spun out of control on the highway

[infurno]

Spun out of control on the highway at ~70 mph.

It was raining, the road was wet. I was going straight, driving in a bit of a steep angle on my way home. Speed was already dropping as 5th gear could not maintain speed. 2 cars directly behind me, 3 more about to pass on the left.

I'm going straight up and suddenly, out of nowhere my car swerves to the left, tail swings out, and i'm spinning on the highway. It was so fluid, felt like someone gently pushed me on ice.

I fell into the grassy median, car still spinning in circles. Tried to orient myself, to restore traction. My greatest concern was to stay out of the oncoming traffic lanes. I was thinking to myself "I cant believe this is happening, I did nothing wrong"

The car finally came to a stop about 2ft away from the oncoming traffic lanes. Tracks of torn up ground behind the car. I was ok.

Some people stopped to help out, trucks and suvs came to my aid. Inspected the damage, nothing. Nobody touched me. I drove away, someone followed me and we inspected damage on a parking lot.

My gas tank is beat up, some metal torn off from under the rear end bottom of the car. No flat tires, front end looked like it was in good condition except for some grass stuck to the spoiler. Will examine damage closer tomorrow.

The car is probably in better condition then me. I mean.. I'm an experienced driver, and I have had my share of close calls but nothing like this. There was a good chance of the car flipping. Given everything that could of gone wrong, I should be in a hospital, that or possibly even dead. Still shaken up, I can't get it all off my mind. Keep going over what happened.

I think it is my damn fault. My drivers side front tire was in bad shape and I was too cheap to get it replaced.

My tire must of had something to do with it... Car must of got hit with some wind, that or drove over a puddle. When the front end lost traction on the wet road, game over. Hydroplaned the rest of the way.

I learned my lesson.

[Sixdown]

Certainly glad you're ok!

A lot of people forget that tires are the ONLY thing between you and your car, and the ground. Keeping 'em inflated and having good tread on four identical tires gives you the best safety and assurance. I've dealt with the same thing before, although not in the middle of a highway, out of my own ignorance. Gotta watch what brand of tire you get.

Tires like General, Federal, and such unknown brand are not as well developed at the factory than other brands like Michelin where they have the technology to develop much more advanced tires.

I like to buy tires that have recently been released for sale.

A lot of it is common sense too.

[SC David]

Bad tires will do that to you. I had a close call like that a few weeks after getting my new car, in similar conditions, while exiting a freeway and taking my time driving smoothly. Out of nowhere I found myself directly sideways, not because of too much throttle, too much brakes, but just because of a slight misbalance as I was taking the turn. I was able to correct it, but it shook me up since it came out of no where. I know how you feel, except your experience sounds much more severe. I didn't realize it until I stopped and looked, but my rear tires were balding on the insides worse than I had thought they were. Replaced the suckers the next day, and the car drove much more confidently in the same stormy weather.

Take it as a blessing in disguise. Get some new tires on there, take care of anything that got damaged, and drive carefully :)

[bmwrp8]

glad to here your ok and nothing bad happened to you. Never go cheap on tires your life depends on it..cheers:)

[Tiger]

I agree with most General Tires are not that good, except General Exclaim UHP... this tire is awesome summer tire. Between myself and one friend, we have three sets. I would buy one more set but I have to finish my tire first.

[Tiger]

Glad you are okay... I know shaken but okay. If you don't mind, I'd like to know what suspension replacement parts you have changed on your car: front and rear. What brand of tire/model and depth left on those tires... penny gauge is enough.

This topic brings out that post where I have told people to check their tire and suspension parts as I keep hearing these spinouts... yours is probably the first I hear on rain, but most other is dry weather spinout.

[Ross]

Probably not the response you are looking for infurno but the phrase "Too fast for conditions" comes to mind. We've all been there.

[Frzninvt]

Sounds to me like the car hydroplaned on the surface of the water, you need good tires to displace the water otherwise you see what happens.

[Ferret]

Tyres and brakes are the only bits of the car I'll seriously overspend on given the choice... I've had too many close calls with them otherwise.

Just last year with my TDs tourer I nearly got hit by four cars doing agressive starts onto a roundabout after I spun it out in the wet.

Got it home and had a look at the tyres, only to have my hand cut to shreds on this, we all **** up but man I should have seen this one coming:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Car/DSC00048.jpg

These were chinese surprise tyres and by god did they surprise when the turbo started singing - it was entirely possible to powerslide round a wet roundabout without really meaning to and go too far...

This was the same year I tried out £17 halfords front brake pads too, a good year for FerretLearning (tm) - a bad year for confidence.

