NHTSA Complaint #10303995 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO

RETURNING HOME FROM WORK, STOPPED AT INTERSECTION, WHEN MY TURN TO GO I PULLED OUT ON ROAD AND NOTICED THAT VEHICLE FELT LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE. STEERING WAS VERY STRANGE AND FELT LIKE VEHICLE WAS ALL OVER ROAD. I WAS ONLY GOING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH MAXIMUM AS I WAS GOING FROM STOP LIGHT TO STOP LIGHT. WHEN I ACCELERATED FROM INITIAL STOP LIGHT I HEARD A CRACK AND LOUD SCRAPING SOUND. I WENT APPROX 1/10 MILE TILL I COULD PULL OFF ROAD ON SHOULDER THEN INTO PARKING LOT. WHEN I GOT OUT TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING WRONG I NOTICED UNDER CAR IN FRONT OF REAR WHEELS THAT WHAT APPEARED TO BE STABILIZER BARS FOR REAR WHEELS WERE HANGING DOWN UNDER CAR AND THAT THE FRAME ON BOTH SIDES WAS BROKEN IN HALF . I HAD NO PREVIOUS INDICATION THAT THIS WAS BREAKING. I FEAR THAT IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED OTHER THAN GOING FROM STOP LIGHT TO STOP LIGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE WOULD FLOAT FREELY AND TWIST FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AND REAR WHEELS WOULD RIDE OUT FROM UNDER VEHICLE AND WHEN BRAKING REAR WHEELS RODE UP UNDER VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE AND IS BASICALLY A COMPLETE LOSS AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY TYPE OF MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE COVERAGE DUE TO NO ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT. *TR