Backing up on the parking lot and watching out for cars behind I stupidly forgot about metal pole on the right. As traffic clears I hit gas and bump! See sketch.

Now steering wheel is very loose, turned about 45 degrees to the right when going straight, and when going out of the turn car does not set itself to go straight. Visual inspection did not give much info, nothing seemed to be bent. Maybe very bad disalignment. How safe is it to drive like this? I need at least get to the work tomorrow and then to the shop. Any thoughts?

 

well first thing is visual inspection. how fast did you hit it? and if you cant see anything undeer the car, drive it. see if it pulls anywhere. if it does, either you bent something on the side that it pulls too or you messed your alligment.

 

Take off both front wheels and compare the two sides, see what doesn't look right. Go to an alignment shop and have it all checked out ..

 

Well I was not fast, but I made a decently sharp take off. It does not seem to pull but now it seems like I need to turn steering more to actually do the turn. It was kinda dark outside so maybe I missed something, but yea, I guess I will take it to the shop to have it checked, not sure I can afford to pay somebody for repair though, if I did bend smth..

 

Sounds like a bent steering tie rod. My steering wheel is currently cocked but the car drives straight. Whether or not it tracks straight is not a good diagnosis of alignment condition. The only evidence beside the steering wheel that my susp. was messed was the rediculous tire wear. The culprit: LCA bushings. I doubt that is your problem though.

 

most likely its the Lower Control Arm or Outer Tie Rod. Lift the vehical and make some **** for us

 

tie rod is a good indication with crooked wheel...definitly something bent, could also be upper strut mount or control arms...many places check alignment for free, go get a free look at least

 

****in 10 characters

 

Control arm or tie rod..... I'll look at it more closely. Also will drop off the car for free estimate this morning.

Am I safe to do at least 55 on the highway??

 

I'd take it easy ... you never know what you knocked loose or broke in the process. If something falls off at that speed, you're toast. Besides, with bent suspension parts the car will be extremely unpredictable at higher speeds and you could present a danger to yourself and those around you.

I'd rock the slow lane ...

 

Yeah, you are right! Better cancel my trip, or will borrow my mom's car..

 

damn thats sux dude....
Did you damage the body at all? I would take it easy if I were you.. Hope everything works out well

 

yea dont drive it, could make your steering very squirly, and if a the tierod is bent and breaks, your screwed...better safe than sorry

 

i had a similar thing on my 91 accord. i hit a pole going forward, and had to change control arm, hub and bearing, rack and pinion. the whole thing was 1000$. but that was at like 45 mhp. im sure yours is in better condition.

 

Just took my car back from Midas, dropped off in the morning. I was so damn lucky. They set everything straight by doing allignment. Nothing was bent. I'll be much more carefull next time, because luck may not be there.

No body damage, I hit pole exactly with center of the tire.

Thanks guys for replies. Be careful in those parking lots!

 

^^^something WAS bent....the only thing that throws cars out of alignment is change in ride height or bending something...doesnt have to be much, but something was bent...if u were to put it on a frame puller you would be able to find out what got bent...but if the alignment was able to be set within specs...no bigge

 

depending on how hard you hit it you probably messed your alighment up

 

I would say tie-rod and possibly the lower control arm. Other then that, I hit a curb messing around in a parking lot and bent my lower control arm the snapped the outer tie-rod.

 

Maybe was, possibly strut could get messed up, but as you said yourself, if they were able to set alignment within specs, good for me!

Drove the car for a while now, feels fine, steering is straight, does not pull. Just as it was before.

 

Have someone follow you from behind to see if the car is driving crooked. It's hard to tell from inside the car, but easy to spot from behind. That'll tell you if you have either frame damage (highly unlikely) or need a full truss alignment.

 

or just drive normally and see through your side mirrors and see if the rear is dogtracking. alignments arent a maintence thing. most likely something was bent, and they just set the alignment within spec. but it wont do any good if something was bent. its like balancing a bent wheel. you can still balance it but it wont ever be the same. were you there when they did the alignment? cuz if i were you i'd ask to see the underneath of the car.

 

In the morning before I left for work I lifter the car myself and spent some time examining things and took some pics. Did not see anything out of ordinary, though how often I look at control arm...
On the highway tonight it drove as usual, did not notice anything different. I'll check that dogtracking thing.

 

Hey Vlad I know this is ot, but i used your write up on changing my fuel injector and i just wanted to say thanks.

 

Vlad ... I agree with everyone that you still have a problem somwehere. You don't have to visibly see it for it to exist. All it takes is for something to be bent a couple of degrees in one directior or another to not be right. If that's the case, moving the alignment has compensated for a bigger problem.

Honestly, I'd take it to a better shop (or the dealer) and have it seriously checked out.

 

Thanks for advice. I'll have it checked out by somebody else at first chance.

Maxine: You're welcome.

 

If it was me it would have been a rim.

 

Tire wear will tell all.