NHTSA Complaint #11020967 — 2015 DODGE DART

ON MARCH 31, 2017, I HIT A CURB WITH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE OF MY VEHICLE DAMAGING PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION, INCLUDING THE CONTROL ARM, AS WELL AS THE BODY. AT THE TIME, I ASSUMED THAT WHEN I HIT THE CURB, MY WHEEL WAS TURNED, WHICH CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION. CAR WAS REPAIRED. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A CLUNKING NOISE WHILE TURNING LEFT OR WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO AT TIMES, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. ON AUGUST 17, 2017, I WAS STOPPED TO YIELD FOR A VEHICLE CROSSING A ONE LANE BRIDGE. THIS BRIDGE WAS FLAT AND SMOOTH, WITH A CURVE AROUND TO THE LEFT IN MY DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. I STARTED MOVING TO GO OVER THE BRIDGE AND WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 5-10 M.P.H., AS I APPROACHED THE LEFT CURVE, I STARTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY LEFT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE CURVE. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME NON RESPONSIVE AND I WAS UNABLE TO STEER MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING LEFT, CAUSING ME TO IMPACT A CURB AND GUARD RAIL, AGAIN ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT. THE BODY SHOP SAID I HAD TO HAVE HIT SOMETHING TO SNAP THE BRAND NEW CONTROL ARM. I HIT NOTHING PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE CURB AND GUARD RAIL. THERE IS MINIMAL BODY DAMAGE BUT THE CONTROL ARM IS SNAPPED. I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS SOME TYPE OF POSSIBLE DEFECT WITH THE CONTROL ARM THAT WOULD CAUSE IT TO FRACTURE AND SNAP, LEADING TO MY LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND COLLISION. I HAVE READ WHERE DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN NOTED ON OTHER DODGE VEHICLES.