Accident...

I live in AZ and at times we get sudden heavy rains at times. Well yesterday was one of them and while changing lanes I hydroplaned and hit the median curb...

Damage? $8200 so far. Strut, steering rack, lower control arm (it was ripped off) Transmission needs to be assessed as it was grinding when I put it into park. The front unibody is potentially bent (they won't know til they get it back together) and the rear axle is potentially tweaked. the Half shaft was also ripped out...

There is basically 0 body damage (slight ding where the tire jammed against the quarter panel, and the front bumper has a small crack.

Stats:

2015 with 7k on it (all Phoenix driving ) Still at 12 bars...

Insurance guy said that the value is around 15k and to total it would be 11-12k so with the open items, might get there...

Ouch! I'm glad you are ok. I have been in AZ when a monsoon comes through - not a pretty sight. With the hard-packed dirt you have, the water has nowhere to go, and there are flash floods everywhere. I wouldn't believe how bad it can get if I hadn't seen it for myself (multiple times, no less).

Good luck with everything!

Thanks! Good news is that I wasn't ticketed for failure to maintain control, the police have seen it happen too. I think the LRR tires didn't help me at all tho...

Ouch, that is painful, glad it seems like nobody was injured.

Keep us posted on whether they total it out. Maybe the battery will be up for grabs.

Kinda torn on what way I would prefer it to go. If it didn't bend the unibody and it will align again I hope they can fix it, it has been a great car. BUT, if the unibody got bent at all...

Glad your alright brother...

Maybe if it were a newer leaf, it wouldn't have crumbled as easily? (or maybe the wrong color? A green leaf wouldn't have )

It's just a car, keep reminding myself of that...

mikesus said:

... hit the median curb...

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I also hit the median in a Hyundai Tucson 8 year old SUV. Almost no body damage, but the car was totalled.

mikesus said:

I think the LRR tires didn't help me at all tho...

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It is a bit disturbing that you hydroplaned with so much tread remaining.

Glad no one was injured. Hopefully things will be resolved to your satisfaction.

Well, you are okay and no one else hurt so its all metal and money at this point. That, as you say, is what you should focus on. Sorry for your loss

Out of curiosity...

Is this a LEAF you own or leased? Never having leased I don't know what role the leasing company wants in the process if its totaled.

Owned. As to tread, 35 mph any vehicle can hydroplane. LRR tires are not at good for eliminating it as others.

Owned. As to tread, 35 mph any vehicle can hydroplane. LRR tires are not at good for eliminating it as others.

If it does total? You should be able to buy it back for 25% this would be a good donor for a battery, for a 13,14 or 15. you could part out the rest of the car for what it's worth. If you have the time and space to do this. Just a thought. good luck.

RegGuheert said:

It is a bit disturbing that you hydroplaned with so much tread remaining.

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I can attest to the fact that wet roads are 10x as hazardous in AZ as they are anywhere on the east coast. AZ doesn't get much rain, so the oils from cars don't get washed off the road as frequently. And when it rains in AZ, it's either just enough to bring those oils to the surface or it's literally a monsoon with flash floods covering the roads with little to no warning. Even the best cars / tires will hydroplane under these conditions.

Glad you are OK. Hope it all works out the way you want it.

I am glad you are OK, sorry about the car. I am curious what pressure you run in the tires because I found that both the 2011 with 16-inch wheels (Ecopias first, then Michelin MXM4s) and 2015 with 17-inch wheels (Michelin Energy Savers) are much less prone to hydro planing if the tires are inflated to 44 psi than at the Nissan-recommended 36. I suspect the grinding you heard was the broken half-shaft turning until you put the car in park so you may get lucky and not have damage to the transaxle.

Gerry

Sorry about the car but glad that you are ok.

Don't think it was the half shaft, it was already ripped out by then and dragging on the ground. As it took a hard enough hit to shear off the lower control arm, good chance that the Unibody is bent near the top of the strut...

As to tire pressure, Nissan recommended...

Unfortunately, the depressed blue book values of Leafs give the insurance companies opportunities to minimize their expenses by declaring the cars as total losses even when they are technically repairable. It sounds like your car is really close to the repair/total threshold. I am glad you were not hurt and I hope you don't lose too much due to this accident.

Gerry