[K3Nx2Y]

My wife hit a small curb in her 2020 crosstrek (around 5 inches tall) on her front passenger tire with the wheel turned so that the outside of the tire took the brunt of the hit (so i thought.) She says she was going around 15-20mph. I drove the car and it wasn’t driving weird, no wobbling or shuddering or anything like that. No visible damage. The only thing is it was pulling left, so i thought we avoided anything major and just needed an alignment.

We take it to the local Subaru dealer, and they said we need an alignment, hub unit assg, pass ft strut, and a wheel. the part that makes me do a double take is them saying our wheel was bent, because like i said no visible damage and it was not driving weird besides pulling to the left.

Is the dealer trying to get one over on us or is it possible the wheel was bent and we couldn’t see it?

Thanks!

 

[Agent0024]

Have you checked on the inside lip of the wheel?

I would start with getting an alignment at a wheel and tire shop and have them check out the wheel at the same time. I've seen bent wheels that are barely noticeable but still able to hold air.

Don't go to the stealership.

 

[K3Nx2Y]

Have you checked on the inside lip of the wheel?

I would start with getting an alignment at a wheel and tire shop and have them check out the wheel at the same time. I've seen bent wheels that are barely noticeable but still able to hold air.

Don't go to the stealership.

if the wheel is slightly bent like that, is it okay to drive long term or should we just go ahead and get it fixed now?

 

[sas-XV]

Definitely get a second opinion from an independent auto repair shop. This is not a car warranty issue and it is not necessary to go to the dealer. It seems improbable to me that a wheel bearing/hub assembly, front strut assembly and a wheel are all necessary from a minor ding- however it is possible.

 

[EvilMonkey]

⬆ this take it to another shop & have them show you what’s wrong.

if you use a different shop they can put it on a hoist with someone inside & run it gear to see if it’s bent.

a shop with a tire balancer can put it on the machine & spin it & see also.

if you’re still on factory wheels & you need a different wheel check with your local tire shops & craigslist/facebook to find a used replacement no need to spend whatever ridiculous amount of money a new one is at the stealership. Also depending on where you live & the type of wheel there are guys/shops that can “straighten” a bent wheel.

I wouldn’t ride on a bent wheel for forever but you should be more worried about the strut assembly failing/leaking if it’s bent. if you have to ride on a bent rim I would put it on the rear.

 

[K3Nx2Y]

Definitely get a second opinion from an independent auto repair shop. This is not a car warranty issue and it is not necessary to go to the dealer. It seems improbable to me that a wheel bearing/hub assembly, front strut assembly and a wheel are all necessary from a minor ding- however it is possible.

i thought so too...but I don’t know cars that well. I did grill the guy pretty hard and he stood firm, and offered to let me see the damage. but I am new to the area and don’t know any shop besides a dealer that I “trust” and feel like this type of thing Everybody might try to upsell on lol

 

[Arthur]

My wife hit a small curb in her 2020 crosstrek (around 5 inches tall) on her front passenger tire with the wheel turned so that the outside of the tire took the brunt of the hit (so i thought.) She says she was going around 15-20mph. I drove the car and it wasn’t driving weird, no wobbling or shuddering or anything like that. No visible damage. The only thing is it was pulling left, so i thought we avoided anything major and just needed an alignment.

We take it to the local Subaru dealer, and they said we need an alignment, hub unit assg, pass ft strut, and a wheel. the part that makes me do a double take is them saying our wheel was bent, because like i said no visible damage and it was not driving weird besides pulling to the left.

Is the dealer trying to get one over on us or is it possible the wheel was bent and we couldn’t see it?

Thanks!

I had to go through this process in December. Two new hubs, two new rims, a VERY expensive bill...

 

[erader]

if the wheel is slightly bent like that, is it okay to drive long term or should we just go ahead and get it fixed now?

depends on how bad it is. if it's slight I wouldn't worry about it. 15-20 mile an hour, my eye

 

[Arthur]

Could you send a photo of what the rim looks like? Also, stand in front of the car to see how out of line the rim is, that way you get a better idea of how bad it is.

 

[Zap]

I got lucky and the car didn't take any damage. The rim soaked it all up.

 

[AstroKats]

Ouch!

I may have posted this one before. Things could always be worse... 😸

30 Times Car Owners Had Such A Terrible Day, They Went To The Internet For Comfort

It might not have been a darn seagull that dropped a catfish on your windshield (true story), but some car owners are having such a horrible day that they can proclaim it’s way worse than yours!

www.boredpanda.com

 

[Arthur]

Ouch!

I may have posted this one before. Things could always be worse... 😸

30 Times Car Owners Had Such A Terrible Day, They Went To The Internet For Comfort

It might not have been a darn seagull that dropped a catfish on your windshield (true story), but some car owners are having such a horrible day that they can proclaim it’s way worse than yours!

www.boredpanda.com

That link you posted has some good stuff. That focus one is really good, haha.

 

[[email protected]]

I second going to a Tire and wheel specialist and do it in the following order: alignment, visual Inspection, tire balance if needed, rim replacement if found damaged. If you still not fixing the pull, it’s time to talk to your wife about the “ low speed” impact with a “small” curb.

 

[Agent0024]

if the wheel is slightly bent like that, is it okay to drive long term or should we just go ahead and get it fixed now?

I’ve driven on slightly bent wheels in a bind before. Drove fine, tracked straight and held air for years but it wasn't a daily driver. I wouldn’t recommend unless it’s the last resort.

 

[MarioAndretti]

If all it's doing is pulling to one side then it's unlikely you did any damage beyond a bent tie rod or control arm.The rest should be fine.Depending on what's bent,how much it's bent and how much adjustment you have,you might get away with just an alignment.If it can't be corrected with an adjustment,then the parts aren't very expensive and they're quick and easy to replace with the right tools.So take it to a shop to get the alignment checked,see what's bent,adjust if possible and work from there.