The steering wheel is way off, but the tires are equally aligned in all wheel positions.
Take a tape measure and measure from a common point on the rear wheel of one side to a point on the front wheel on the same side. Repeat for the other side. Odds are you will find a huge difference.
If the steering wheel is way off then something, or plural of that, is badly bent.
“Okay, I just looked at it. The tire is rubbing against the fender wall when the wheel is turned to the right. It’s almost like the wheel was knocked back (towards the rear end) a few inches”
That is very serious damage. Unless you are a well trained and very experienced suspension technician. Do not attempt to diagnose or repair this potentially very dangerous damage. Have it towed to a collision repair shop and get an estimate which is typically free. If the estimate is more than the car is worth to you. Sell it to a scrap yard who will tow it themselves.
steering wheel is cocked 45 degrees to the left to stay straight
This is what concerns me the most. Serious damage has occurred and as @the same mountainbike said the wheel could fold up while driving. This would mean much more repair in body work and other parts…that you could triple your costs to fix it.
Please have it towed to the shop.
Yosemite
Think I’ll be better served at a collision shop or a general repair shop?
collision shop, because they should have an eye for this sort of thing
they should spot things, that others may miss, plus they likely have the equipment to measure and straighten
After everything is replaced and/or straightened, make sure the car gets a steering alignment
I’d also want to throw the rims on the balancer and watch if they’re bent. It should be fairly obvious when they’re spinning
Clearly something is seriously damaged. Until you know what, you drive this at great risk.
You aren’t discussing whether the car will start tomorrow. You’re discussing whether whatever is broken underneath will suddenly let go and leave you with a critical part falling off and complete loss of control of a 3,000 pound hunk of steel… with you in it… and kill someone.
If you choose to ignore an engine operating problem, I say “go for it”. But this is not an engine operating problem. This has the potential of being extremely dangerous.
I’m picking up a rental in the morning, not going to be driving this. If I do, it’s just to the repair shop that’s a mile away.
I’m just trying to get a good idea of where to go and what I should be paying for whatever damage is found.
Good to hear.
There are a number of possibilities including serious steering rack damage. It’s impossible to posit a guess without getting it up on a lift.
Let us know how you make out. We do care, I just don’t want to see someone get killed just because they don’t recognize how serious the damage could be.
Thanks.
I’m just crossing my fingers on a bent control arm and tie rod for a $500-600 bill.
Most cities are immune from liability for this. I know that where I live the municipality is not responsible for pothole damage from Nov. to April, and the rest of the year they are only responsible if they are notified in writing about the pothole before the damage.
ok4450 Quoting the OP “Okay, I just looked at it. The tire is rubbing against the fender wall when the wheel is turned to the right. It’s almost like the wheel was knocked back (towards the rear end) a few inches” I had minimal GM suspension training which consisted of 3 days learning to diagnose worn components. It did not address collision. The only thing I was allowed to diagnose and replace were worn shock absorbers. Any suspension repairs required a well trained technician due to liability. I experienced a seemingly minor collision Sep 15th 2001. I was on my way to National Guard weekend drill which was disturbing enough 4 days after 9/11. It had rained for the first time in 3 weeks and I am quite familiar with oil leaching from asphalt. I was driving my 1991 Jeep Cherokee which had just celebrated it’s 10th birthday and 150K but was in excellent condition. It had select drive and I had it in what Jeep called “full time 4 wheel drive” which was a superior all wheel drive. I tried to negotiate a right hand curve that I had negotiated at 25 to 30mph at 10 to 15mph due to the slippery pavement. My Jeep suddenly went out from under me. My reaction as a rear wheel drive driver was to turn in the direction of the skid. I hit the curb. I thought I might have damaged a wheel. My Jeep ended up being totaled for mostly suspension and drivetrain damage and I got a check for $6800 which was more than I thought it was worth.
Quoted $295 at a local shop for lower control arm replacement and alignment.
He hasn’t put it on the lift yet so more to come possibly.
A friend of a friend who owns a collision shop said he would prefer to buy an entire front passenger wheel assembly from the parts yard…didn’t give me a price though.
@Demo_Beta
Is that rim alloy or stamped steel?
Rim is alloy, looks fine. No air loss from tire either.
@Demo_Beta
Don’t throw out your rim just yet
Ask the shop to throw it on the balancer and watch it spin. Then balance it. If they can’t get it to stop wobbling, throw it out and get another.
On the flip side, if you get a rim from the junkyard, also have the shop throw it on the balancer. There’s no reason to think the rim in the junkyard also didn’t smack the curb
I’m not worried about any rim issues yet.
Right now I’m hoping for no bearing or frame damage.
Awww, I think the old Buick is a goner; shes burning coolant somehow.
I’m guessing the jolt of the accident blew out a gasket or even cracked the block.
It’s going up on the lift in an hour.
I hope you took it to shop that has someone who specializes in or has a lot of experience with suspensions. You won’t find this at a collision shop. I good front end guy can spot frame damage if there is any.
The steering knuckle is a solid piece of cast iron. I doubt you did any damage to it. You could have bent the tie rod though, they will give before a steering knuckle would.
The coolant could just be a hose, the lower radiator hose hangs pretty low on some vehicles.
All the hoses are secure.
But, even if it was just a hose, how would it get into the engine? It’s puffing slight white smoke now, did not do this before. Also, the coolant overflow tank is empty. Something is f’d.
I took it to a good shop.