NHTSA Complaint #749661 — 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

I WAS DRIVING ON A RURAL ROAD AT ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING AND THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED BACK AND FORTH. THE SHAKING BECAME VERY VIOLENT AND THE WHEEL BEGAN TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH A GOOD 12 - 14 INCHES. THE CAR WAS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN AND SHAKING I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE SHAKING WAS TOO ROUGH AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CAR WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND BEGAN GOING TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE AND THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE SHAKING STOPPED AND WE ROLLED TO A STOP. IF WE HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC I WOULD HAVE HIT SOMEONE AND IF I WERE ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR WOULD HAVE ROLLED ! THIS HAPPENED SUDDENLY. I TAKE MY JEEP IN FOR ALL REGULER AND SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY WARNING THE PART WAS GOING TO BREAK AND AT THE TED MILES JEEP DEALER WHERE I TAKE THE CAR FOR SERVICE THEY SAID THERE IS ABOUT A 10% FAILURE ON THIS PART BUT THEY HAD NOT ACTUALLY HAD ONE BREAK SUDDENLY BEFORE! I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE AND OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED . THE SHAKING WAS SO VIOLENT THAT THE SEAMS ON THE RADIATOR WERE SPLIT AND I HAD TO BUY A NEW RADIATOR ALSO. SINCE THE SHEAR FORCE WAS SO GREAT I AM LEFT WONDERING IF OTHER PARTS OF THE FRONT END AND CAR IN GENERAL ARE SOMEHOW DAMAGED OR WEAKENED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER-DAMION CORP. AND THEY TOOK THE REPORT ON JULY 27TH. I HAVE MEDICAL INJURIES AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL AND BEING SHOOK BACK AND FORTH. I HOPE THIS GETS ADDRESSED AS A RECAL ISSUE BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT IS A PROPLEM BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT!!!*AK