NHTSA Complaint #11205749 — 2007 VOLVO S40

I WAS DRIVING AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AS THE POWER STEERING SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO STEER MY VEHICLE WITH DIFFICULTY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT STOPPED. ABOUT ONE WEEK LATER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HAD TO AIM MY VEHICLE IN A WAY TO AVOID HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. BOTH TIME, AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AGAIN. LAST FRIDAY, MAY 3, I PULLED MY VEHICLE OVER AND WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THIS TIME IT DID NOT RESTART. THE ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE DASH WAS THAT THE "STEERING WAS LOCKED, TRY AGAIN." AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS INCLUDING JUMP STARTING THE VEHICLE, WHICH WAS UNNECESSARY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE "STEERING COLUMN LOCK" HAD FAILED. THE PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $830.