1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS Structureframe And Members Problems

VEHICLE HAD DEVELOPED A FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, AND I SCHEDULED AN ALIGNMENT. THE MORNING BEFORE THE SCHEDULED ALIGNMENT, I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY TO GO TO WORK WHEN THE RIGHT INNER CV JOINT DISINTEGRATED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED SEVERE SUBFRAME CORROSION RESULTING IN THE CONTROL ARM MOUNT SEPARATING FROM THE SUBFRAME, CAUSING THE CV JOINT TO FAIL AND THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. NHTSA AND HYUNDAI ISSUED A RECALL IN 2009, CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V124000. HOWEVER, THE STATE I RESIDE IN (NEBRASKA) IS NOT LISTED AS A "SALT BELT" STATE AND IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. NEBRASKA DOES INDEED USE SALT ON THE ROADS, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FAULT AND POTENTIAL RESULTS MATCHES EXACTLY WITH THE RUST AND CORROSION ON MY VEHICLE'S SUBFRAME AND THE RESULTS. I BELIEVE IT LIKELY THAT THERE ARE OTHER MOTORISTS IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA WHO ARE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES WITH THIS...

I HAVE A DEFECTIVE SUBFRAME ON A 1999 SONATA PURCHASED NEW IN IOWA AND DRIVEN THERE FOR 4 YEARS. IT HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT ON THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE CAUSING STEERING CONTROL ARMS AND DRIVE AXLE TO BREAK LOOSE FROM VEHICLE AND MAKING VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER HYUNDAI RECALL CAMPAIGN 089. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 09V124000. I AM GETTING NO RESPONSE AS TO IF THEY WILL COVER THIS DAMAGE AND REPLACE SUBFRAME FROM THE LOCAL DEALER TAMIAMI HYUNDAI IN NAPLES, FL AND HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER 3 TIMES TO NO AVAIL. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND IT WOULD HAVE ROLLED. NEVER SINCE I OWNED THE VEHICLE WAS TOLD OF THIS RECALL AND THEY CURRENTLY STATE THE VIN OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT BEING SHOWN...

ON 1 OCT 2009 MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS FROM HIS HIGH SCHOOL TO PICK UP HIS SISTER AT THE DAYCARE JUST DOWN THE ROAD. UPON PULLING INTO THE DAYCARE PARKING LOT HE HEARD A LOUD SOUND AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. HE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND GOT OUT TO SEE IF HE HAD HIT SOMETHING OR TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED. UPON INSPECTION THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE A-FRAME HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT OF THE SUB FRAME OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO BREAK COMPLETELY OFF. THANKFULLY HE WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED OR IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR EVEN FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. UPON RESEARCH IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V124000 THAT ADDRESSES THIS SAME ISSUE, HOWEVER IT LOOKS LIKE IT DOESN'T COVER A RECALL...

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. COULD BARELY DRIVE TO THE SHOP. THEY FOUND OUT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BAD IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE TIRE WHICH WERE NEW JUST 3 MONTHS AGO WERE TOTALLY BALD. THE CAR, A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA, IS NOW NOT DRIVABLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS A BAD GRINDING NOISE WHEN EVER WE TURNED A CORNER. THIS HAPPENED AS MY WIFE WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK. I TOOK IT TO TEST DRIVE AND WAS SURPRISED WITH HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE. HE WAS ABLE TO FIND A USED SUB FRAME TO REPLACE IT AND I DID SAVE THE OLD SUB FRAME. *TR

THE ISSUE IS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE ON RECORD FOR STRUCTURE ISSUES ON THIS CAR. WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND IT'S ASSEMBLY FLEW OFF FROM THE CAR. THE CAR HAD BEEN HAVING SOME STEERING DIFFICULTY'S AND I WAS ACTUALLY BRINGING IT IN TO THE FIRESTONE STATION- IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FIRESTONE CENTER. THE TIRE ARM CONNECTING TO THE FRAME WAS TOTALLY RUSTED OUT. THE PRICE TO FIX THE CAR WILL BE TOTALLY ASTRONOMICAL. THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON THAT THE CAR WOULD RUST OUT AND CAUSE THAT DAMAGE- IT IS 10 YEARS OLD. WE HAD EVEN BOUGHT THE EXTRA RUST PACKAGE ON THE CAR. I OR SOMEONE ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND SERIOUS DAMAGE. LUCKILY, I AM A FIREFIGHTER AND AM USED TO HANDLING VEHICLES. I BELIEVE HYUNDAI SHOULD COMPENSATE SOMEHOW AND SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. WHY WERE WE NEVER NOTIFIES THAT THERE...

