NHTSA Complaint #10174141 — 1994 MITSUBISHI GALANT

A NEAR MISS. THE NUT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAME OFF ON DRIVERS SIDE. 75 MPH AND THANK GOODNESS I WAS STRONG TO PULL THE ASPHALT EATING FRONT END TO THE SIDE. GOING DOWNHILL HEARD WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A PEBBLE HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR AND THEN WAS BEING PULLED UNDER THE ONCOMING SEMI. UPON FINALLY STOPPING ON THE SHOULDER, I GOT OUT LOOKED AT MY TIRE SITTING PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR, THE CARS FRONT END SITTING ON THE GROUND,(I HAVE PHOTO'S) I LOOKED BACK TO SEE A GROVE AND A BLACK LINE TRAVELING FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE CENTER LINE BACK TO THE LEFT LANE AND TO MY GALANT'S RESTING PLACE. AT 48 YEARS OLD I HAVE DRIVEN MANY A CAR, NEVER HAVE I COME SO NEAR TO MEETING MY MAKER. THE MECHANIC, 300 MILES FROM MY HOME SAID THE BALL JOINT BOOT FAILED AND ALLOWED THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE AND THE TRAVEL JUST UNSCREWED THE NUT. ALL THE THREADS WERE THERE, NON WERE STRIPPED. 3 DAYS LATER I BRAVELY LOADED MYSELF AND MY YOUNGER SISTER INTO THE CAR WITH SOME MAKE DUE REPAIRS AND A NEW LOWER CONTROL ARM, A PUT BACK TOGETHER WITH DUCT TAPE AND A PRAYER CV AXLE( WAS PULL OUT AS FAR AS IT COULD GO, A NEW SLIGHTLY SMALLER NEW TIRE, AND A $1000.00 POORER, I SLOWLY MADE MYSELF DRIVE BACK HOME. NOW I HEAR NOISES ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW I HAVE STARTED LOOKING FOR PLACES LIKE THIS THE AIR MY COMPLAINTS. I WAS FORTUNATE. AS AN OLDER PERSON, A WOMAN AND ORIGINAL OWNER, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL, I DIDN'T. HAVE HAD THE SAME ADDRESS FOR 16 YEARS. DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL I GOT HERE. *JB