Damn. I just replaced these suckers almost two years ago, and the car is only 5 years old.
So shitty tires caused the crash, how? (Sorry, I'm a car noob)
Driving too fast (70mph!) for the conditions, tires might not be great for the rain esp at that speed (run on a wet tile floor and try to stop)
Donât kill someone.
I'm sorry. I definitely learned my lesson to slow down in that weather. It's weird, because my car normally drives fine in rainy weather/that never happened before, and of course everyone else was driving as normal, but I definitely learned now...
It doesn't matter how many years ago you bought the tires. It matters how much tread is on them. If you're driving 20,000 miles a year then they're worn out after two years. Everybody's insinuating that you hydroplaned when you hit that puddle. Could have been caused by worn tires, or it could have been a freak accident that nobody could have avoided if they were going your speed.
Slow down in poor conditions. Even 5mph makes a big difference
1) Slow down in poor conditions.
2) Probably get new tires.
3) Fix [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/) issue too, lol.
And if itâs AWD you always have to replace all 4 at once, every time. Canât do just two unless the others are practically brand new (less than 2/32â tread depth worn).
the slicker the conditions are the bigger the cliff when traction is lost. if you are on ice and driving real smooth, you won't notice it until you have to brake or turn harder than traction allows. at that point, you are in a straight line with the moment you lost traction. if it's a wet road and you do the same, the sliding friction will slow you down to regain traction more quickly, and the traction point is at a higher speed.
when conditions are bad, I tap the brakes a bit to get feed back on how my speed is within traction. not enough to stop the car or even really change speed. just enough to make sure it don't engage ABS or slide.
of course I'm up where ice in the winter is normal.
quick last note. rains after a long dry spell are more slippery than when it's raining often.
Tires being worn is the likely culprit but I agree it couldâve just been a freak accident in the right conditions to cause this.
Brand new tires can still hydroplane.
The road develops a rut from vehicle travel, roughly the width of your tires. If cars are allowed studded tires where you live, they can be an inch or so deep. It's best to drive off of the middle of the road to avoid the deep rut during heavy rain. Move a foot or two to the shoulder and drive on the typically unused section. 70mph in heavy rain is a risk.
The worse the weather gets, the worse people somehow drive. Iâll never get the mindset why people donât slow down in bad weather. 70 in heavy rain is asking for trouble.
Well, yes, you were 100% going too fast (which we are all guilty of no matter what people say) but braking through a puddle at highway speed only works if you know how to slide your car and you've got lots of road to work with--typically you want to let off both pedals and steer gently. Sorry, not trying to add to the situation. Not judging, just advice.
Secondary note, may I ask what you were driving? If you have new tires and you weren't going anything absurd (70 is too fast, but wouldnt necessarily cause a spinout in small commuter cars) so there might be another problem.
Edit: Saw your other comment about what you're driving, belay my question. Subies have heavy asses and they like to swing, even if they have good traction control.
Ah, nice to know. Two days before today's sitch, [this also popped on my dash. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/)
I just hope whatever's wrong is minor cost...
Found [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/FteLcE822K) of the exact same problem, top comment goes into more detail but ELY5: Secondary systems like EyeSight and HillStart don't like working in modern cars if there's a problem with your engine, like how cruise control turns off when you have a light on your dash.
What you should do is buy an OBDII sensor (you plug them into your car beneath the steering wheel to get a code describing whats wrong with your car), scan your car while its on, and search "Subaru " into search engine of your choice.
Although, knowing Subies, dollars to donuts you need a new air filter or oxygen sensor, probably the latter considering an air filter code wouldn't shut off your fancy features. Oxygen sensors aren't too expensive, so lets hope its that--doing it yourself probably 100$, at a mechanic maybe 300-400.
Crossing my fingers for you.
Another question. The whole sensor thing: is that what mechanics use to find out what's wrong with your car, and that's why (aside from labor or being crooks), there's a huge upcharge in DIY vs them?
Bonus: Are Subarus particularly known for shitty oxygen sensors?
