NHTSA Complaint #10140318 — 2005 BUICK TERRAZA

STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A VERY BUSY FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS IN THE FAST LANE, HEADING WESTBOUND. VAN DECELERATED TO ABOUT 30 MPH INSTANTLY, BEGAN SWERVING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT WITHOUT ABILITY TO CONTROL MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. COULD NOT TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL. HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING, BRAKES OR GAS. A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VAN, SOUNDING AND FEELING LIKE EVERY WHEEL WAS BEING TURNED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VAN A VERY HARD LEFT TO STEER IT INTO AN OPEN LOT, ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE TO PULL IN FRONT OF ONCOMING CARS, BUT I HAD NO OTHER OPTION AS THERE WERE CARS ON THE SIDE OF ME AND QUICKLY COMING UP BEHIND ME. VAN WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SENSOR WAS FAULTY; CASE FILE STARTED WITH BUICK, BUT AFTER SERVICING, THEY CLOSED THE CASE, SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN AND I FEEL THERE IS STILL A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HERE. OTHER SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ONLY TO HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS OCCUR AGAIN. THIS VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE REPAIRS FOR 11 DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE SEVEN MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT, AND IT NOW ONLY HAS 6036 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS VAN IN PARTICULAR IS VERY UNSAFE AND POSSIBLY OTHER TERRAZA'S ALSO HAVE THESE SAME SAFETY PROBLEMS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD OWN UP TO AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACE THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE UNTHINKABLE OCCURS.*JB