How much damage can I get hitting a speed bump slightly overspeed?

[+LogicalApex MVC]

This weekend I took a drive out to Valley Forge Historic Park and while entering a parking lot I hit a very poorly marked speedbump. I was going probably 10 or 15mph over this bump, but the car definitely rocked up and down as I passed it faster than I was intended to...

 

I didn't hear any major scraping or feel anything serious. I looked under the car from the sides (not via a jack or lift) and couldn't see any major damage and I didn't have fluids leaking. The car also seemed to handle the drive back to Philadelphia. But I'm not sure if there is anything I should be checking to see what I could have damaged on this bump.

 

For you more seasoned drivers I'm sure this has happened at least once or twice. What do you normally check for and etc?

[sc302 Veteran]

Lol, I used to hit those at speed. 

 

No scraping, no problem.  If you do it often though, you will eventually have issues with your shocks/struts.  No big deal just once though.

 

Let me know when you hit a curb, that has some checking to do if you hit above 5mph.  That can really screw your world up (bent tie rods, bent ball joints, steering rack, half shafts, rims...lots of stuff).

[+LogicalApex MVC]

Lol, I used to hit those at speed. 

 

No scraping, no problem.  If you do it often though, you will eventually have issues with your shocks/struts.  No big deal just once though.

There was minor scrapping I saw on one side of the car (if I am good at figuring out minor), But I couldn't tell if this was new or not since I purchased the car used a little over 2 weeks ago.

[+Random Stranger Subscriber¹]

Absolutely nothing to worry about.   At all!

[sc302 Veteran]

Highly doubt the scratches are from it.  you would have heard a noise from under your car (you exhaust would have hit first).

[+Random Stranger Subscriber¹]

in fact, you can do over them at much faster speed.... and you have to do it repeatedly many many many times, and then over the period of time,

you will finally have tangible results, in loose joints and gearings...

 

 

but it will not show up until many many more high speed hits.    so it is not something you should worry about at all, considering how new your car is.

[+LogicalApex MVC]

did you ride over it or did you side swipe it?

I rode over it. I realized it was the case as the car jumped up and it was too late to do much other than ride it out.

 

in fact, you can do over them at much faster speed.... and you have to do it repeatedly many many many times, and then over the period of time,

you will finally have tangible results, in loose joints and gearings...

 

 

but it will not show up until many many more high speed hits.    so it is not something you should worry about at all, considering how new your car is.

 

Thanks!

[neufuse Veteran]

The worst I've gotten from bumps like that is a rubber bushing start to wear on parts like shocks. Which are easily replaced pretty cheaply.

[MikeChipshop Member]

Depends on the bump.

There was one in my old home town that was like a rock face, you couldn't go over it at any speed without some nasty sounding noises.

In general though you should be all good.

[+Random Stranger Subscriber¹]

i rode over big pothole at 50 mph, and had the tire blowout (extreme case -  yet, besides the tire, and the rims balancing, no serious consequence!)

 

tons of speed bump, etc...

 

after 2 year of heavy riding, some thing got a bit loose... and my (honest, not dealership scum) mechanic told me that some of the things are starting to move around, and the total cost to replace is a few hundred.

even then, he said i am good to go for another few month, before replacing, if i want to save money.

cars nowadays are build to handle all kinds of rough treatments, without serious issues, and newer Mercedes are a solid build machines.

 

the only thing is, the dealership mechanics think you are an idiot, and like to charge extra to replace parts that otherwise don't need replacement. 

the parts they can easily resell to the other used car mechanics at a premium.

in fact, it is sickening, just how much scam is happening in car repair world, if you come in uninformed!

 

 

 

 

unless you have free maintenance in your dealership..  i highly recommend you find someone who know cars, or someone who can recommend a trustworthy mechanic who deal in euro cars..

it will save you a ton of money in the long run!  

 

 

i have had BMW and AUDI and in both cases, the dealership i trusted, ripped me off for so much money, i hated it!   i should have went with trustworthy independent from day 1!

[sc302 Veteran]

i have had BMW and AUDI and in both cases, the dealership i trusted, ripped me off for so much money, i hated it!   i should have went with trustworthy independent from day 1!

