NHTSA Complaint #10188569 — 1993 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

AFTER DRIVING 125 MILES TO A SALES LOCATION, I PULLED OFF OF I-85 TO MAKE A FEW CELL CALLS BEFORE MY MEETING. I SAT IN THE CAR WITH IT IDLING IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT MAKING MY CALLS. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES I PUT THE JEEP IN DRIVE AND STARTED ROLLING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT/RIGHT WITH NO RESPONSE. THE FRONT WHEELS DID NOT RESPOND TO THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE 3 BOLTS HOLDING THE STEERING BOX TO THE FRAME HAD SHEARED. TWO OF THREE BOLT TOPS WERE STILL IN THE STEERING BOX, ONE HAD DROPPED OUT. THE THREE BROKEN STUDS WERE STILL IN THE FRAME WITH THE BLUE THREAD LOCKER STILL IN PLACE. NO WARNING, NO WANDERING STEERING, NO POP, NO NOTHING. NO SERVICE HAD EVER BEEN PERFORMED ON THE STEERING BOX. ROLLED IN OFF I-85 WHERE I WAS DOING 70 MPH TO THIS PARKING LOT AND THAT WAS IT. HAD I WAITED TO GET OFF AT THE NEXT EXIT, WELL, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE WRITING THIS NOW. *TR