So as the title says, I hit something hidden in the snow the other day... my car flew up and went airborne and smashed back down.

I stopped immediately and did a look over, couldn't see any bent rims or fluid leaking.. so I get on the highway, and now my car is swaying back and forth like something's loose or broken.

It doesn't feel like it's out of alignment, the car just feels like it's floating, it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel like an alignment issue, seeing as it isn't pulling to one side consistently, it goes back and forth in the lane I'm in. If I was to let the wheel go I'd be flying all over the place.

At 50 or 60km/h it drives in a straight line, but the suspension still doesn't feel as rigid as it was before I hit whatever the **** it was. No noises or grinding either during turns.

Any ideas what it could be? I've booked an appt next weekend but I'm hesitant to drive it, and I'm just wondering if anyone knows what type of damage I'm looking at.


Also, if I do need an alignment (which is high chance I bet =\), would it make a difference if I do it with my snows on? In a month or so I'm slapping my summer tires back on, and I'm not sure if getting the alignment on the snows will throw my summers out of whack.. not sure how it works heh

 

IDK man, but it couldn't hurt to jack it up and take a good long look at all of the suspension parts. Even if you are going to take it in soon.

 

**** my work car a 94 cavalier does that all the time going down the road even when i hit a little bit of snow on the road or a where water runs over feels like my ass end is gonna spin around

 

This is on dry pavement, no water or snow atm. And it just FEELS completely different than before the hit and run.

I'm not expecting answers from you guys, there's no way to know unless I do jack it up or take it in.. just it's 10pm and I just wanna take my mind of it..
I guess I won't know fully until I get it taken in.

 

check your wheel studs.

 

i would say you messed up your alignment. even though its not a consistent side swaying back and forth is a sign of alignment issues as well.

 

rack n pin might be dmg on the steering side

 

Swarbar could be damaged, alignment could be out, damaged strut.. you wont know for sure until you get the car in the air and have a look yourself.

 

Bent axle will do that.

 

If it sways back and forth, and it's not a vibration, then I'd put money on something in the steering gear, not wheels or suspension. Although, I would have it all checked for peace of mind.

 

I am with tomtwtwtw.

Also to the OP, an allignment doesnt change when you change your wheels and tires.

 

Actually mine did when I put my winters on. I figure that it is something with the tires, not the alignment itself though.

 

Alright cool, thanks a bunch guys.
I'm gonna try sneaking it in to one of the two dealerships around here in the morning and see if I can get whatever's wrong done under warranty I've only got 14000km on her.
If not I'll know the problem and get a local shop to fix it for a cheaper price.

 

Get it inspected before something breaks and it throws you totally out of control at highway speeds.... My wife's 2006 Trailblazer broke a tie rod at about 10 MPH in a parking lot. It swerved left, out of control except for brakes, glanced off a aisle post (filled with concrete) and the result was an estimated $4500 in damages to the left side of the TB but no one injured. Another 4 miles and she would have been doing 55 MPH on a busy 4 lane.... no telling what would have happened but it wouldn't have been pretty.

 

I had a tie rod let go on an 87 Ford Escort Pony at 40mph... it's a ride you don't want to take. You're completely ballistic with no control. Even locking the ebrake can't negate the slide around.
From my experience with GM's, man there is so much that could be broke under that car... I'd say start with the sway bar and the sway bar links (little vertical rods that tie the sway bar to the rest of the suspension). Could ballpark way to check tie rods and ball joint damage is to jack the car up (like you were going to change a tire). Take a bar, something stout, and put it under the tire and pull up, listen for anything clinking. This also works if you're a burly bastard, you can grab the tire by the 6 and 12 oclock position and pull in and out... For tie rod damage, grab the tire by the 3 and 9 oclock and give a wiggle... BUT, for serious damage like bending a subframe, or a steering box, something like that, hustle it to a garage or dealer you trust FAST!

Hope everything works out ok. This winter claimed a sway bar link on my SS.

 

I had them jack it up and fully inspect it today, the guy spent almost 2 hours checking it out. No damage, no impact marks, the whole suspension is tight as hell the guy said. They did a 4 wheel alignment and sent me on my way..
It's still swaying a little, but nowhere near as much as it was before.. I'm not sure if I should get a 2nd opinion.

 

Make the first guy take it on a road test.... put him behind the wheel so he can feel what's going on... something isn't right with the steering rack... my daughter is having problems with her G6's steering rack... could be similar... still a dangerous situation.

 

Is that like an Escourt EXP? My buddie had one of those slickest escourt ive ever layed eyes on.

 

Yea, I made the tech take it for a drive on the highway, he said he felt a bit of pull to one side and recommended a realignment. He drove it afterwards and said it felt better. I mean it does feel better, but maybe it's just in my head.
I think I'll wait till my summer tires go back on in the next week or so and see how good it feels then.

 

ya mine does the same thing likes to pull to one side alot. i've checked everything and my alignment is dead on. never hit anything but mine because very loose at highway speeds so i've basically narrowed it down to the tires sidewall is starting to seperate causing this as everything stiffened up after i did a premature tire rotation. so by summer i will have new tires on my cobalt.