NHTSA Complaint #10550850 — 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM

I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. AS I TURNED ME WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, I HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE. IT SOUNDED LIKE A POP OR A CRACK. IT WAS MIDNIGHT SO I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WHEN I INSPECTED MY VEHICLE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME I HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND. AS I WOULD BREAK IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. IT WAS SCRAPING AND TEARING. I GOT HOME AND STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. I CHECKED THE NEXT DAY AND I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE COIL WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. BECAUSE OF THIS CRACKED COIL, THE PROTRUDING PIECE OF METAL FROM THE COIL WAS JAMMED AND RESTING ON THE TIRE WALL. BECAUSE OF HAVING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, THE COIL HAS TORN AND RIPPED UP MY TIRE WALL AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE WITH A CRACKED COIL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS CRAZINESS AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE! I FEAR FOR MY LIFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AS IT CLEARLY HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM BAFFLED AS TO WHY THERE IS NO POSTED RECALL FOR THIS HAZARDOUS PRODUCT. PONTIAC SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR LETTING THIS GO AND NOT ADMITTING THEIR FAILURE AS A CAR MANUFACTURER. *TR