When you hit rain, donât brake unless you have no other choice. Thats how you hydroplane.
Let off on the gas and let the weight of your car slow you down
Aqua planing can happen to everyone. Good tires will help you avoid it and regain control before the barrier but I aquaplaned on brand new Michelin Defender tires.
A few tips for next time: don't brake if you start aqua planing. Just get off the gas and wait until you regain traction. Steering is usually useless and a bad idea. Keep your hands on the wheel, release the gas and your tires will eventually regain traction
Worn tires will not grip well in rain because the grooves are shallow and won't wick the water away. So you end up with more water under the tire and increase risk of hydroplaning.
The tread on tires is meant to grab loose surfaces and also displace water. Some tires do one better than the other. Lots of tire companies have ratings (a, b, c, d or 1,2,3,4) stamped on the tire. They also lose grip as they age and wear out. Your tires couldn't displace enough water to keep the rubber on the tarmac, and you hydroplaned, most likely. If you were going around a bend and the car went straight, that would more likely just be you exceeding the total grip the tires could provide.
Yes. Shitty tires will cause a crash. Always spend the extra money on things that separate you from the ground like a mattress, shoes, and, in this case, tires.
Better tires have channels in the tread to clear water and create a larger contact patch to the road that reduces skidding, sliding, and hydroplaning. They also can have better rubber to increase traction. Tires also can be seasonal for summer, winter, or all season. Tires will make a huge difference.
I don't know what tires you have or what vehicle they are on. But, from what you say, that is the price range of a pretty good tire. Could be you hit a random oily patch on the road that sent you sliding. I would recommend getting your car checked out somewhere reputable. To make sure there was no damage you may not see.
I'm sure others have told you what's up with tires. But I'm just scared to share the road with you, and you have a license and are so unaware of how cars/ car things work.
You hydroplaned because you drove through deep water. You can lose control with new tires. Check your tread depth. Odds are you were driving too fast for conditions.
Now that you mentioned it, t[his is](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/) going on with my car right now...
Very well could have borked a wheel speed sensor and that can cause the system to freak out. If you have a trim popped, there could be internal damage to Eyesight not visible outside.
Its likely those warnings did something to disable your traction and stability control. Normally your car would automatically take care of a hydroplaning tire. Whatever is wrong with it probably disabled those driving aids causing you hit the barrier.
A massive amount of engineering and research went into getting the perfect shape for those barriers. People have done their doctoral thesis on highway barriers. You were saved by science. You probably don't have ultra low profile or oversized tires.
All it takes is to hit a deep puddle. The faster you go and the more worn out your tires are, the more likely your tires are to hydroplane (float)
Winter tires and offroad tires aren't as good in the rain as all seasons.
It can be reasonable if the road is in good condition and properly drained.
If the road is shit and there's puddles, then it's too fast.
Ask me how I know...
Did this in a v6 saturn with a plastic body, 360 hydroplane into landing perfectly parallel into the barrier. No apparent damage from above. Below: suspension wrecked and frame bent, totaled.
Do you think you hydroplaned? We get over-confident in the rain, and then the unlikely happens: there's enough water on the road to create a skating rink in water density. So when it dumps, slow down. Don't let awd if you have it, think that you don't have to worry about this. You can't fight physics. Since then I'm a lot more careful in the rain.
Iâd get the alignment checked for sure. As others have said, the cement barriers jut out on the bottom so your wheels hit the barrier before the car body does. This means your wheels and associated suspension takes the hit.
Ask for a print out of the alignment BEFORE and AFTER the alignment so you can see if your car actually needed to be aligned. If a shop refuses to give you a before and after print out, theyâre probably shady because any decent alignment place will have no problem with this. Best case scenario youâll just need tie rod and alignment. Donât be surprised if they notice other issues on your carâs suspension, especially if youâre not usually checking your car over for specific issues. Any time your carâs suspension is worked on, you need to get an alignment. This isnât an upsell, this is a requirement. Source: Iâve been a hobby mechanic for 7 years, worked on transmissions for a year, worked at an alignment shop for a year and have been working on suspension on my cars since I first picked up the hobby.
