NHTSA Complaint #10197093 — 1993 MERCURY TRACER

TWO BOLTS HOLD THE FRONT AXLE IN PLACE. TWO ON EACH SIDE. THESE '!@#$% BOLTS ARE .43 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND ARE THREADED 20 TPI. (THESE DO NOT CONFORM TO ANY STANDARD BOLT I COULD FIND IN THE LITERATURE, METRIC OR SAE). THESE FOUR BOLTS ARE FITTED WITH CASTELATED NUTS, A VERY GOOD IDEA. HOWEVER, THE BOLT HAD NO HOLE DRILLED FOR THE NECESSARY COTTER PIN. ON MY VEHICLE, THE NUT LOOSENED AND FELL OFF. THE BOLT EVENTUALLY WORKED ITSELF UP AND OUT OF THE HOLE. I WAS GOING 65 MPH ON THE US 5 FREEWAY AND SLOWLY TURNING ON TO THE 405 FREEWAY. THE STEERING OF THE CAR WAS LOST. I ALMOST HIT TWO ADJACENT CARS. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS POINTING SIDEWAYS, PIVOTING ABOUT THE REMAINING BOLT. HOW I GOT THE CAR STOPPED WITHOUT DAMAGE,I DON"T KNOW. 1. WHY NOBODY IN 13 YEARS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF THE MISSING COTTER KEY HOLE. ASK FORD. 2.WHY IN THE YEAR 2007 DOES FORD NOT SELL REPLACEMENT BOLTS OR NUTS, AS THESE ARE '!@#$% PARTS. 3.AS THIS WAS A LEMON RECALL AUTOMOBILE; WHY NOT MAKE THE CORRECTION AT THAT TIME? 4. UPON LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE . I NOTICED THAT THE REMAINING BOLTS (3) WERE VERY LOOSE. IN ADDITION TO THE AXLE BOLTS BEING LOOSE, I NOTICED THAT THE 4 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE POWER STEERING TO THE FIRE WALL WERE LOOSE. 5. I FEEL THAT THE STEERING AND BRAKES ON A CAR ARE IMPORTANT. ENOUGH SAID. 6. AN AUTOMOBILE GETS ONLY ONE CHANCE TO KILL OR HURT ME. I GAVE THE CAR AWAY AFTER MAKING REPAIRS. NO MORE FORDS FOR ME. *JB *TR