Today after getting my mail, I started driving off and didn't see a low curb and slightly hit it going about 5 mph. I got off the car to look at the damage and noticed a little bit if "rash" on the rim. It didn't look bad so I drove off. While driving I realize my steering wheel is in the 10:00 position while driving on a straight course. Before the steering wheel was in the 9:00 position while driving in a straight line. The car does not pull to the right and drives fine but this new steering wheel location is not normal. Any ideas on what might be wrong? I don't want to drive it like this until it gets repaired.
My car is a 2011 328i x-drive with sports and premium package, if that really makes any difference.
Thanks!
Take it in for an alignment. They will also check to make sure no damage was done to the suspension components or wheel. No harm driving it for a short distance to the shop, won't ruin the tires if it is small hit.
Last edited by mryakan; 02-10-2013 at 09:11 PM.
Current Car (delivered 20/10/21): 2021 G80 M3; 6MT; DravitGrau/Kyalami Orange/Black Extended Merino; Permium Pkg (ZPP); 826M bicolor wheels; Black M Compound brakes; Sunroof (yes no CF roof)
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Previous Cars: 2018 F30 340ix 6MT Msport(Dec 2017 - Sep 2021); 2013 F30 335ix 6MT Msport (Nov 2013-17); 2011 e90 328i 6MT ZSP (Aug 10-Nov 13); 07 e90-323i ZSP (May 07 - Aug 10); 97-318ti ZSP (Feb 97 - May 07)
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Have the alighment checked as soon as you can.
Just spoke with my mechanic and he said the same thing, to have the alignment checked. Even though the car doesn't pull he said it could still be the alignment. I will take it in on Tuesday. I hope that is all it is, I can't imagine any serious damage going 5 mph but then I'm not a mechanic either!
Last edited by Gtbguy; 02-10-2013 at 09:49 PM.
While you have it in the shop, ask them about rim repair. I had some rash from a curb I hit backing out of a tight parking space and they were able to make it look like new.
The only problem is, if a part is bent it may be difficult to locate what is bent to cause an angled steering wheel. But there are only two components that could really cause that but it may have just jogged the tie rod. Juat bring it to the shop and theyll take care of it. Hopefully youre still in warranty.
Current Car (delivered 20/10/21): 2021 G80 M3; 6MT; DravitGrau/Kyalami Orange/Black Extended Merino; Permium Pkg (ZPP); 826M bicolor wheels; Black M Compound brakes; Sunroof (yes no CF roof)
(more pictures here)
Previous Cars: 2018 F30 340ix 6MT Msport(Dec 2017 - Sep 2021); 2013 F30 335ix 6MT Msport (Nov 2013-17); 2011 e90 328i 6MT ZSP (Aug 10-Nov 13); 07 e90-323i ZSP (May 07 - Aug 10); 97-318ti ZSP (Feb 97 - May 07)
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens", Friedrich von Schiller -- "Life is simple, people make it complicated", Me (About me)
Sorry but the bad news is the car is almost certainly totaled. The good news is I am happy to take that totaled car off your hands. Lets make a deal.
I stopped reading after you said your wheel was in the 9:00 position while driving straight before hitting the curb. Did I read that right? 10:00 is better than 9:00. Try hitting the curb 2 more times like that.
I wouldn't drive it further than the closest shop, and not very fast.
You've bent something. It's something that ties the wheel to the bit that steers it. I've not had the experience of not being able to control which way the front wheels are turning, but I've seen it happen in races. It usually ends badly.
Get somebody to look at it and get it fixed.
5MPH doesn't SEEM very fast.. but think how much damage you can do with a 5# hammer. Now add 3000#.
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I suppose it doesn't matter (it's 30 degrees either way), but I don't understand the 9:00 / 10:00 concept. Most generally think of the normal position of a steering wheel as 12:00. I guess maybe you mean the left-side spoke is normally at 9:00?
Anyway, I'm anxious to hear what the issue was.
That killed me!
Last edited by mystreba; 02-11-2013 at 11:19 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Got it, thanks...
- Search the forum first
- Check REALOEM for part numbers
...No they won't.
BMW is absolutely not going to goodwill parts that are damaged from being involved in an accident. Any service manager who even tried pushing that through would get laughed at.
Goodwill is in place for good customers who caught a rough break with their car, and genuinely deserve help from the manufacturer, not someone who rammed their car into a curb and bent the suspension. Loyal or not, the owner absolutely does not deserve to have the car manufacture eat the bill. That's why we have insurance.
The only good will act I have seen BMW do around here is when my neighbors rod bearings went in his 750li after only 50k miles. Before this though, the car was a nightmare for him always having something going wrong. After the engine went, BMW bought the car back for 25k to make up for his losses.
You don't understand. This isn't something that a customer "messed up", he got into a car accident and damaged it. If the dealership even attempted to warranty that it would be called back, inspected, and the claim would be immediately kicked, leaving the dealership footing the bill. You will be hard pressed to find a dealership stupid enough to put themselves out there like that, and frankly, it would be offensive in my opinion to even consider trying to get a dealership or manufacturer to pay for damage that was caused when a customer smashed his car into a curb.
Again, that's the point of car insurance. I can tell you from experience, that BMW will absolutely deny goodwill claims of this nature that are covered by car insurance. I've seen it, time and time again. I even saw them deny a warranty claim that in my opinion SHOULD have gone through, simply because, in their exact words, "the customer has car insurance, they need to attempt to go through their insurance before we will consider anything".
BMW goodwills most claims that are submitted correctly. Our dealership gets approval on, I would imagine, 90% of all the claims we submit. Even in multiple circumstances where the customer deserved nothing at all. BMW puts a lot of money out there to protect their brand, even if that means warrantying parts that have failed well outside of the warranty period. The fact of the matter on this is that the customer was in a car accident. They aren't, and shouldn't goodwill anything on this car because of that reason alone. The idea that someone suggests, or believes, that BMW should eat it is absurd in my opinion.
Ok cornerspeed, I surrender.....
Still buddies?
Okay, just got on-line, I met the 3:00/9:00 position is normal and mine wasn't since it was the 10;00/4:00 position after hitting the curb.
As several stated BMW would not take care of it and I didn't expect them too either. I took it to my Ferrari mechanic (who I totally trust) and he took care of it. As it turns out the rear wheel also hit the curb as well, and the damage to the rear rim was more serious than the front. Nothing got bent and all they had to do was to re-align the car. BTW, the wheels look new again! Total cost was $400 for wheel repair and alignment. I feel I dodged a bullet for my carelessness as it could have been much worse.
I appreciate the advice given, this forum is awesome!
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