NHTSA Complaint #10062028 — 1995 DODGE NEON

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 1995 DODGE NEON WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND CAUSED HER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. SHE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX 35 - 40 MPH .THERE WERE NO ABNORMAL WEATHER OR ROAD CONDITIONS. SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD TOWARDS THE RIGHT, AT THAT POINT SHE HAD A LOSS OF STEERING AND NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS NOT APPLYING THE BRAKES OR MAKING A TURN, JUST DRIVING ALONG AS SHE NORMALLY WOULD. PREVIOSLY WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS, SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILING. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP ONCE CAUSING A MINOR ACCIDENT , THE OTHER JUST CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE TIRES. THE ACCIDENT WHEN THE STEERING FAILED WAS FORTUNATELY A MINOR ONE . BUT COULD JUST AS EASILY BEEN A VERY SERIOS POSSIBLY FATAL. SINCE AT THE TIME OF THE STEERING LOSS, THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO A RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS YARD AND PERSONAL PROPERTY THAT WAS LOCATED IN THE YARD. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST BETWEEN TWO TREES BECAUSE IT WAS STOPPED BY A TENSION WIRE ATTACHED TO A TELEPHONE POLE WHICH WAS STRUCK AND BECAME WRAPPED AROUND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. IF NOT FOR THAT SHE WOULD HAVE STRUCK A CONCRETE CULVERT ONLY A FEW FEET AWAY.. WE ARE PRESENTLY INVOLVED IN PROCEEDINGS TO HAVE THE CITATION SHE RECEIVED DISMISSED DUE TO FAULTY EQUIPMENT. ALSO I DID INQUIRE WITH DODGE MOTOR CORP RE SAFETY RECALL INFO...WHICH I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NO INCOMPLETE RECALL WORK , BUT I ALSO RECEIVED A CAR FACTS REPORT FROM CONSUMER GUIDE STATING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND THERE IS NO INFORMATION STATING THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY DODGE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHICH IF IT HAD BEEN CORRECTED THE INFO WOULD HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO SHOW THAT. IF YOU COULD PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER, AND POSSIBLY SAVE SOMEONE FROM THIS MESS. ALSO I HAVE A FRIEND WHO LOST HER ARM FROM HER 95 NEON CRASH FROM STEERING FAILURE OF WHICH I WAS UNAWARE UNTIL AFTER MINE.*AK