NHTSA Complaint #11100301 — 2006 LEXUS IS 250

I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES STOPPED AND PARKED FOR 15 MINUTES. I THEN TURNED THE CAR ON AND WHILE COMMENCING TO DRIVE AWAY, NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED AND INCREDIBLY HARD TO STEER LEFT OR RIGHT. MY DASHBOARD HAD NO PROBLEM INDICATOR LIGHTS ON, SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND REGAINED STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I DROVE 1 MILE AWAY AND UPON MY RETURN WHILE DOING 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND BECAME INCREDIBLY HARD TO STEER RESULTING IN A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET. HAD THIS SAME SCENARIO HAVE OCCURRED WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS AT THE WHEEL THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS PART MALFUNCTION WOULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. HOW CAN SUCH A VITAL PART MALFUNCTION WITHOUT WARNING TO THE DRIVER?