NHTSA Complaint #10186304 — 1992 BUICK LESABRE

92 BUICK LASABRE, BRAKES HAD TO BE APPLIED HARD TO AVOID ACCIDENT, HOWEVER WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR BECAME COMPLETELY UNCONTROLLABLE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE BRAKES FADED TO NOTHING. FINALLY HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, THE A FRAME HOLDING THE MOTOR HAD RUSTED THROUGH, THIS CAUSED THE STEERING TO BE DISABLED, AS WELL AS THE BRAKE SYSTEM, ASIDE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AS MENTIONED. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THERE WAS NO INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND WHEN I SEE OTHER BUICKS OF THE SAME MODEL, I WONDER HOW SAFE THEY ARE TO BE ON THE HIGHWAY. IN MY CASE THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 30 MPH, IF THE SPEED WOULD HAVE BEEN 55 OR 60, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT ALSO TO OTHER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS ON THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR ANYONE ON THE ROADWAY BECAUSE OF ALL THE VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL THAT ARE ON THE ROADWAYS SOMETIMES DEPENDING ON THE SPEED LIMIT TRAVELING AT SPEEDS THAT WOULD MAKE IT ENTIRELY IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID A CRASH AND POSSIBLY THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS OF THEIR CAR BUT ALSO OTHER INNOCENT MOTORISTS AND PASSENGERS ON THE ROADWAYS. WITHOUT CLOSE INSPECTION,BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE RUST PROBLEM, ONE WOULD NEVER NOTICE THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. I AM A DISABLED DEPUTY SHERIFF AND WOULD HATE TOP SEE ANOTHER PERSON BECOME DISABLED BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT THAT I HAVE NOTED HERE. I BELIEVE THAT THE DESIGN AND WAY IN WHICH SNOW AND ICE GETS JAMMED UP IN THE LOCATION THAT I OBSERVED THE RUST, CAUSED THE PROBLEM TO GO ON WITH OUT BEING NOTICED. *JB