NHTSA Complaint #756337 — 1995 FORD THUNDERBIRD

AFTER STARTING MY CAR AT 5:30 AM TO PROCEED TO WORK THE KEY FELT A BIT STRANGE AFTER I STARTED THE CAR. UPON DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY I DREW MY ATTENTION BACK TO THE KEY AND FELT THAT IT WAS SPINNING FREELY, AND COULD BE REMOVED, AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, ( THE START POSITION APPEARED TO WORK OK). I HAD NO WAY I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF. A TECHNITIAN ON THE 800 PHONE LINE TO FORD SUGGESTED I HIT THE FUEL SHUT OFF IN THE TRUNK ONCE I REACHED MY LOCATION. THIS WOULD SIMULATE A CRASH AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL. I ELECTED TO PULL A LARGE FUSE AND DETACH THE BATTERY. THE CAR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE ($283) TO REPLACE AN $11 ACTUATOR PIN IN THE STEERING COLUMN THAT INTERFACED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I T WAS PROBABLY WRONG ON MY PART AS I LOOK BACK AT CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE THE BROKEN PIN COULD HAVE POSSIBLY LODGED ITSELF AND PREVENTED ME FROM STEERING THE CAR. MY CONCERN NOW IS ONE OF SAFETY AND WHAT A PERSON NOT TOO FAMILAR WITH AUTOMOBLIES MIGHT DO IN THIS SITUATION. FORD SHOULD CONSIDER THE DESIGN AND MAKE CORRECTIONS TO PREVENT THIS SORT OF OCCURRENCE.*AK