1998 Suzuki Esteem

WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY , SLOWED DOWN TO TAKE A RIGHT TURN ONTO SIDE ROAD....THERE WAS A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE AND IMMEDIATE PULL OF CAR TO RIGHT...HAD TO FIGHT TO KEEP CONTROL OF CAR...WAS HARD TO STEER BUT DROVE HOME AT ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR...LUCKILY ONLY A QUARTER OF A MILE...PRETTY SURE IF IT HAD LET GO IF I'D HIT A BUMP OR SOMETHING DRIVING 55 ON THE HIGHWAY...THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE FLIPPED...THAT'S HOW QUICKLY I LOST CONTROL...AFTER READING ALL OTHER REPORTS...TOO BAD THIS CAR HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED...I MIGHT NOT NOW BE WITHOUT A CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON FLAT PAVED ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE SUBFRAME SNAPPED ON THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO IMMEDIATELY JERK RIGHT WITH SUBSTANTIAL FORCE. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL DUE TO DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED BUT THE CAR WAS PULLING VERY HARD TO THE RIGHT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE TO A SPOT WHERE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, I NOTICED THE SUBFRAME WHICH CONNECTS THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL TO THE BODY HAD RUSTED SEVERELY AND BROKE APART, IT WAS SO BAD THE MATERIAL WAS CRUMBLING. IF THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE ALMOST CERTAINLY OCCURRED. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET CITES HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM RECALLS WERE MADE ON SUBSEQUENT YEARS BUT NOT ON THIS MODEL YEAR DESPITE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SUBFRAME. *TR

FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER IN 1998 SUZUKI ESTEEM CRACKED OPEN WHILE DRIVING AT 25MPH. CAR SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT, SINCE IT HAPPEN AT LOW SPEED I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY STOP. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION CROSS MEMBER I FOUND OUT THAT RUSTING WAS SO EXTENSIVE THAT YOU COULD POKE A HOLE IN THE CROSS MEMBER BY SIMPLY PUSHING A SCREW DRIVER ON TO THE SURFACE OF THE CROSS MEMBER. *TR

WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH AND HIGHER, VEHICLE WILL WEAVE, AND VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ON HIGHWAY. *NOTE: CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES ON IT, AND HAD TO HAVE STRUTS REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 22,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK