Well, last night, as I was coming home I slammed into a curb. Looked down to adjust the climate control, and then I looked up and a coyote is in the middle of the road. I swerved around it but slid into the curb at maybe 30 mph, could have been faster. Car was seriously close to flipping, I was on 2 wheels.
The front wheel fell off and was broken by the brake caliper, lug nuts all off and my studs were destroyed. Like bent to an L shape and one is half in the hub still, idk how i'll get that out. Lower rear control arm is bent. The right rear quarter panel is dented pretty bad and the plastic trim pieces fell off.
So heres the deal. I fixed the plastic trim, but I am going to need a new control arm and probably 2 new wheels. I think the quarter panel is going to have to stay, I imagine that's expensive to fix. I was wondering if the tire is still good to use. Its a run flat, I drove not even a mile to get home, but it did sit on the tire all night so that might have messed it up.
The other problem was that as I was reattaching the wheel, it seemed something was leaking from the car. It looked yellow and oily, and seemed to be coming from this rubber hose that just comes out of the bottom of the car. I haven't run the car yet because the right side is jacked up and its in the garage, but was wondering if anyone knew what this fluid could be?

 

This doesn't remotely sound like something you should try to fix yourself. Why aren't you calling your insurance company?

 

Sorry to hear. The fluid may be anti freeze?

Seems you are going to try a fix all this by yourself? How about insurance, it was an accident?

 

Does that fluid have a 'strong' smell? It sounds like some kind of gear oil and could be manual transmission oil leaking as a result of the axle damaging the gear box.

Given the amount of damage you have wouldn't you be better off making an insurance claim? Your car is not that old after all.

 

Yellow? Brake fluid?

 

Brake fluid would be my guess, and it's only a guess. My first call of the day would be to my insurance company.

 

something similar just cost me over $3000

first call I made was to AAA for a tow and called insurance while waiting for the truck to arrive.

2 wheels and tires

front and rear hubs/bearings

control arms upper and lower

steering linkage

and was going under 30 when I hit ... also trying to avoid something in the road . .

 

Exactly how did you drive it home without one of the front wheels?

 

Insurance only helps if you have comprehensive coverage, and then you still pay the deductible. I only have liability on the Mini, so if this happened to me I would be doing the repairs.
If you can get new parts bolted on, you'll need an alignment at least. I wonder if there is any frame damage. The costs will add up but you save a ton if you can do most of the work. Post pics and good luck.

 

I moved a bolt from each of the wheels and used it to bolt the front one on. I have an automatic and I'm pretty sure that fluid is red, and I don't think its brake fluid because I didn't lose the brakes driving home. It hasn't leaked since being parked. I just remember it was far back, like by the second cat. I did some looking and it seems the rubber tube I thought it came out of is for the a/c, maybe its refrigerant. Ill see what's up with insurance.

 

every insurance situation is different and while I EXPECTED this to be a comp' issue, the claim agent said it was a collision as far as they were concerned because I hit something ... a curb and pot hole! The claim agent said they did not know what impact if any there would be on my rates tho as that decision is made by the underwriters ... jury is still out

so your call ... I have full coverage and then some so calling was not even a question for me ... that's what I have insurance for! Initial estimate was about $2500 and after doing the front end, on the test drive it was determined the rear hub was shot too ... so back to the shop and a call for the appraiser to come back out. "Supplemental claim" ... for me is was easy peezy . . . but USAA gets very high makes for their claims service in general.

Car is not yet 6 months old so IMO I had no choice but to go to the dealer even tho the cost was a bit more. Getting it done by the dealer means I keep full factory warranty ...

 

A friend's wife slid her Dodge Caliber into a curb on an icy rotary and did similar damage, and it was all covered by insurance less the usual deductibles. Probably a good idea to blame the coyote more than the taking the eyes off the road part though...

 

Rear wheel bearing is broken :(. Makes a grinding when I turn and has play.