I'm paranoid about my rear tyres now, and the instant they hit the warning strips they get changed.

[Russell]

Check tire rack. They have some reports that indicate tires get dangerous on wet roads and ice even with more tread than US regs state (2/32s) is safe. 4/32s is really marginal for rainly conditions.

[Morgenster]

Around here tires have to have the minimum required amount of thread as per manufacturer's indications AND the correct speed rating in order to pass the yearly roadwortiness inspection.
They even tell you to replace them before the tire reaches the mark to avoid mishaps, which is exactly what I did every time. I never ever lost traction, not even in the wet.

[repenttokyo]

Glad you are ok. It's very scary. I lost control at 200 km/h about 1.5 years ago and I am lucky to be alive after hitting 2 retaining walls. It's a very scary situation.

[Tiger]

Discount Tire Direct got a 10% off sale and free shipping to your place. They ship out of Arizona for your location... probably 1 or 2 days to you. Lots of choices $101 is most expensive.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com

[infurno]

Passenger side rear bumper is a bit loose, and one of the metal retaining ribbons on the gas tank was cut and drags on the ground.

Both the drivers side tires are low, I guess they have been punctured. The tires on the drivers side are in bad shape too.

I need new tires today or tomorrow so I can get to work. My car came with 15" stock rims and 225/60/15. I want to stay with the 225 but nobody locally has them, except for some strange "Republic Invader sport"

Anybody ever heard of this "Republic Invader sport" in 225?

Or should I just go with a 205 BFGoodrich Traction T/A H?
Or possibly a 205 Michelin Primacy MXV4

[Russell]

225x60x15 Michelin Pilot exalto A/S were available in my area. Check on this tire. Excellent tire, especially in the rain. I put them on my car about 3 months ago.

Check tirerack etc for reviews. BTW, this size is getting harder and harder to find. Considered an outdated size.

[e34.535i.sport]

Glad to hear the 5er's ok... Oh and you too. :)

[h2oyo]

I'm glad all turned out ok after all, I had something like that happen to me at about 40mph. I was driving an international scout 800 but anyway I just touched the brakes an the truck spun. I came to a rest in the middle of an intersection facing the wrong way scared the hell out of me.
Johan

[healtoeit]

Glad to hear you and your car are ok!

"When in spin both feet in"

[bad_manners_god]

Same thing happened to me, I was rushing on the highway at about 90mph because I just left a part of the city that got a huge rainstorm, when I had gotten on the highway it was still clear so I made a break for it before the rain started.

I was about halfway home doing about 100mph and then the rain trickle started, so i down-shifted to 2nd (auto) and but on the brakes...slowed down to about 40mph and then the rain hit full force.

Thank god I was alone on the highway and in the middle lane. I wasn't even giving the car gas or trying to change lanes, just cruising, next thing i know the back of the car goes left, I try to counter steer, nothing happens.

I start doing 360 degree circle's in the middle of a 3 lane highway at 1am. I did 3 full circle's and missing the guard rail by inches everytime.

I drove home the rest of the way at like 15mph. Checked the tires, less than 20% thread left on the right tire and less than 10% on the left tire with the metal exposed on the inside.

Bought brand new tires the next day.

[dacoyote]

.... check your tires girls and boys...

Glad to hear you are ok...

[Tiger]

Could you please list what suspension parts you have changed in the rear before that spin? What have you changed after the spin aside from tires.

[Tiger]

Thanks Infurno... that is great informaation.

We know the shocks need to be changed.

My suggestion is change all the sway bar links... front and rear plus the dogbones. This will vastly improve your traction. Although shocks are really really important...

Get the alignment done today if possible. 150 miles is enough to ruin new tires.

[infurno]

Sorry Tiger,

I saw your request earlier but forgot to respond.

A few months back I changed my:

Control Arms
Thrust Arms
Tie Rods

Had alignment done.

Yesterday I changed:

Idler arm
4 new tires.

Car pulls to the right, I think I need alignment again. First will check on tire pressures, probably try to take care of this this evening.

Shocks are in bad shape, have stains and grudge on the moving end. I bet they have 200k miles on them. However, I don't think they contributed to my "accident" directly.

Have to drive ~150 miles tomorrow to a friends wedding.

[Paul in NZ]

next to tyres shocks are the most important thing for traction.Ferret my rear tyre were like that soon after i bought my car,no other tyres i have had look anything like that.That sort of wear hapeens when you rotate tyre from front to back and side to side...and the edge that gets worn on the front continues to get worn on the bck!If you have lowered your car and or have sports suspension only rotate front to back on the same side!