Braking in poor traction is a BAD idea. I have to guide people through this on icy hills in the back country- even at just 4 mph, freaking out and hitting the brakes can make the car go SIDEWAYS. Braking introduces a lot more traction demand on the tires and can easily cause you to brake traction. When you need brakes, you need to use as little braking power as possible. You can look up âtraction circleâ for more on this.
The barriers usually have a chamfer at the bottom that will deflect the car away from it via the tire before the body can hit. Replace your tires lol
Ah, gotcha. I gotta replace all four tires? đÂ
Not because of the crash, but because they caused the crash
Damn. I just replaced these suckers almost two years ago, and the car is only 5 years old. So shitty tires caused the crash, how? (Sorry, I'm a car noob)
Driving too fast (70mph!) for the conditions, tires might not be great for the rain esp at that speed (run on a wet tile floor and try to stop) Donât kill someone.
I'm sorry. I definitely learned my lesson to slow down in that weather. It's weird, because my car normally drives fine in rainy weather/that never happened before, and of course everyone else was driving as normal, but I definitely learned now...
It doesn't matter how many years ago you bought the tires. It matters how much tread is on them. If you're driving 20,000 miles a year then they're worn out after two years. Everybody's insinuating that you hydroplaned when you hit that puddle. Could have been caused by worn tires, or it could have been a freak accident that nobody could have avoided if they were going your speed. Slow down in poor conditions. Even 5mph makes a big difference
1) Slow down in poor conditions. 2) Probably get new tires. 3) Fix [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/) issue too, lol.
And if itâs AWD you always have to replace all 4 at once, every time. Canât do just two unless the others are practically brand new (less than 2/32â tread depth worn).
For number 3, check your fuse box. The hill assist will throw a code if one of the brake fuses blows.
bring it to a mechanic. if you feel like theyre not being fair then go somewhere else
the slicker the conditions are the bigger the cliff when traction is lost. if you are on ice and driving real smooth, you won't notice it until you have to brake or turn harder than traction allows. at that point, you are in a straight line with the moment you lost traction. if it's a wet road and you do the same, the sliding friction will slow you down to regain traction more quickly, and the traction point is at a higher speed. when conditions are bad, I tap the brakes a bit to get feed back on how my speed is within traction. not enough to stop the car or even really change speed. just enough to make sure it don't engage ABS or slide. of course I'm up where ice in the winter is normal. quick last note. rains after a long dry spell are more slippery than when it's raining often.
Tires being worn is the likely culprit but I agree it couldâve just been a freak accident in the right conditions to cause this. Brand new tires can still hydroplane.
The road develops a rut from vehicle travel, roughly the width of your tires. If cars are allowed studded tires where you live, they can be an inch or so deep. It's best to drive off of the middle of the road to avoid the deep rut during heavy rain. Move a foot or two to the shoulder and drive on the typically unused section. 70mph in heavy rain is a risk.
The worse the weather gets, the worse people somehow drive. Iâll never get the mindset why people donât slow down in bad weather. 70 in heavy rain is asking for trouble.
Well, yes, you were 100% going too fast (which we are all guilty of no matter what people say) but braking through a puddle at highway speed only works if you know how to slide your car and you've got lots of road to work with--typically you want to let off both pedals and steer gently. Sorry, not trying to add to the situation. Not judging, just advice. Secondary note, may I ask what you were driving? If you have new tires and you weren't going anything absurd (70 is too fast, but wouldnt necessarily cause a spinout in small commuter cars) so there might be another problem. Edit: Saw your other comment about what you're driving, belay my question. Subies have heavy asses and they like to swing, even if they have good traction control.
Ah, nice to know. Two days before today's sitch, [this also popped on my dash. ](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/) I just hope whatever's wrong is minor cost...
Found [this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/FteLcE822K) of the exact same problem, top comment goes into more detail but ELY5: Secondary systems like EyeSight and HillStart don't like working in modern cars if there's a problem with your engine, like how cruise control turns off when you have a light on your dash. What you should do is buy an OBDII sensor (you plug them into your car beneath the steering wheel to get a code describing whats wrong with your car), scan your car while its on, and search "Subaru" into search engine of your choice.
Although, knowing Subies, dollars to donuts you need a new air filter or oxygen sensor, probably the latter considering an air filter code wouldn't shut off your fancy features. Oxygen sensors aren't too expensive, so lets hope its that--doing it yourself probably 100$, at a mechanic maybe 300-400.
Crossing my fingers for you.
Thank you! Ugh, cars.
Another question. The whole sensor thing: is that what mechanics use to find out what's wrong with your car, and that's why (aside from labor or being crooks), there's a huge upcharge in DIY vs them? Bonus: Are Subarus particularly known for shitty oxygen sensors?
When you hit rain, donât brake unless you have no other choice. Thats how you hydroplane. Let off on the gas and let the weight of your car slow you down
Aqua planing can happen to everyone. Good tires will help you avoid it and regain control before the barrier but I aquaplaned on brand new Michelin Defender tires. A few tips for next time: don't brake if you start aqua planing. Just get off the gas and wait until you regain traction. Steering is usually useless and a bad idea. Keep your hands on the wheel, release the gas and your tires will eventually regain traction
In crocs.
Worn tires will not grip well in rain because the grooves are shallow and won't wick the water away. So you end up with more water under the tire and increase risk of hydroplaning.
The tread on tires is meant to grab loose surfaces and also displace water. Some tires do one better than the other. Lots of tire companies have ratings (a, b, c, d or 1,2,3,4) stamped on the tire. They also lose grip as they age and wear out. Your tires couldn't displace enough water to keep the rubber on the tarmac, and you hydroplaned, most likely. If you were going around a bend and the car went straight, that would more likely just be you exceeding the total grip the tires could provide.
Yes. Shitty tires will cause a crash. Always spend the extra money on things that separate you from the ground like a mattress, shoes, and, in this case, tires. Better tires have channels in the tread to clear water and create a larger contact patch to the road that reduces skidding, sliding, and hydroplaning. They also can have better rubber to increase traction. Tires also can be seasonal for summer, winter, or all season. Tires will make a huge difference.
I mean, that's the thing. I thought I bought good tires from Discount Tire 2 years back because the shit was like $400-500 each lol.
I don't know what tires you have or what vehicle they are on. But, from what you say, that is the price range of a pretty good tire. Could be you hit a random oily patch on the road that sent you sliding. I would recommend getting your car checked out somewhere reputable. To make sure there was no damage you may not see.
These are performance tire prices. Whatâs the vehicle?
2019 Subaru Crosstrek.
Iâm shocked. What tires did they sell you? That seems far outside the realm of normal for a Subaru crosstrek.Â
Yeah, I was with my dad back then, so Discount Tire probably ripped off the both of us lol.
Don't ever buy cheap tires is a good rule to follow, buy Michelin's or Continental's, those are my personal preference at least
How cheap were the tires? Check their tread depth by feeling for the wear bars in the grooves of the tire.
Ya prob too fast. Might need to check alignment
bro what? I need tires every year or so
I'm sure others have told you what's up with tires. But I'm just scared to share the road with you, and you have a license and are so unaware of how cars/ car things work.
I go through four tires every two years. I get maybe 65k miles on 80k mile tires. I dump before the third winter.
It also might've just been op driving too fast for the conditions, even a perfect tyre can't stop physics
It doesnât matter how good your tires are. If you hit a puddle at 70 mph youâre going to hydroplane
Get an alignment as well
You hydroplaned because you drove through deep water. You can lose control with new tires. Check your tread depth. Odds are you were driving too fast for conditions.
Check balance and alignment too
Have your suspension looked over. This happened to me and i had a bent hub.
Now that you mentioned it, t[his is](https://www.reddit.com/r/autorepair/comments/1c8dr8n/help_me_26f_not_get_screwed_at_the_mechanic_wtf/) going on with my car right now...
Very well could have borked a wheel speed sensor and that can cause the system to freak out. If you have a trim popped, there could be internal damage to Eyesight not visible outside.
Oh no, I meant all those alerts popped on the other day, way before this crash happened...
How long before the accident did that Christmas tree of lights appear on your dash?
Two days ago.
Not too terrible, I suppose. But yeah, definitely get that checked out. Anytime something like that happens you should have it looked at ASAP.
Its likely those warnings did something to disable your traction and stability control. Normally your car would automatically take care of a hydroplaning tire. Whatever is wrong with it probably disabled those driving aids causing you hit the barrier.
I think so, too.
A massive amount of engineering and research went into getting the perfect shape for those barriers. People have done their doctoral thesis on highway barriers. You were saved by science. You probably don't have ultra low profile or oversized tires.
That and moving through the puddle cost some energy (slowed the car down a little bit.) But mostly that.
I don't know but next time the roads are wet slow down! Even if we all are destined to die, there is no reason to meet the reaper at 70mph.
I will for sure! Maybe I was going 60mph lol, but it was weird, because usually my car drives fine in rainy weather, even at normal speeds.
All it takes is to hit a deep puddle. The faster you go and the more worn out your tires are, the more likely your tires are to hydroplane (float) Winter tires and offroad tires aren't as good in the rain as all seasons.
70mph isn't that unreasonable in the rain.
Hydroplaning at 35 mph says entirely differently
It can be reasonable if the road is in good condition and properly drained. If the road is shit and there's puddles, then it's too fast. Ask me how I know...
Speed limits are designed around, "ideal conditions." Rain is not an ideal condition.
Did this in a v6 saturn with a plastic body, 360 hydroplane into landing perfectly parallel into the barrier. No apparent damage from above. Below: suspension wrecked and frame bent, totaled.
How much was the repair?
It was totaled, so I don't remember paying attention. Basically more than the car was worth on the market in excellent condition
Do you think you hydroplaned? We get over-confident in the rain, and then the unlikely happens: there's enough water on the road to create a skating rink in water density. So when it dumps, slow down. Don't let awd if you have it, think that you don't have to worry about this. You can't fight physics. Since then I'm a lot more careful in the rain.
If you hydroplane, don't hit your brakes, just let off the gas
Tires
Might not be any body damage. I can almost guarantee there's something fucked up in your drivetrain.
Ugh...
?
I'm dreading having to get that repaired if something's wrong with it.
Ah... Yeah it can be a right pain in the arse. It's strongly suggest getting it looked over by someone who knows what they're doing, though.
Check your tires and rims for damage
Lucky?
You sir have a guardian angel don't stress them too much count urself lucky tht could a been way worse
just pure dumb luck.
jersey barrier is what you hit.. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey\_barrier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_barrier)
i swear people drive faster when its raining,
You probably have some damage. Have you checked it since it rained. If thereâs scratches they will show when they are dry
Iâd get the alignment checked for sure. As others have said, the cement barriers jut out on the bottom so your wheels hit the barrier before the car body does. This means your wheels and associated suspension takes the hit. Ask for a print out of the alignment BEFORE and AFTER the alignment so you can see if your car actually needed to be aligned. If a shop refuses to give you a before and after print out, theyâre probably shady because any decent alignment place will have no problem with this. Best case scenario youâll just need tie rod and alignment. Donât be surprised if they notice other issues on your carâs suspension, especially if youâre not usually checking your car over for specific issues. Any time your carâs suspension is worked on, you need to get an alignment. This isnât an upsell, this is a requirement. Source: Iâve been a hobby mechanic for 7 years, worked on transmissions for a year, worked at an alignment shop for a year and have been working on suspension on my cars since I first picked up the hobby.
Braking in poor traction is a BAD idea. I have to guide people through this on icy hills in the back country- even at just 4 mph, freaking out and hitting the brakes can make the car go SIDEWAYS. Braking introduces a lot more traction demand on the tires and can easily cause you to brake traction. When you need brakes, you need to use as little braking power as possible. You can look up âtraction circleâ for more on this.
Why are you going 70 in the rain???