Advice after pothole

[ParlorPink]

Hi all, I drove off the highway in the dark with pouring rain. The left side of the car went off onto the dirt highway shoulder.

Nothing seems wrong other than some paint damage on the front bottom/side bottom of the left side. I have scheduled an appointment with SC in 5 days.

Do you folks have any suggestion on what I should check on during these days?

 

[FlatSix911]

Try not to drive off the highway in the pouring rain...

 

[father_of_6]

Try not to drive off the highway in the pouring rain...

Don't listen to @FlatSix911. You can do this whenever you want.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

I dunno, I think Flat6 had some really good advice - other than that stuff about flat 6's of course.

 

[KenC]

Hi all, I drove off the highway in the dark with pouring rain. The left side of the car went off onto the dirt highway shoulder.

Nothing seems wrong other than some paint damage on the front bottom/side bottom of the left side. I have scheduled an appointment with SC in 5 days.

Do you folks have any suggestion on what I should check on during these days?

Alignment.

 

[BMWM3Man]

Hi all, I drove off the highway in the dark with pouring rain. The left side of the car went off onto the dirt highway shoulder.

Nothing seems wrong other than some paint damage on the front bottom/side bottom of the left side. I have scheduled an appointment with SC in 5 days.

Do you folks have any suggestion on what I should check on during these days?

You ran "onto the dirt"...
Why did you schedule an appointment? For the paint damage I'm guessing? Otherwise do nothing unless you have a problem...do you have any steering, alignment, tire/rim etc problems?

 

[ParlorPink]

You ran "onto the dirt"...
Why did you schedule an appointment? For the paint damage I'm guessing? Otherwise do nothing unless you have a problem...do you have any steering, alignment, tire/rim etc problems?

The dirt shoulder is much lower than the highway, so I basically run into and off a "big pothole". They have changed the front control arms for me already twice this year, so I am indeed worried about things. (Although I am not sure what to worry about, maybe alignment after the comments?)

 

[MikeyC]

Only you know how violent it was. If there were any big bumps, bangs, or if you think the bottom scraped on the edge of the road, I'd get it checked. Otherwise the suspension will take it. I've been run entirely off the road onto uneven dirt and tall grass and drove there for probably 100 feet when a truck pulled out right in front of me while I was doing 60 MPH. Oncoming traffic and nowhere else to go. Other than the grass causing a few green stripes which just wiped off, no damage.

Mike

 

[afadeev]

Hi all, I drove off the highway in the dark with pouring rain. The left side of the car went off onto the dirt highway shoulder.
Nothing seems wrong other than some paint damage on the front bottom/side bottom of the left side.

All's well than ends well.
Sounds like you went off-roading a bit, and have only cosmetic damage to show for it.
If the car is tracking straight, and there are not other obvious warnings signs or noises, then you are all good.

I have scheduled an appointment with SC in 5 days.
Do you folks have any suggestion on what I should check on during these days?

Eyesight?
You must have crossed an incoming traffic lane and a shoulder without noticing. Basically, were driving by braille.
It might be worthwhile to take pro-active steps to avoid similar experiences in the future.

 

[Huskyfan]

The dirt shoulder is much lower than the highway, so I basically run into and off a "big pothole". They have changed the front control arms for me already twice this year, so I am indeed worried about things. (Although I am not sure what to worry about, maybe alignment after the comments?)

Why have you had two front control arms replaced?

 

[afadeev]

Why have you had two front control arms replaced?

Probably because they all fail, and become a regular replacement item between 20-40K miles!?

 

[ParlorPink]

Why have you had two front control arms replaced?

Around Fall 2021 the control arms failed. Then this spring I took a 900 miles road trip for relocation, and the control arms started to squeak again. The SC replaced them the second time.

 

[ParlorPink]

All's well than ends well.
Sounds like you went off-roading a bit, and have only cosmetic damage to show for it.
If the car is tracking straight, and there are not other obvious warnings signs or noises, then you are all good.



Eyesight?
You must have crossed an incoming traffic lane and a shoulder without noticing. Basically, were driving by braille.
It might be worthwhile to take pro-active steps to avoid similar experiences in the future.

Haha, nah, I fell off the road (into the triangle left to the exit) because I didn't see where the exit lane was.

 

[ODWms]

Mentioning the front control arms, has anyone heard of a better — even aftermarket — replacement for this so it’s not a continual issue?

 

[ParlorPink]

Update: the rear aero shield was damaged. Total repair $311. Part is $165.