 

:/  You know that these dealers charge premium for any work they do outside of warranty, right?  I barely trust the mid tiered dealerships to do anything outside of warranty work.  They like to nickel and dime you to death and go beyond what is wrong to fix the issue. Oh you need an oil change, while I was changing your oil I noticed a hole in your exhaust pipe, it is about 4 inches long, we need to fix that for you....mfer that wasn't there before you got the car, wtf did you hit....nothing sir that was like it when you brought it in....I would think I would notice my car sounding like a truck......

[+Random Stranger Subscriber¹]

:/  You know that these dealers charge premium for any work they do outside of warranty, right?  I barely trust the mid tiered dealerships to do anything outside of warranty work.  They like to nickel and dime you to death and go beyond what is wrong to fix the issue. Oh you need an oil change, while I was changing your oil I noticed a hole in your exhaust pipe, it is about 4 inches long, we need to fix that for you....mfer that wasn't there before you got the car, wtf did you hit....nothing sir that was like it when you brought it in....I would think I would notice my car sounding like a truck......

 

exactly..     i cannot believe they would do something like that.   but hell yeah, they DO.

[neufuse Veteran]

:/  You know that these dealers charge premium for any work they do outside of warranty, right?  I barely trust the mid tiered dealerships to do anything outside of warranty work.  They like to nickel and dime you to death and go beyond what is wrong to fix the issue. Oh you need an oil change, while I was changing your oil I noticed a hole in your exhaust pipe, it is about 4 inches long, we need to fix that for you....mfer that wasn't there before you got the car, wtf did you hit....nothing sir that was like it when you brought it in....I would think I would notice my car sounding like a truck......

oh heck, I still haven't had a steering issue fixed on my car that I bought brand new... 3yrs of warranty work they never fixed the problem... replaced every part of it but the wheel itself, still have a sound coming from the steering system like water running through a hose... they even replaced the steering pump multiple times... never fixed it... took it to another dealer since the independent shops won't look at it as it's a "dealer issue" that dealer went straight to "you need a new steering fluid pump" about banged my head on the desk when I said it's been changed multiple times now that's not the issue!......

[techbeck]

Had a VW i owned totalled in AZ for hail damage.  I was able to drive the car home and had to park it at my house while a I wanted a few days for a trailer to come by and pick it up.  So I drove the card hard and went over speed bumps going 45mph.  Didnt damage the car any.

[neufuse Veteran]

Had a VW i owned totalled in AZ for hail damage.  I was able to drive the car home and had to park it at my house while a I wanted a few days for a trailer to come by and pick it up.  So I drove the card hard and went over speed bumps going 45mph.  Didnt damage the car any.

only your neck and spine :rofl:

[techbeck]

only your neck and spine :rofl:

 

Well, I believe the OP stated damage to the car   :P  ;)

[sc302 Veteran]

oh heck, I still haven't had a steering issue fixed on my car that I bought brand new... 3yrs of warranty work they never fixed the problem... replaced every part of it but the wheel itself, still have a sound coming from the steering system like water running through a hose... they even replaced the steering pump multiple times... never fixed it... took it to another dealer since the independent shops won't look at it as it's a "dealer issue" that dealer went straight to "you need a new steering fluid pump" about banged my head on the desk when I said it's been changed multiple times now that's not the issue!......

3+ times at the shop for the same thing = lemon law.

[neufuse Veteran]

3+ times at the shop for the same thing = lemon law.

Oh no... it was never the same thing because they always "fixed it" the problem would slightly change into another problem with the same system so they could get around the issue.. darn dealers and GM dragging their feet for 3yrs until Pontiac was dismantled as a consumer brand... then the dealer started doing the "they no longer exist" excuse even though GM said the warranties were still valid

[+Warwagon MVC]

[Raa]

As a once off, you'll probably be fine.