1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS HYDROPLANING WITHOUT IT RAINING OR SNOWING. FELT LIKE IT THE STEERING WAS OUT OF CONTROL. NOTICED THAT RIGHT TIRE WAS STICKING OUT OF THE WELL SO I WENT TO HAVE THE FRONT TIRES REPLACED AND ALIGNED. WHILE REPLACING FRONT TIRES THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE TIRES BEND INWARD. THEY COULD NOT DO THE ALIGNMENT AS HE FELT SOMETHING WAS BROKEN ON THE FRAME. REFERRED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD HOLES THROUGHOUT DUE TO RUST AND ROT. HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE WITH THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WHEELS OR ENGINE COULD FALL OUT AT ANYTIME. ALSO INFORMED THAT A SUBFRAME SHOULD NOT RUST OR ROT. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE DUE TO...

1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THRU. I CAUGHT IT BEFORE I WRECKED THE CAR OR RAN INTO SOMEONE DUE TO IT RESTING APART. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IT IS VERY SAFE AND LEFT ALONE COULD CAUSE FATAL INJURIES. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA WHICH BROKE DOWN YESTERDAY DUE BADLY RUSTED HUGE HOLE ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRAME. THIS MADE THE VEHICLE DISABLED AND CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. THIS ALSO RESULTED IN THE DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL JOINTS THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE FRONT FRAME HAD TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF EXPENSE TO FIX THE CAR. I WAS READING ABOUT THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS FOR THE SONATA CARS THAT WERE MADE DURING THE 1999-2002 WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING THE MATTER. PLEASE ADVICE ME THE FURTHER COURSES OF ACTION. *TR

NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE GETTING MISALIGNED AND THE CAR KEEPS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. FINALLY TOOK THE TIRE OFF AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SUB-FRAME IS RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH WHERE ALL THE SUSPENSION ATTACHMENTS ARE BARELY HOLDING IN ITS PLACE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE ISSUE AT THIS MOMENT DUE TO ITS REPAIR COST VS WHAT THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. *TR

I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA OF A PROBLEM AND THERE WERE NO SYMPTOMS UNTIL MY "BACKYARD" MECHANIC, WHILE HE WAS REPLACING MY BRAKE ROTORS, MENTIONED THE FRAME WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL CONNECTS TO THE FRAME WAS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH. I TOOK IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY FIXED IT AND TOLD ME THEY REPLACED THE COMPLETE FRONT SUB FRAME, THEY ALSO CALLED IT THE ENGINE CRADLE, AND ON THE PAPERWORK THEY REPLACED 62405-38100 CROSS MEMBER AND TWO BOLTS. THEY COMMENTED "150542 REPLACE THE K FRAME IT IS VERY RUSTY" THE DEALER ASSURED ME THEY COMPLETELY INSPECTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO OTHER RUST OF CONSEQUENCE. THEY ALSO ASSURED ME NO COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED OR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THIS WAS PERFORMED WITH NO COST TO ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE "HALF-DOLLAR" SIZED HOLES IN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE ALSO CRACKS IN THE FRAME. HE CALLED SEVERAL JUNK YARDS TO FIND A FRAME FOR THE VEHICLE. EACH ONE STATED THAT THEY WERE HARD TO FIND DUE TO THE "TREND" OF RUST AND CORROSION ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OPEN INVESTIGATION FOR THE HYUNDAI SONATA (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE08029). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 96,000.

CORROSION OF FRONT SUB-FRAME LET TO SEPARATION OF LOWER CONTROL ARM FROM SUB FRAME. THIS CAUSED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO COLLAPSE AND LOSS OF STEERING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOPLIGHT. THE CAR MADE A LOUD BAND AND WAS DISABLED. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS BENT. AFTER GETTING HOME AND JACKING THE CAR UP THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE RUSTY FRAME. I THINK THIS CAUSE A CVC JOINT FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME HAS ROTTED OUT BY THE CONTROL ARM ON HER VEHICLE. SHE FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE TIRE HAS FALLEN OFF DUE TO THE ROTTED OUT FRAME AND A SERIOUS CRASH COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 103,000.

