NHTSA Complaint #10703703 — 2001 ISUZU RODEO

MY FRIEND [XXX] AND I WERE RETURNING HOME FROM SHOPPING IN TOWN. HIT A SMALL POTHOLE ON SPRING STREET IN VERNON, CT ABOUT 5 PM. TOOK A LEFT TURN DOWN A HILL AND HEARD SCRAPING SOUND OUTSIDE THE CAR.I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE, ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND EXAMINED THE WHEELS. THE REAR LEFT TIRE WAS SCRAPING AGAINST THE MUD GUARD. I WAS WITHIN .2 MI. FROM HOME AND DROVE THERE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. ON CLOSER INSPECTION WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SHOCK/STRUT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME, AND THAT BOTH PARTS WERE BADLY RUSTED. SINCE THE LEFT REAR WHEEL IS NOT SAFELY CONNECTED TO THE FRAME, MY STEERING WAS AFFECTED, ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKING. THANK GOD THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY OR INVOLVE INJURIES OR AN ACCIDENT. MY BLIND WIFE AND I ARE BOTH DISABLED ON SSD AND DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO FIX OR REPLACE THIS VEHICLE. OTHER THAN THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT CONDITION. PLEASE HELP US GET OUR SAFE TRANSPORTATION RESOLVED. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR