A few days ago, I hit the front driver-side wheel of my car at a roundabout due to brake failure. Took it to the mechanic and they said it needs new track rods (inner and outer), drop links, discs, pads, and wheel alignment. But the wheel is still visibly bent, and now they’re saying it might also need a new hub, wishbone, or shock absorber. Honestly, I’m not sure what to do at this point, so I figured I’d ask the internet for some advice.
Looks like you really hit it hard against a curb.
It looks like your wheel is out of alignment.
Wyatt said:
It looks like your wheel is out of alignment.
I don’t know; the mechanic said he did the wheel tracking. Isn’t that the same thing?
Wyatt said:
It looks like your wheel is out of alignment.
I don’t know; the mechanic said he did the wheel tracking. Isn’t that the same thing?
Yes, it is.
It sounds like you hit something hard. The wheel itself might be bent, but it’s more likely that the suspension components are bent, which is why the shop is suggesting the replacement of those parts.
By the way, what kind of brake failure was this? What was the problem, and how did they fix the brakes?
The damage on the alloy wheel is pretty clear. How hard did you hit the curb?
The suspension and steering components are likely bent; that’s why it’s important to never ignore brake maintenance. You’re lucky you didn’t hit anyone.
I’m not certain, but the brake felt spongy and didn’t perform like it usually does. The car veered to the right when I applied the brakes while I was in the left lane before the roundabout.
Sorrell said:
I’m not certain, but the brake felt spongy and didn’t perform like it usually does. The car veered to the right when I applied the brakes while I was in the left lane before the roundabout.
So what brake components did they end up fixing?
@Haze
The mechanic mentioned something about air in the brake lines, low brake fluid, and that my pads and discs were pretty much worn out.
Sorrell said:
@Haze
The mechanic mentioned something about air in the brake lines, low brake fluid, and that my pads and discs were pretty much worn out.
Got it, so it sounds like a severe lack of maintenance led to the ‘brake failure’.