THE TIE ROD BROKE AND I LOST ALL STEERING. I ARRIVED AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE THE STREET I WAS ON IS REQUIRED TO STOP. I WAS TURNING TO THE LEFT SO AS I WAS ACCELERATING THROUGH THE TURN AND THE INTERSECTION ALL STEERING DISAPPEARED AND I FOUND MYSELF IN THE DITCH AND FRONT YARD OF A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE ROLLING OVER HIS GAS MAIN. THIS OF COURSE CREATED ADVERSE SECONDARY EFFECTS, BUT WHAT IF THE TIE ROD HAD BROKEN WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, THE RESULTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. I WAS NOT HURT NOR WAS ANYONE ELSE, BUT A TIE ROD IS DESIGNED TO OUT LAST THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A FLAW IN THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. *TR