RWD SUV got towed (XTerra) - damage question

General Discussion
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1

Simply, what happened was I parked in street that had street cleaning the next day so it was towed away. on a flatbed.

Here are couple more details:

  • car is a new Nissan XTerra;
  • car is automatic and it was obviously left in park;
  • the hand break had been activated (pulled up);
  • car is rear wheel drive and the dragging was done from the front;
  • dragged onto flatbed tow truck using chains.

So my concern is this: since they did not break into the car to put into neutral and de-activate the hand breaks, did they do any damage to the frame/transmission/engine by dragging the car by brutal force onto the flatbed tow truck?

2

Hard to say, you’ll want it checked out. But I think not, as far as the drive train, the rear tires skidded. They couldn’t have gotten it out of park even if they broke it, key is needed for that. I’d be more concerned about body damage to the front from the chains.

3

There are dolly’s for this. They just lift the wheels and put them a dolly’s. I have no idea how your car was put on the flat-bed though…

4

No damage. These guys do this all the time and it doesn’t hurt the vehicle. The fact that your handbrake was set reduced any strain on the transmission.

5

Thanks guys - appreciate it. They definitely didn’t use dollies and from what I have seen them do to other 4WDs, they just drag it into the flatbed by the chains… wheels stuck in place.

6

I’ve watched this done, and they simply tilt the bed, chain the vehicle to the winch, and drag it up. They don’t intentionally do any damage, but they don;t bother being gentle either.