NHTSA Complaint #10458715 — 2009 DODGE CHARGER

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT WORK WHEN IT FELT LIKE I LOST POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE CAR TO TURN TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE PARKING LOT WAS ALMOST EMPTY, I DID TRY DRIVING TO SEE IF IT WAS ACTUALLY LOSS OF POWER STEERING. EVERY TIME I TURNED TO THE LEFT, I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE, BUT IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE ANYMORE. RIGHT AFTER WORK I DROVE THE CAR TO THE GARAGE I DEAL WITH. WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE CLOCK SPRING WAS BROKEN. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE CLOCK SPRING CONTROLS THE AIRBAG ALONG WITH OTHER FEATURES. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN THE CLOCK SPRING BROKE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE CLOCK SPRING IS MADE OF PLASTIC. I'M NOT SURE WHY SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT WOULDN'T BE MADE OF SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE DURABLE. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PART BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.