Suspension broken by pothole on roadtrip back from Bowling Green
01-10-2014, 11:49 AM
#1
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Suspension broken by pothole on roadtrip back from Bowling Green
So I'm midway through the roadtrip from Bowling Green to San Francisco in the brand new C7. Great trip and awesome car so far. Just as we pass the border from NM to AZ on I40 we start badmouthing the state. Instant karma: within 5 miles I change lanes to pass a semi and hit a pothole between the lanes. There are regular potholes between the lane markers for what looks like where the reflector lights used be to but some of them are big and hard to see.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
Last edited by cole@ronzer.org; 02-08-2014 at 02:43 PM. Reason: Tetchy
01-10-2014, 11:53 AM
#2
Burning Brakes
Sweet Cheeses!!! That must have been a doozy of a pothole. Looks like it's more than simply 'popped out'….I'm guessing there was some kind of retaining ring on the top of the shock strut that broke. 
01-10-2014, 12:10 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
So I'm midway through the roadtrip from Bowling Green to San Francisco in the brand new C7. Great trip and awesome car so far. Just as we pass the border from NM to AZ on I40 we start badmouthing the state: Brewer, daylight savings, papers please, etc. Within 20 miles I change lanes to pass a semi and hit a pothole between the lanes. There are regular potholes between the lane markers for what looks like where the reflector lights used to but some of them are big and hard to see.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
A few years ago, I hit a pothole doing 25 mph. It damaged both wheels on the drivers side and knocked it out of alignment. The county was doing road work and was supposed to fill any holes before the crew went home each night. Well, it was a Friday and they left for the weekend but they missed a couple of potholes.
I contacted the county and after a bit of going back and forth, they paid for all repairs and new wheels. This was here in Calif.
01-10-2014, 12:13 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
My wife hit a pothole in her Acura RSX. Bent the wheel, destroyed the tire (had a big knot on the side as big as your fist), and threw the alignment out too. Around here, there are streets that look like they have been carpet bombed. I hope your new car gets fixed quickly.
01-10-2014, 12:14 PM
#5
01-10-2014, 12:21 PM
#6
Drifting
I hit a major pothole on 680 in Danville a few years ago that bent two wheels. I called CHP (911) to alert them to the location. Two other cars were on the side of the highway changing flats. They gave me a Caltrans number to call. Caltrans paid for two wheels. 
You may want to make a phone call to the jurisdiction.
You may want to make a phone call to the jurisdiction.
01-10-2014, 01:09 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
"The car felt fine". Interesting, I guess the transverse spring does a pretty good job of damping itself.
Gotta be covered under warranty, I would think.
Gotta be covered under warranty, I would think.
01-10-2014, 01:18 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
SORRY, that ain't no C7. 
How old is that corroded fender???
SORRY, that ain't no C7. How old is that corroded fender???
How old is that corroded fender???So I'm midway through the roadtrip from Bowling Green to San Francisco in the brand new C7. Great trip and awesome car so far. Just as we pass the border from NM to AZ on I40 we start badmouthing the state: Brewer, daylight savings, papers please, etc. Within 20 miles I change lanes to pass a semi and hit a pothole between the lanes. There are regular potholes between the lane markers for what looks like where the reflector lights used to but some of them are big and hard to see.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
How old is that corroded fender???
Last edited by agapsdiver; 01-10-2014 at 02:29 PM.
01-10-2014, 01:23 PM
#11
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I'm surprised on a few levels not least of which is someone said it was ok to drive on. I sure hope there are GM folks watching this forum altho this has to be an unusual case since it's very difficult for a driver to tell the severity of potholes. It could be that the car/wheel hit the hole just right and the stars aligned in a very bad way. Good luck with it and tell us how it all turns out for your car.
Last edited by AORoads; 01-10-2014 at 01:36 PM.
01-10-2014, 01:27 PM
#13
So I'm midway through the roadtrip from Bowling Green to San Francisco in the brand new C7. Great trip and awesome car so far. Just as we pass the border from NM to AZ on I40 we start badmouthing the state: Brewer, daylight savings, papers please, etc. Within 20 miles I change lanes to pass a semi and hit a pothole between the lanes. There are regular potholes between the lane markers for what looks like where the reflector lights used to but some of them are big and hard to see.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
The car felt fine and no warnings but we pulled over to check it out and I spotted this:
That is the top of the front driver side suspension popped out and extending into the engine bay. It's got the fancy magnetic suspension.
I immediately took it to the closest Chevy dealer in Gallup NM just before their service department closed. It was the first new Vette they had seen and they wouldn't be able to get parts until Monday. The car drives fine expect for a rattle, suspension is still well sprung. I asked if it was OK to limp home on and they said it was so long as the suspension piece didn't move any further so we decided to limp it home. We are now staying at the Venetian in Las Vegas.
I would consider driving over a pothole between lanes on the interstate at legal speed acceptable use but I don't know if the warranty will cover it. Looking online it looks like going after governments for pothole damage doesn't work very well either. There is always Geico worst case I guess.
01-10-2014, 01:31 PM
#15
Safety Car
That's very bad.... either the shock broke off of the upper mount or the mount ripped out of the frame. The C7's upper shock mount is completely different than the C5/C6. It has the two bolts in sheer vs. a pin top going through a bracket on the frame.
C7
C5/C6 style
C7
C5/C6 style
01-10-2014, 01:32 PM
#16
Safety Car
01-10-2014, 01:36 PM
#17
Team Owner
01-10-2014, 01:43 PM
#18
Safety Car
Looking at your picture again it appears the upper shock mount ripped out of the frame.
EDIT - I'm wrong... those two bolt heads are grounding straps and something else... looks like the shock just failed and ejected the shock rod.
EDIT - I'm wrong... those two bolt heads are grounding straps and something else... looks like the shock just failed and ejected the shock rod.
01-10-2014, 01:44 PM
#19
Le Mans Master
I agree with you that it looks like all the C7 components there but I agree with agapsdiver that the top of the inner fender there looks corroded or VERY dirty for a brand new car.