I FOUND THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING 1999 SONATA SUBFRAME RUSTING. I WAS INFORMED TODAY 8/2/08 WHILE GETTING MY OIL CHANGED,THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF RUSTING. THIS COMPONENT IS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT SUSPENSION,ENGINE,ETC. IS HYUNDAI RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART,SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE? *TR

1999 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS SUB-FRAME RUSTED CAUSING FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. KEN DIXON HYUNDAI LOCATED IN WALDORF, MD ESTIMATED THAT THE REPAIR WILL COST ME $3,500.00 DOLLARS AND THAT THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER HYUNDAIS' 10 YEAR, 100,000 MILE BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY. MY HYUNDAI IS LESS THAN 10 YRS OLD AND THE MILEAGE IS WELL UNDER 100,00 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT THEREBY HYUNDAI IS CLEARLY FAILING TO HONOR THEIR DEALER WARRANTY. I WOULD LIKE TO CONTEST THIS DECISION AND SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM YOUR OFFICE IN RESOLVING THIS SITUATION WITH HYUNDAI OF AMERICA AND THEIR NEGLECTING TO HONOR THEIR OWN WARRANTY. *TR

1999 HYUNDAI SONATA FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS SEVERED FROM FRAME WHILE MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS A NEW DIVER, WAS DRIVING, FRAME WAS BADLY RUSTED. CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE 6 MONTHS AGO TO HAVE FRONT STRUTS REPLACED AND DEALER DID NOT INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM OR THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS IN OTHER SIMILAR CARS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS I CAN SEE THAT THESE CARS HAVE A PROBLEM AND NEED TO BE PULLED FROM THE ROAD BEFORE SERIOUS HARM COMES FROM THIS ISSUE. HYUNDAI SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 96,000 MILES AND HYUNDAI IS REPLACING THE SUB FRAME UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT THEY ARE NOT TELLING ANYONE PRIOR TO FAILURE AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. *TR

I OWN A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC TO INSPECT A WOBBLING IN THE CAR. WHEN THEY INSPECTED IT, THEY SAID THE SUBFRAME WAS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH AND THEY WOULD NOT TOUCH IT FOR "LIABILITY" REASONS. I HAVE SINCE READ OF OTHERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. I AM GOING TO SPEAK TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER TODAY TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. *TR

CAR #1--PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RUSTED CREATING A FIST SIZED HOLE CAUSING VEHICLE TO STEER AIMLESSLY DUE TO INSTABILITY OF STEERING STRUCTURE: CAR #2--PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RUSTED CAUSING WHEELS TO BECOME INOPERABLE AND UNABLE TO STEER CAR IN APRIL 2008. SAME MODEL OF HYUNDAI, 2 DIFFERENT CARS. *TR

ONE NIGHT ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO I HEARD A CRUNCHING SOUND WHEN I DROVE MY 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA OVER A SMALL BUMP WHERE IS A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM HOME. THEN THE NEXT DAY THE STEELING WHEEL SUDDENLY TILTED 45 DEGREE LEFT WHILE I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. WHEN I STOP THE CAR AND CHECK, BOTH THE FRONT TIRES WERE OUT OF POSITION, ESPECIALLY THE RIGHT FRONT ONE WHOSE BOTTOM IS PULLED OUTWARD AND UPPER INWARD. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND WHEN THEY LIFT THE CAR TO CHECK THE CONTROL ARMS WE WERE ALL SHOCKED TO SEE A HUGE RUSTING HOLE ON THE RIGHT FRONT SUBFRAME UNDER ENGINE CRADLE, WHILE THE LEFT SIDE SUBFRAME SEEMED INTACT. IT WAS ALMOST BROKEN AND THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THEY NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN 20+ YEARS OF SERVICE AND EVEN THE BODY SHOPS...

I OWN A 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA. I LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THE 99-2000 MY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE RIGHT SIDE SUB FRAME RUST DEFECT/SAFETY ISSUE. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A WINDING ROAD, COMING HOME FROM WORK. SHE CALLED ME AND SAID CAR WAS DISABLED. SHE STATED CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT ON A CURVE, MADE A LOUD NOISE....AND BECAME DISABLED. FORTUNATELY A COUPLE PEOPLE HAD STOPPED AND HELPED HER GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN I GOT THERE THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS ANGLED IN AT THE TOP. IT WAS CLEARLY DAMAGED. THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED OUT AND WHEEL SHAFT PULLED OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE UPPER CONTROL ARM TOO WAS DAMAGED. CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE LET ALONE A DEFECT.............I THANK GOD SHE WAS NOT INJURED AND THAT SO FAR IT APPEARS THAT MANY THAT HAVE REPORTED SAME PROBLEM HAVE NOT BEEN INJURED. *TR

I HAVE AN 1999 HYUNDAI SONATA MY ALIGNMENT WAS OFF FROM A POT HOLE. SO I TOOK IT TO GET IT REPAIR. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT THE ARM CAME OUT OF IT. THEY SAID IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT ONLY HAS 85,225 MILES ON THE CAR TO REPLACE THE CRADLE IT IS 1,800.00. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI THEY SAID MY WARRANTY IS UP AND THERE NOT GOING TO FIX IT. I FOUND THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR OF SONATA. ITS HAS CAUSED ONE WRECK THAT I NOW OF. THERE IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE CRADLE. THERE IS ONLY ONE HOLE IN THE FRONT TO LET WATER IN AND OUT SO IF THE WATER GOES IN THE AIR BLOWS IT TO THE BACK AND THERE'S WHERE IT STAYS AND THAT'S THE RUST STARTS. *TR

