NHTSA Complaint #10234208 — 1998 HONDA ACCORD

WHILE TURNING LEFT FROM A STOP SIGN, ACROSS TWO LANES OF EASTBOUND TRAFFIC, THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. CAR COULD BARELY BE DIRECTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OUT OF THE WAY OF ON-COMING TRAFFIC. ASSESSMENT AT REPAIR SHOP WAS THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD SEPARATED RESULTING IN COLLAPSE OF SUSPENSION. THIS ALSO CAUSED IN A BROKEN DRIVER-SIDE AXLE. REPAIR SHOP REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER DRIVER-SIDE BALL JOINTS WITH AFTER-MARKET PARTS. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD THE PASSENGER-SIDE, UPPER BALL JOINT REPLACED (FEBRUARY 2008) WITH HONDA PARTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD CONSISTENT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, BOTH FRONT AND REAR INCLUDING LOOSENESS AND CLUNKING THAT HONDA DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT SHOPS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE EFFECTIVELY. THERE IS A RECALL ON 1998 HONDA ACCORD LOWER BALL JOINTS, BUT ALLEGEDLY THIS VIN NUMBER WAS NOT AFFECTED. VEHICLE HAD 117,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR