENING ACCIDENT, AND NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR IT, SINCE I WAS NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND GOING AT SUCH A LOW SPEED, I HAVE REQUESTED THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND THE CAR TO BE INSPECTED. THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG MECHANICALLY. I BELIEVE THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE. I COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN THE RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY, TIE ROD, OR POWER STEERING VALVES. THROUGHOUT THE COURSE WORK, I FOUND OUT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS IN PERVIOUS ACCIDENTS. THIS INFORMATION WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME AT THE DATE OF THE PURCHASE, AND I REQUESTED IT FROM THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES. ALL MY REQUESTS FOR THE VEHICLES HISTORY AND OWN
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation