This evening I was driving down I-15 to a buddy's house when the car in front of me swerved unexpectedly. The reason he swerved was because a large truck tire was in the center of our lane. Unable to avoid it, I struck the tire dead center. Ouch. I got off the highway and parked to check it out.

Heidi's front lower trim was ripped off and her radiator was sadly spilling its contents on the ground. The condenser and radiator were bend inwards, with the radiator obviously holed. Maybe the bumper is salvagable, maybe not. It looks really expensive. I would have posted pics, but it was too dark for my phone camera. My car is now sitting at the service area where she was towed. It is a sad day.

I am hoping for the best but expecting the worst.

 

Does it seem like there are more retreads lying on the highways than there used to be???

I just did three round trips from IL to Denver in the last few weeks, and along the I-80 interstate, those things were ALL OVER the place!
I even called 911 and got patched through to the highway department, because there was a huge piece right in the middle of the slow lane, and people were swerving like crazy, to miss it; an accident waiting to happen.

Fortunately, my MINI and I came out unscathed on every trip (well, expect for the rock thrown onto my windshield, in Nebraska).

Sorry to hear of your bad luck!

 

ouch that sucks. sorry to hear it. hope everthing works out for you.

 

was it a 4x4 wheel? cause I seen like 4 wheels come off in the highways in CA surprised they have not made huge 4x4 wheels illegal, they should. I seen one on the 101, the truck was shivering and shaking going about 70mph and the driver REFUSED to stop but moved to slow lane at speed, then bam it came off and flew off the exit ramp could have killed someone.

 

Yeah, I've been in the lane next to and slightly behind a truck when its wheel came off. Axle snapped. Scary stuff. Also, in England I remember when a lorry's wheel came off on the M25. The car it hit looked like it had been in a full-on accident with another vehicle--except worse because the wheel bounced and crushed the roof. Be grateful it didn't come through the windshield--the outcome could have been much worse for you.

I find the lack of maintenance and proper load fastening on some commercial vehicles scary in general. I've seen a rake fly out of a contracter's pickup in front of me, and I have to count with two hands the number of times gravel has flown out of a dump truck without its cover on, only to ding my car.

 

Do you have to pay out of pocket to fix something like that? Sorry it happened.

 

So here is my update. Insurance is covering the accident...to a tune of $5000! Wow. I was thinking maybe 3000. Thank god for full coverage insurance.

Laundry list
radiator
condenser
radiator carrier
control arm bushings
bumper cover
lower grille
lower splitter
etc...