[s-cars] Hey look, my front wheels are pointing in opposing directions, can your car do that?

[Serge Filanovsky]

Just wanted to share my experience with you guys to see if anyone has come
across anything like this.

While operating the 95.5 Avant the way it was intended, the steering started
feeling a bit strange. Anytime power was applied, it felt like there was
wheelspin, and I would have to counter with the steering to compensate. If I
would lift, the car would abruptly snap sideways. No neat spot to pull over,
so I decided to take it easy and proceed to a friend's house nearby. Made it
to his driveway, it was late, so I decided to put off investigation until
the next day.

Moved the steering wheel left to right, passenger-side front wheel turns,
drivers-side front does not. Steering rack, right? Wrong, taking the front
wheel off revealed the strut/wheel bearing housing has sheared along a weld
that goes around the strut cartridge housing tube. This makes the strut turn
independent of the wheel hub assembly which remains still, yay!

Now, I drive on some poor quality roads, for sure. This takes a toll on the
suspension. And this is something that could have developed slowly over
time. That said, I would expect some other failure before something like
this. Even the most severe impact would surely bend something (like a rim,
or a control arm... something). The other thing that concerns me is the
neatness of the shear around the weld. It seems plausible that the weld
itself made the surrounding metal right a bit brittle, and prone to
cracking. I will try to have the repair shop save the parts for further
inspection.

A few years ago, I remember reading a post from a lister who described a
crash that he had where the car violently snapped sideways for no apparent
reason (unintended sideways acceleration? UISA). He had no explanation, the
car was totalled....no follow up. I don't think this is any cause for alarm.
If this was a real manufacturing problem, it would have surfaced on the list
by now. I just wanted to make it public, in case another lister has had any
BTDT with something of a similar nature. Let me know.


Serge Filanovsky

95.5 S6 Avant


p.s. Car was towed to Bell Audi, Rahway, New Jersey. Anyone familiar with
this shop? They are quoting $1800 to fix (new housing, strut bearing, wheel
bearing... labor), seems a bit high. Or does anyone have a spare driver's
side strut assembly? TIA