CATASTROPHIC FRAME FAILURE 10/11/12: THE CAR'S FRAME FRACTURED AND THE CAR BROKE IN TWO DURING PROPER LOADING OF THE VEHICLE VIA THE TOW HOOK ONTO A ROLL BACK CAR CARRIER. ONE SECTION, FROM THE FRAME'S FRONT CROSS MEMBER FORWARD, STAYED ON THE CARRIER. THE REST OF THE CAR ROLLED UNCONTROLLED, DOWNHILL ON THE STREET FOR ABOUT 200 FEET AND THEN INTO A DITCH. THE CAR MISSED HITTING A MAIL CARRIER DUE TO THE TOW OPERATOR CHASING THE CAR, REACHING IN THROUGH ITS WINDOW AND STEERING THE CAR AWAY FROM THE MAIL CARRIER. A PORSCHE DEALER WAS PICKING THE CAR UP FOR SERVICE. THE OWNER HAD STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR AFTER BEING UNABLE TO CONTROL IT'S STEERING ON I-20 FOR SEVERAL BRIEF PERIODS. THE FRAME'S WELDS MAY HAVE BEEN CRACKED AT THAT TIME, POSSIBLY AFFECTING THE EPS AND ITS INTEGRATED SYSTEMS. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR WAS FOUND 9/11/12. POOR HANDLING AND EXTREME STEERING DIFFICULTIES THAT REDUCED GAS MILEAGE ABOUT 25%, BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER AND SERIOUSLY INJURED THE OWNER. FOUR ALIGNMENTS WERE REQUIRED BETWEEN 9/13/12 AND 10/5/2012. ON 10/16/12, PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. INSPECTED THE CAR AND IDENTIFIED DEFECTIVE WELDS BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE ALUMINUM FRAME RAILS AND THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER OF THE FRAME. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WELDS WERE DEFECTIVE AT THESE POINTS. PHOTOS TAKEN 10/11/12 APPEAR TO SHOW THE WELDS HAD BEEN CRACKED LONG ENOUGH FOR THE EXPOSED METAL TO OXIDIZE AND BE VISUALLY DISTINCT FROM THE BRIGHTER, FRESHLY BROKEN PORTION OF THE WELDS. PHOTOS WILL BE MAILED TO NHTSA. RELEVANT CAR HISTORY: 1) WHILE IN JIM ELLIS PORSCHE'S CONTROL, THE CAR'S FRONT BUMPER (DRIVER'S SIDE) WAS DAMAGED. THE DAMAGE WAS STATED TO BE FROM "RUBBING A CURB". AFTER REPAIR, JEP SOLD IT AS A CPO DEMO VEHICLE IN JUNE, 2012. 2) PORSCHE OF HUNTSVILLE DID THE 2ND AND 3RD ALIGNMENTS. ANOTHER PORSCHE DEALER, DURING THE 4TH ALIGNMENT, THEN FOUND BOTH TIE ROD JAM NUTS FULLY UNSECURED. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10484517