VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF CARPORT AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING HEARD A LOUD BANG. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE/EXPLODED AND MELTED TO THE GROUND. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AKBRAKES HAVE BEEN SQUEAKING WHEN HOT OR COLD. THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS ARE GLAZED. THERE IS A CLUNK NOISE HEARD IN THE FRONT END WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM A LOOSE METAL CLIP. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE IN MOTION. *JG
2003
SUSPENSION
WHILE THAT VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED; DECELERATING FROM ABOUT 35 MPH, A VERY LOUD POP NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BECAME UNSTABLE AND STEERING BECAME UNRELIABLE. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION IS APPEARS THAT THE WHEEL BECAME PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM VEHICLE. AFTER A THOROUGH INSPECTION IS APPEARS THAT THE REAR MOUNTING BOLT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM HAD DETACHED FROM THE SUB-FRAME. THIS PART OF THE SUB-FRAME SHOW EXCESSIVE CORROSION WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM MOUNTING POINT. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ABILITY TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE STABILITY. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY DECELERATING AND BEING OPERATED ON A ROADWAY THAT HAD SUFFICIENT ROOM TO MAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURE OTHERWISE THE OUTCOME OF THIS FAILURE EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AND FATAL. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE BODY AND OTHER PARTS OF THE FRAME DO NOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RUST. *TR