On Wednesday, I drove my car down the hill while it was snowing(a little, bad choice ). I needed to make a right turn then I lost control and hit the curb at 10 mph. No body damages, only bent tire cover and deep cut on the rim. I drove my car yesterday and noticed that the steering wheel is off to the left and I only can go up to 35 mph then the sensor goes off. What could be damage? I know for sure that I need wheel alignment but hopefully nothing big. Afraid of bent something. Please help!!! Thank you.
The user error made it hit the curb, not the snow! But your alignment is going to be way off which would explain your symptoms. You need that to be aligned NOW. Not in a couple weeks when you get to it, but NOW. Then everything should be back to normal. It has been heard of to bend axles on some cars when they get hit that way, but it is not very common. At 10mph, it would be very surprising. Glad you are OK though! And if anything else is wrong, a competent mechanic at the alignment shop should spot it right away.
2k1Toaster, thanks for your suggestion, I'm going to take my car to the shop today. Yeah, it's completely my fault with the help of snow . I hope it only needs alignment, not looking forward to spend more .
the ones that beep when your car was on the bumpy road or slick road. It looks like a car on the winding road(if that the word)
That sounds like the ABS (automatic brake system) sensor, and hopefully this will clear when the tracking has been corrected.
Explain what you hit and the speed, to the alignment shop. There might be frame damage, requiring repair work by a body shop.
I would recommend getting it completely checked out. There obviously IS damage, damage you can see. There are symptoms already affecting the driving. I wouldn't default to the idea that there is no body damage. If it was "only" a bent tire cover and deep cut rim? You wouldn't have the alignment problem and the sensor going off.... You may not want to spend more...but you owe it to yourself and your vehicle to be totally checked out. Over the internet all anyone can do is "guess" as to your potential damage or lack of damage. As owner? You need to know exactly.
Thanks every one. I'll absolutely get my car check out today. The only reason I posted here because I can have some heads up of what might have happen as you know the shop can make you fix more things than you need to. I know this is all my fault and I have to live with it at any cost, sighhhhhhh
Bent tie rod at the least if steering wheel off and possibly bent rim. Lower lca. Probably more. Very wimpy driving/suspension components in the front of our cars. I'm thinking $1200. Oh and make very very sure the cv joints weren't jammed and the transmission diff seal/bearing is now not damaged and the transmission is now leaking fluid. Common on hard hits. Drive away and they did not check that and all the fluid leaks out and then your into about $5000 for a new transmission. Has to be checked get that in writing.
Any update? Im going to go with potential ABS sensing gear/wheel hub damage from the shock load of the hit. Does anybody know if the ABS sensor in the wheel hub is a reluctor wheel type?
Finally got my car checked and got a really bad news. Unfortunately, I need new wheel bearing hub, new left control arm(bent bad) and new wheel. I got the estimate from Mr.Tire, altogether will cost me $1400. Anybody knows if it'll be cheaper to get it fix from dealer or small shop? I'm thinking about shopping around first to find the cheapest ones. Should I buy parts online and just pay the shop for labor? Suggestion please!!!!
You should be able to save by getting a wheel and control arm from a breaker as new Toyota alloy wheels are not cheap. After market wheel bearing hubs as I understand are not expensive in the US and the work could easily be done by a small independent shop as the work is much the same as any other front wheel drive car.
After looking around for parts in the UK "usually more expensive than US" I would expect to pay less than half of the figure you have been quoted. Maybe someone else from the US can give a closer figure, and may even be able to point you to someone with a wheel for sale.
Thank you Britprius. My hubby will check at the junkyard for parts. Then we'll go to small shop to get the work done.
