NHTSA Complaint #11162151 — 1981 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

I'VE HAD AN UPPER CONTROL ARM BOLT COME OUT 4 TIMES ON MY CAR CAUSING THE WHEEL TO TUCK UNDER THE CAR. I ALSO HAD A LOWER CONTROL ARM BOLT COME OUT ONCE. I'VE BEEN LUCKY, IT'S ALWAYS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS TURNING AROUND OR GOING SLOW. HOWEVER, THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM THE CURB IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE TIRE. I STOPPED AND TOOK A LOOK AT THINGS AND LOOKED AT THE STREET BUT DIDN'T SEE A IT OR BOLT OR ANYTHING, AND FIGURED IT WAS A ROCK. IT DROVE FINE, GOT ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR SEEED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. I GAVE IT A NORMAL SMALL CORRECTION AND SHOT HALF WAY ACROSS THE LANE NEXT TO ME THEN BACK ACROSS MY LANE. LET'S JUST SAY I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. SCARED ME! NOW I KNOW WHY THEY CALL THEM CONTROL ARMS! I WAS WONDERING IF THE CONTROL ARM BOLTS COMING LOOSE ARE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES, BECAUSE I'VE HAD MY CAR FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS AND IT'S BEEN A REAL PROBLEM WITH MINE. VERY DANGEROUS AND I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY. A COUPLE OF TIMES I JUST GOT OFF THE FREEWAY A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT CAME APART. ONCE I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN WHEN IT HAPPENED. IT FELT LIKE I GOT A FLAT TILL I LOOKED AT MY WHEEL ALL CROOKED ON MY CAR. ONCE PULLING AWAY FROM A CURB. THE OTHER TIMES I WAS GOING SLOW MAKIN A TURN. VERY LUCKY! I DON'T HAVE RECEIPTS FOR THE REPAIRS OR PICTURES. I'VE BEEN LUCKY IT JUST MADE THE WHEEL TUCK UNDER AND DIDN''T DO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING ELSE. BUT IF I HAD BEEN GOING FAST, WHO KNOWS THE DAMAGE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED? I SEE THIS AS SUPER DANGEROUS! I'VE ASKED A MECHANIC IF THE BOLTS COULD BE DRILLED AND A CASTLE NUT AND PIN BE USED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN? I DON'T REMEMBER THE ANSWER. I HAVE A DIFFERENT MECHANIC WHO HELPS ME WITH MY CAR. I NEED TO ASK HIM WHAT HE THINKS THE BEST SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IS, BECAUSE I'M BEYOND TIRED OF IT. THANKS!