NHTSA Complaint #10817573 — 2007 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

I WAS DRIVING MY OUTLANDER XLS AWD AT LOW SPEED (~25 MPH ON A SIDE STREET) WHEN I HEARD A LOUD "POP", AND LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. I SWERVED INTO THE ONCOMING LANE, BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING OR ANYONE. I REGAINED PARTIAL CONTROL OF THE STEERING, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOW NEARLY A HALF-TURN OFF-CENTER AND DID NOT FULLY CONTROL THE CAR'S DIRECTION. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A ROTTED SUBFRAME, WHICH SUDDENLY FAILED. WHEN THE SUBFRAME CRACKED, STEERING/SUSPENSION COMPONENTS WERE THROWN FAR OUT OF ALIGNMENT. MITSUBISHI KINDLY REPLACED THE SUBFRAME AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE CAR HAD BEEN IN SERVICE FOR 8 YEARS AND 73,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.