DU automobile mechanic folks--what happened?

[leftofthedial]

you were a big help recently when I had a troubling vibration in the front-end of my Saturn. I did the wheel balance and alignment and tire rotation thing and it got much better, but didn't go away. I took it into the Saturn dealer. They said there was nothing wrong, but if it got worse to bring it back in.

Last Sunday night I was driving on the freeway, 50-55mph when there was a loud "snap" and a thump. I thought I'd had a blowout on the right front tire. The car started to move to the right, then suddenly the wheel spontaneously jerked hard to the left--so hard I couldn't turn the wheel at all. In fact, I literally tore every muscle in the left side of my torso trying to turn the wheel and regain control of the car. The car went into a spin (3 or 4 times? I couldn't even tell) and finally stopped in the median. Thankfully, I hit no other cars.

My car is totaled, I have the aforementioned torn muscles, but no other injuries.

Any idea what happened?

[lazarus]

1. tie rod end

or front axle. Broke. Very bizarre.

[leftofthedial]

6. I'll tell you it freaked me out

one minute I'm driving my car

the next it is totally uncontrollable.

I'm still shook up.

[bahrbearian]

2. Broken Tie Rod ?

[Worst Username Ever]

3. God, I am blanking on the name of the part. Basically your wheel fell

off, or about halfway off since there are two connectors and you lost one of them. Damn... blanking...

[Worst Username Ever]

8. BALL JOINT

that is what I am trying to think of. You busted the ball joint, the part that conencts the axles to your wheel and allows you to stear a front-wheel drive car. Bascially the wheel partially disconnected from the car.

[leftofthedial]

15. it was impossible to budge the steering wheel

now the right wheel points 90 degrees to the left and the right wheel points straight, but "sags" inward.

As violent as the "turn" to the left was, I'm just glad to be alive and that no one else was injured.

[Wilber_Stool]

4. Something in the

rack and pinion steering. Big bucks.

[leftofthedial]

16. the repair estimator has already told me it's totaled

so at least I won't have to fix it.

[Spinzonner]

5. Well, it got worse

Are you going to bring it back in ?

Oh, and sue their asses off ?

[leftofthedial]

7. I don't know

they also totally misdiagnosed a virtually dead battery that died and left me stranded the very next day. Unbelievable.

[leftofthedial]

17. that is, I know I won't bring it back in

it's totaled.

I don't know about sueing.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Several things

a tire could have blown, steering linkage could have broken, the axle could have broken. The first thing that came to mind was broken axle, because a problem there could very easily have been missed when they worked on the front end. And it could have caused the vibration.

This information from my husband, ASE Master mechanic.

[leftofthedial]

11. thank you

for the excellent info

I don't know what to do about it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. Get in touch with your insurance company

They have your car now, I assume, and they are looking into what caused the accident. Find out from them. Also let them know about the repairs and what the dealership said about the car being ok.Give them copies of your receipts.

If it turns out to be something that a reasonable mechanic should have spotted, go to the dealer to seek restitution. If he fails to cooperate, get an attorney.

[leftofthedial]

18. my insurance company is on it

I'll ask them Monday

Thanks!

[mr_hat]

10. I think you're all wrong. I'm guessing a snapped axle at >

the CV joint.

Your dealership put your life in danger by mis-diagnosing that.

[Worst Username Ever]

12. The axle went, or the CV joint went?

If the CV joint went, he would ahve known long, long ago (there is no missing the clicking of a worn CV joint).

[mr_hat]

13. They're one and the same anymore. >

Mechanics replace the entire assembly from the joint to the rack and pinion.

[yorgatron]

19. they told you everything was OK?

SUE THE BASTARDS!!!