TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION BEING IN PARK. AS THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AND DID NOT STOP UNTIL IT CRASHED INTO SOME BARN WOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000...UPDATED 03/18/13 *BF UPDATED 04/02/2013 *JS
2009
STEERING
I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 90 MINUTES IN A SNOWSTORM. THE ROAD WAS SNOWPACKED BUT IT WAS DAYTIME AND VISIBILITY WAS ACCEPTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS HANDLING JUST FINE AS ONE WOULD EXPECT WHEN TAKING EXTRA CARE DUE TO INCLEMENT CONDITIONS. I FELT SAFE AND IN CONTROL AT ABOUT 45 TO 50 MPH. WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR BEGAN FEELING STRANGE....LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HANDLING HAD GOTTEN LOOSE. IT FELT LIKE WE WERE SWAYING, AND LIKE WE WERE SLIPPING INTO RUTS, BUT THERE WERE NONE. ROAD CONDITIONS HAD NOT CHANGED. MY PASSENGER SAID THAT IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS IN A BOAT. I KEPT FIGHTING THE STEERING SO IT WOULDN'T CROSS INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. I SLOWED TO ABOUT 30. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD ONTO THE SHOULDER TO EXAMINE THE WHEELS, BUT FOUND NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WE PRESSED ON AT SLOW SPEEDS AS OTHER VEHICLES BEGAN PASSING US. I PULLED OFF AGAIN AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THOUGHT ABOUT CALLING AAA, BUT WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE-OF-NOWHERE, ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN GUYMON, OK AND TUCUMCARI, NM. WE WERE DETERMINED TO GET TO TUCUMCARI WHERE WE COULD STOP AT A DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE OUT-OF-CONTROL, SWAYING SENSATION PERSISTED UNTIL WE DROVE THROUGH A SECTION OF HIGHWAY THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SALTED, BECAUSE IT WAS SLUSHY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES IN THAT SLUSHY CONDITION, THE CAR BEGAN STABILIZING, AND RESUMED NORMAL HANDLING. EVEN THOUGH WE ENCOUNTERED MORE SNOWPACKED STRETCHES, THE MALADY NEVER RETURNED. IT HAD BEEN A TERRIFYING COUPLE HOURS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER IN MESA. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. RECENTLY THE DEALER HERE IN MINNESOTA FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE CAR EXAMINED IT AND FOUND NOTHING, ALTHOUGH THEY SUSPECTED AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. THEY SUGGESTED ADVISING YOU. WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM SINCE THAT ONE TIME. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THROUGH A SNOWSTORM SINCE THEN....AND, FRANKLY, WE WILL BE NERVOUS THE NEXT TIME WE DO ENCOUNTER SIMILAR SNOW CONDITIONS IF NOTHING IS RESOLVED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. *TR