 

But if you've done it a few times, you'll want to get your suspension system checked out... and if you hit them too hard, well... you won't be driving away. :laugh:

[DAN13L83]

I found this forum because I was worried about my 2015 WRX. I was switching freeways and was driving 74 mph on the junction. The freeway was smooth until I hit a little bump or something and the car lifted up, not off the ground, and landed hard. I'm just glad I still had control. I'm just worried about premature wear and tear. I always drive fast on that junction, just not the lane I was on.

[sc302 Veteran]

wheel alignment probably. 

 

how does it feel?  if it were a major issue you would certainly feel it.    On a straight road, like highway, when you take your hands off the wheel does it drift out of the lane?  How fast will depend on how out of whack your alignment is. 

 

If not out of whack, monitor your tire wear on the inside tread and outside tread of each tire.  This may take months to get to a noticeable difference, use a penny or other coin to check depth. 

[Fingringhoe]

Firstly look where you are going in the future instead of playing with yourself!

 

As for any possible damage, if a US built car (which are all poorly built) there will be a fair bit of damage viz broken springs, muffler blowing, damaged wheel rims.

 

However the single major issue you will have is the chassis frame will be twisted, get it checked now!

[episode]

Wtf is going on? A 1 poster who somehow found this forum to make a car post and then some other one poster who is trashing all US built cars (even though the first 1 post guy said it was a WRX) and telling the guy he twisted his chassis. Phenomenal.

[sc302 Veteran]

On 2/1/2016 at 2:13 PM, Fingringhoe said:

Firstly look where you are going in the future instead of playing with yourself!

 

As for any possible damage, if a US built car (which are all poorly built) there will be a fair bit of damage viz broken springs, muffler blowing, damaged wheel rims.

 

However the single major issue you will have is the chassis frame will be twisted, get it checked now!

don't know much about cars do you.  If you did you would know that all cars go through vigorous testing to be on the roads in the US.  A speed bump, at any speed, will not twist the frame.  Twisting the frame will require a different kind of impact.  Other things can get twisted, but the frame will not...if it did every car sold in the us would have that issue.  Now you want to talk about overall build quality, rattles, and other issues I have no problems with...that garbage you spewed is garbage. 

 

Lets go onto damaged wheels and rims, american vs everyone else.  This would come down to the the tire build, not the rim or the make of the vehicle, but again a speed bump at any speed will not harm them....now if he hit a curb or a pothole that could swallow the whole front end, well then the rims could get damaged and the tire would likely be blown (seen that happen). 

 

  If you had a low car, you could scrape the under carriage or bend/break something under there...but the likely hood of broken springs aren't so likely even if you hit a speed bump at 100 mph...other parts sure, springs not so much. 

 

So what exactly would break being that the only thing that is plausible in your statement is the muffler.  a arms might get tweaked (a unlikely might), tie rods could be shot, the ball joints may be effected (if hit enough times), the rack could be damaged if hit hard enough, shock/struts could be shot if this is repeated constantly (these will fail way before the springs will), probably screw up your mid pipe/catalytic converters and muffler if it is low enough and you hit it so hard that you really compress your suspension to the point you scrape or hit the speed bump with those parts.  Might screw up your controlling arm.

 

None of these parts are really stronger or weaker on American vs other cars....at least not to the point where they will fall apart.  They all have to pass stringent testing to be able to be put on the roads, all of they have had a model that has been totaled on purpose (yes even the veyron or whatever other expensive car you can think of). 

 

So what really is the issue with American cars, well their quality control is lacking for sure.  You may get squeaks and rattles and computer components that don't last as long as the foreign components which can lead to mechanical failure due to equipment operating out of spec.  This is the reason I will not own a dodge or Chrysler product again regardless of who owns it (fiat or anyone else).  Ford is hit or miss, probably on my last one now....started rattling way too soon.  Government Motors, will not purchase anything from those thieves.   Loved my 2 nissans, and like my toyota.  BMW, Audi and Mercedes do absolutely nothing for me (not really a german car fan), rather have a infiniti, lexus, or acura.  None will really fall apart like in the movies, well except Volkswagen (I swear that whole company puts gremlin eggs in their cars before they leave the assembly plant)....when there is an issue with one of them it is always an electrical issue that can't be tracked down.