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towing AWD with tires on road


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My automatic 99 Outback was towed for 60 + miles in neutral with front tires up but the rear tires on the road. A big AWD no no. What has been damaged and how can I tell what may be wrong with my Outback?

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Guest SmashPDX

Check for binding or bucking in tight turns. Damage would have been to the AWD system and would probably involve the components involved in the oft-discussed 'torque bind' problem (do a search here and in the new generation archives).

 

Would recommend you call Subaru of America to get details. Also would recommend you visit their website, I think they have a doc up there about never putting your Subie on a 2-wheel dyno (DEQ testing). The issue with the 2-wheel dynos is pretty much the same effect as having your car towed in the manner you describe. Also, go talk to dealer service-- be nice, make nice, see if you can get the expert opinion of a Subaru Master tech.

 

You're probably in for an uphill climb on getting reimbursed for damages that aren't showing up in an obvious immediate failure of the car, but all the evidence from manufacturer and dealer alike will be with you. Get an attorney if the towing party won't cooperate.

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How did it happen? If you knew it wasnt supposed to be towed in this manner, where you not around when the vehicle failed?

 

Sounds like the person responsible for getting it towed should pay.

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I had the car shipped on a tractor trailer but for the last few miles he put it on a dolly.

I told the company to flat bed it only.

It relates to my message about trusting rebuilts- the dealer had me ship it back to him across country after the heads went 2 weeks after I bought it.

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Crap, they should be liable. Even if you didnt tell them they are supposed to be "experts" at moving this stuff and should know not to tow a awd.

 

You should make them put a 5000 guarantee on the car, if nothing brakes then they dont pay. If something brakes that isnt covered by warranty then they have to pay.

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I just saw my Outback and the rear tires give off a grinding sound and won't hardly even rotate. Its a unbeliveable amount of damage to the transmission and AWD systen. The shop said to expect 5000.00 or more in repairs. We have a claim going with the tow truck's insurance but it seems like it will be a while before I have a car again.

 

My Outback is toast. They hauled the car from Alabama to Plattsburg NY with out any problems but to save the trip from Plattsburg to Burlington, Vermont ( about 60 miles) he threw my car on a dolly and ruined it.

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Guest MKIVSupra

For being so STUPID that towing company should have to pay double.

 

This reminds me. I read a while back on one of the Subaru forums I frequent, about AWD warning stickers. Anyone know where to get them? They were nothing big and you could stick them on the door windows, where you usually see alarm warning stickers, to warn people about towing an awd vehicle. I always park legally but would like to have something just encase something happens and the car is towed without me being around. I think the stickers would also help out in court if the car is towed and damaged.

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Guest Subaru Bob

I would have to agree with everyone else on the fact that a person who tows for a living should know better than that... That's like working in an oyster bar and not knowing that raw oysters can be potentially deadly...

 

Most AWD cars are marked clearly that they are AWD in the first place...

 

SubaruBob

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Guest MKIVSupra

Right, most cars are marked awd, but it does not say to do anything special. Most people think you just put it in neutral and your ok. I never would have known if I did not read my owner's manual for the old XT6 I owned before my Legacy.

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Guest SmashPDX

Ouch.

 

I've sticky-ed the topic to the top of the forum. When the thread is done, it will move to the archives for future members. We all know that you're not supposed to tow an AWD Subie this way, but this is the first time I've heard someone report specific experience with the consequences.

 

I don't know what shop you're using but I hope it's dealer service. If it isn't and they aren't Subie-experienced, you're probably going to have more problems to fish through after the initial repair. Whatever you do, don't let the tow insurance folks make you settle that claim until dealer service has certified the work as 'finished,' and maybe even longer than that.

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Guest CipeR

Illegal javascript event tags or url parameters detected.

 

what the heck? How can I post images or links? Every time I try i get an error.

 

 

 

Anyways, I saved that image to my personal site incase the thread becomes invalid.

www.chez.com/ciper/warning-sticker.gif

 

If you have an i-club member ship you can follow this link to email him

www.i-club.com/forums/mem...erid=13103

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Guest hobdes

I've converted the stickers to bitmap formats and put them on my page at rikblok.cjb.net/subie/index.html

 

I'm planning on printing them out onto a color transparency and then using spray glue to stick them on the insides of my windows. (Dumb question but...Do tow-ers have to unlock the doors and disengage the parking brake if they're trying to tow with just the front wheels off the ground? If so, then one on the driver-side window would be good, eh?)

 

Cheers,

Rik.

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Guest wrxsubaru

i saw a towing truck guy about to tow a Audi S4 AWD, i dont know what happened, saw it at a stop light, why dont they know that it runins the all wheel drive, it there job to tow a vehical right.

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Guest CipeR

I just got a reply from the person with the stickers. I purchased one set so it seems he has only two left. I just paypalled directly to him before I wrote this.

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Guest Drquasievil

The parking break is on the rear so if the tow truck operator uses the front hooks, they they will create torque binding and kill your parking break at the same time. However, there was a recall on the some Legacies to remove the front tow hooks. So, depending on the year and model of your car, these morons will only create torque binding if they use the rear tow hooks.

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Guest MKIVSupra

I just got mine in the mail yesterday. Nice quality. A tad big, but I guess they need to be so they are legible. I trimmed them up a little and they are not too bad. They are a static cling material so you can re-use them, which will be good so when I get my STi I can just transfer them over ;) Now I need to make up my mind on a good location to put them.

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Guest davevail

If you called AAA for a tow, and a AAA-sanctioned towtruck did this, wouldn't AAA be responsible to compensate for any mechanical damages incurred?

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Guest SmashPDX

Nope, they 'refer' you but since they're not involved in the actual transaction between you and the tow company, nope nope nope. It would be like suing your neighbor for the behavior of the tow company that he called when you called him for an assist.

 

AAA's 'sanction of the tow company' is no greater than what the BBB has over member businesses.

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Guest CipeR

I also just got my stickers. I think they are perfect, if only they were clear. I wonder how well they would hold up on a side window being rolled down all the time?

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