NHTSA Complaint #10568771 — 2006 PONTIAC MONTANA

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ALONG A COUNTRY ROAD WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR BALL JOINT SEPARATED, CAUSING THE REAR TO DROP AND PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE. THANKFULLY, IT WAS NOT THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BECAUSE SHE WAS PASSING A SCHOOL AND THE BUSES WERE LEAVING. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE WE INSPECTED IT. ALTHOUGH THE BALL JOINT WAS A LIFETIME LUBRICATED UNIT, IT WAS WORN AND FAILED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS WORN AND, IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, WAS REPLACED, AS WELL. TOTAL COST WAS $1403.44. WHEN RESEARCHING FOR RECALLS, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A RECALL IN CANADA FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT THERE IS NONE IN THE US, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ALL BUILT IN THE SAME PLANT!. HERE'S THE LINK FOR THE CANADIAN RECALL: HTTP://WWWAPPS.TC.GC.CA/SAF-SEC-SUR/7/VRDB-BDRV/SEARCH-RECHERCHE/DETAIL.ASPX?LANG=ENG&MK=1890&MD=MONTANA%20SV6&FY=0&TY=9999&FT=&LS=0&SY=0&RN=2006199&CF=SEARCHRESULT&PG=0. *TR