NHTSA Complaint #732761 — 1996 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING IN THE PHOENIX AREA MAKING A NORMAL LEFT TURN AT A STREET INTERSECTION, SUDDENLY MY STEERING WHEEL JAMMED, SO THAT I WAS UNABLE TO STRAIGHTEN UP AT THE END OF THE TURN AND HAD TO BRAKE SHARPLY AND STOP, ELSE HIT CARS ON THE LEFT WAITING FOR THEIR LIGHT! IN THE FEW SECONDS OF THIS PROCESS I FELT A "CLICKING-GRINDING" OF WHAT SOUNDED LIKE BROKEN PLASTIC INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING. HAD I BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, THE DEFECTIVE PART AND JAMMED STEERING WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR FATALITIES. INSPECTION SHOWED A BROKEN WHITE NYLON OR PLASTIC PIECE IN THE NAMED TURN-SIGNAL SWITCH MODULE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE. PART.*AK