FRONT SUB-FRAME FAILURE DUE TO PREMATURE RUSTING. PART WAS REPLACED BY HYUNDAI AT NO COST, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS 19,000 MILES PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE WAS ANOTHER FRONT SUB-FRAME IN THE SERVICE BAY OF THE DEALERSHIP WITH VERY SIMILAR CORROSION DAMAGE IN A VERY SIMILAR LOCATION. THAT DEALER IS LOCATED AT 7115 BROOD PARK ROAD, PARMA OHIO (GANLEY PARMA IMPORTS). *JB

APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT AN INTERSECTION NEAR WORK, THE CAR MADE A LOUD KIND OF CRUNCHING NOISE AND CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS LEANING DOWN A LITTLE IN THE FRONT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. FROM INSIDE IT LOOKED LIKE I HAD A FLAT, BUT WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO CHECK I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS LEANING OUT TOWARDS THE CURB AND APPEARED TO HAVE BROKEN OFF. I TRIED TO MOVE THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET, BUT IT WOULDN'T MOVE. I EVENTUALLY HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD ROTTED AWAY FROM THE SUBFRAME. SINCE I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUMPER-TO-BUMPER, I CALLED THE COMPANY, UNIVERSAL UNDERWRITERS SERVICE CORPORATION. THEY LATER INFORMED MY MECHANIC THAT THEY WOULDN'T COVER ANYTHING BECAUSE THE SUBFRAME...

WHEN CHANGING THE OIL ON 1999 HYUNDIA SONATA GLS NOTICE DLARGE RUST HOLES ON THE SUBFRAME STRUCTURE, AND IT WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS SUBFRAME IS THE ENGINE CRADLE AND ALSO CONNECTS TO THE SUSPENSION. THE HOLE WAS LARGE AND COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH THE PART. THERE IS A CREAKING IN THE FRONT END WHEN HITTING A BUMP AS WELL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THEY ADVISED ME TO REPLACE THE PART AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, PART-$1400, LABOR-$600-700. THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT HYUNDIA WOULD NOT COVER IT. ALSO, THEY ALSO THEY NEVER HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE. I THEN CONTACTED CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT HYUNDIA AND THEY CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR INFORMATION ON THE ISSUE, AND THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS WAY PAST WARRANTY AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I ASKED IF THIS HAS EVER BEEN NOTED BEFORE, AND...

FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WOBBLE. EVENTUALLY GREW TO CAUSE VEHICLE TO SWERVE BADLY. TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUB-FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH. REPLACED THE SUB-FRAME WITH NEW. OLD HAD ONLY TWO HOLES TO ALLOW WATER TO DRAIN OUT, WHEREAS NEW HAD EIGHT DRAIN HOLES AND WAS TWICE THE WEIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL. NEITHER THE MECHANIC NOR ALIGNMENT TECH COULD BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE WITH NO SIGN OF RUST ANYWHERE, WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WE SPENT APPROXIMATELY 1,700.00 FOR THE REPAIR. I DO NOT HAVE THE OLD PART, BUT DID TAKE SEVERAL DIGITAL PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC COULD GIVE HIS ACCOUNT AS WELL. AS A SON OF AN AUTOMOBILE MECHANIC I COULD RECOGNIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT WENT FAILURE. SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT NOT AND COULD EASILY COST SOMEONE'S LIFE. AS A MATTER OF GOOD CONSCIENCE, I WAS...

MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE LOCAL PIZZA SHOP WHEN HE NOTICED THE CAR WAS MAKING A STRANGE NOISE. HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT IT, SO, I TOOK IT FOR A SHORT RIDE AROUND THE BLOCK. I WAS HALFWAY AROUND THE BLOCK, MOVING AT A SPEED UNDER 5 MPH, WHEN A LOUD GRINDING AND POUNDING NOISE OCCURRED. SOMETHING SERIOUS ENOUGH TO DISABLE THE VEHICLE HAD HAPPENED. I GOT OUT AND SAW THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS POINTED OUTWARD, AND HAD SETTLED BACK AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL. THANK GOD HE WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL SERVICE STATION WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A ROTTED OUT SUB FRAME. THIS VEHICLE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF ROT OR RUST. CERTAINLY NOTHING THAT WOULD PROMPT AN INSPECTION OF THIS PART. YET, THERE WERE PRACTICALLY NO WARNING SIGNS OF HOW EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IT WAS TO...