NHTSA Complaint #10748015 — 2006 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY URBAN HIGHWAYS WITH LIMITED OR NO SHOULDER, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING CLUNKING NOISES, ORIGINATING FROM THE LEFT SIDE, WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, POTHOLES AND OTHER ROAD IRREGULARITIES. NOT WANTING TO PULL OVER IN AN AREA WITH LIMITED SHOULDER LANES, I CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER A PERIOD OF 50 MILES OR SO, TO THE POINT THAT I WAS ACTIVELY SEEKING A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND CHECK THE VEHICLE. BEFORE I HAD A (SAFE) OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, A MUCH LARGER CLUNK WAS HEARD, AND THE VEHICLE INSTANTLY EXPERIENCED GREATLY IMPAIRED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED, AND WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A CONTROLLED STOP ON THE SHOULDER. VISUAL INSPECTION IMMEDIATELY SHOWED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER. THE STRUT SHAFT WAS ALSO NO LONGER MATED TO THE STEERING BEARING AT THE TOP OF THE STRUT TOWER, AND WAS RESTING AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE STRUT TOWER. THE TOP SURFACE OF THE STRUT SHAFT HAD AN IRREGULAR, ROUGH FEEL TO IT, SUGGESTIVE OF BRITTLE FAILURE. AFTER LIMPING THE VEHICLE DOWN THE NEAREST OFF-RAMP (APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE) AT LOW SPEED (10 MPH) I PARKED HE VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL PEP BOYS, WHICH REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUT ASSEMBLIES.