# Any Answers?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** jetta, volkswagen\
**Created:** [February 5, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165 "2013-02-05T03:42:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WiscoDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb9ed0/32.png) [@WiscoDriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/WiscoDriver)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/1 "2013-02-05T03:42:48Z")

</div>

I have a 2003 Jetta GLS.  
The other day my brakes locked up going down a hill and I slid into a snowbank/curb.  
now there is a continuous thunk/knocking sound coming from the front right tire. I googled a bunch of stuff and I think it may be a bent axel or messed up tire bearing but I honestly am unsure.  
Any advice?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/2 "2013-02-05T03:48:17Z")

</div>

The best advice that anyone could give you is to drive directly (very slowly and very carefully) to the nearest competent mechanic for examination. You could have a bent wheel and/or a damaged wheel bearing and/or a damaged CV joint and/or damage to steering components. Translation: The car is a potential safety hazard at this point.

The best course of action would be to have the car towed to a mechanic before you cause an accident.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/3 "2013-02-05T05:42:11Z")

</div>

Good advice there. No point taking risks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/4 "2013-02-06T05:44:44Z")

</div>

+2 Drive only on surface streets to avoid fast traffic. The car needs to be on a lift for a thorough inspection of the drive train and suspension. You might see something if you can crawl under it, but don’t count on it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/5 "2013-02-06T20:24:48Z")

</div>

The only thing I’ll add is that you should have never driven this car home. You should have had your insurance company send a tow truck and take it directly to a body shop.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/any-answers/77165/6 "2013-02-06T21:22:58Z")

</div>

+3. Especially on the towtruck  
You could also have damaged a ball joint, and if you’d ever seen one of these that let go and allowed the wheel to fold up under the car, you would not have driven it home.