Rear weaving on ice after accident

[Subarupusher]

My girlfriend got knocked pretty good on the freeway in her 1996 AT Impreza Wagon with most of the damage on the rear right panel, wheel well, and a hub cap was sheared off. She drove it home about 10 miles and thought it was still handling OK and the insurance has started to figure out the body damage which may total it anyway.

 

I drove the car on a cold morning where we had several long patches of ice. The car felt very unstable at 25 mph on black ice. I was coasting with my foot off the gas and the rear end was skittering pretty good. I have never felt this in a Subaru and the AWD drive vehicle behind me was not having any problem and ended up passing me.

 

So my guess is the AWD drive is damaged and either locked in the rear or the right wheel is dragging with the left trying to compensate.

 

Any expert opinions on what could be going on? The steering wheel is also slightly off.

[Fairtax4me]

If the wheel got hit something is probably bent and has moved the rear wheels out of proper alignment. Alignment can cause all sorts of problems.

The lateral links are designed to bend in a side collision (such as with a curb) in order to prevent damage to the frame. If there was major damage to the rear quarter panel the strut tower could have been shifted which would throw off the camber angle. The strut itself could be bent.

I'd try to avoid driving it at all. Just because you don't "feel" something wrong on dry pavement doesn't mean the car is stable, and loss of control is imminent if you happen to hit a slick spot at higher speed.

[ShawnW]

May have damaged all kinds of suspension parts, links, etc . Could be ABS sensors and the like messing around too. Don't drive it and let them decide if they are going to total it, etc. Rental car if covered by insurance for sure.

 

If its not your fault demand exact replacement and hold your ground on the value of the car. Show receipts, miles, etc and make sure they return you to the same or better vehicle you were in before the accident.

[idosubaru]

rear hub or one of the three things that attaches it to the body of the vehicle is probably bent. strut, transverse link, lateral link.

 

sounds like something is bent and the rear wheel is "pushing" or "pulling".

 

probably an easy fix, just get all that stuff used and swap it out. i just bought a complete set of that stuff for $120 from a board member here parting a car out.

 

FYI - once the insurance settles on a final offer for totaling the car, they'll let you buy it back for a couple hundred dollars.

[ShawnW]

They will let you buy it back for what they think they can get at salvage auction in your area. This varies a lot. Here $1200 isn't unusual as the used parts market here is incredible. I hope you can buy your car back for $300 or less but don't assume you can.

[SubaruAlliance]

yeah as these other guys stated something seems bent. sounds as tho the rear end got tweaked a little bit, and if the the steering wheel is off that tells me she seems to be dog-tracking a little bit, that is most likely why its swervy in slick conditions.

 

dog tracking is when the rear end of the vehicle isn't directly behind the front, like it's off to one side or the other. it wouldn't take much to throw it out of alignment, even as little as a quarter to a half inch may not "feel" noticeable, but the car would notice it in regards to handling. (not trying to insult your intelligence, just some ppl may not know the term dog-tracking)

 

best bet is to park it, and see what damage has been done and how easy a fix it will be, especially if your considering buying it back and using it as a daily driver.

[Subarupusher]

Thanks for all the info. We took it around to a couple of alignment places. Nobody really wants to give it more than a tire spin and eyeballing it unless you front them some cash. The insurance did officially total it and we raised their initial offer by showing maintenance receipts and talking to our local dealer on what they would sell it for pre accident condition.

 

It was tempting to keep it and lose $600 on the settlement but my girlfriend had been saving up for years for a Forester and she pulled the trigger. So Monday we will drive it down to the salvage auction yard and pick up the insurance check. So it will immediately be auctioned next week near Tacoma, Washington (heads up for anybody in the area).