NHTSA Complaint #10145310 — 2005 BUICK TERRAZA

AFTER MAKING SEVERAL TURNS TO EXIT A PARKING LOT I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AT AN EXIT, PROCEEDED TO CROSS WESTBOUND TRAFFIC AND AS I NEARED THE MEDIAN TO TURN ONTO THE EAST BOUND LANES MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED WITH THE CAR IN MOTION. I HEADED STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MEDIAN ACROSS ONE LANE OF EAST BOUND TRAFFIC AND PARTIALLY THROUGH THE SECOND EAST BOUND LANE. HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD A CONSTRUCTION SITE I GAVE THE WHEEL A TURN TO THE LEFT AS HARD AS I COULD. KEY RING FLEW INTO THE WINDOW, REGAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CUT OUT. COASTED TO A SAFE PLACE AND PULLED ASIDE. DISCOVERED THE KEY WAS BROKEN IN IGNITION AND ANOTHER CAR KEY WAS BENT APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES. NOTICED THE PLASTIC ON THE STEERING COLUMN AROUND MY CRUISE LEVER WAS DAMAGED. REALIZED ANOTHER KEY BECAME LODGED INTO STEERING COLUMN BEHIND THE CRUISE LEVER LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I JERKED THE WHEEL, SECOND KEY BENT FREED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE IGNITION KEY BROKE IN THE IGNITION. STARTED THE ENGINE WITH THE BROKEN KEY LODGED IN THE IGNITION. I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE KEY WAS REMOVED. I WAS CHARGED $51.50 FOR NEW KEY. I HAVE ALL KEYS AND KEY RING. *JB