NHTSA Complaint #701480 — 1991 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

STEERING STIFFENED/LOCKED AS DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE, CAUSING MINOR CONTACT WITH ADJACENT PARKED VEHICLE. FOLLOWING CONTACT, VEHICLE STOPPED AND STEERING WHEEL REALIGNED (WITH GREAT EFFORT) TO COMPLETE PARKING. AFTER PARKING, KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION SWITCH, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT CONTINUE RUNNING AFTER STARTING (ONLY 1-2 SECONDS). AFTER LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP RETRIEVED VEHICLE, SERVICE REP STATED HE "KNEW WHAT HAPPENED" WHEN INCIDENT DESCRIBED AND VEHICLE IDENTIFIED AS '91 CAVALIER. IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED, NO PROBLEM SINCE. VEHICLE REPAIR COST $327; DAMAGE TO ADJACENT VEHICLE $450. I THINK THIS IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE MODE, INVOLVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKING, IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT. AS A MINIMUM, I FEEL I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL REPAIR COSTS AND DAMAGES.