Ran Over Truck Tire Derbris
 

Was traveling on I-10 east of Beaumont, TX last night and ran over a large tire carcass. It was very scary.

I will get the car to the shop to get checked out. From what I can see, other than the front splitter/"curb feelers", there is no visible damage.

The engine is now running very rough and vibrating - particularly while idling. All gauges read normal and no DIC warning.

It feels like -- "in the old days", the engine is "missing"/miss-firing, a vacuum line became dis-attached, etc.

I will have it towed to the shop; any ideas offhand on what could be causing the engine to run very rough ?

Many thanks

Lots of things, but the codes will tell the story. Check all your plug wires, air filter connection to the intake.

First I'm sorry to read about your troubles, and I’m glad no one was injured and you drove away.

As to your question, hard to say, but remember there are a lot of wires, harnesses etc running exposed on the underside of a vette, anyone of them could have been nicked. Like the ground wire.

Your best bet will be a through visual inspection of the under carriage. Maybe by then the car will throw a CEL that will help the tech pin point the area to look at.

Good luck and please let us know how this turns out.

Tom

Thanks for the thoughts and input. I'll post the result(s) of the problem(s) after I get the results

wise to have it towed in. do tell us what is found. will be interesting and hopefully, not much damage to your car. those tires are really awful on the road.

Tire debris! Those are road gators! Deadly critters just lurking around to chomp on cars.

No codes? I was going to guess O2 sensor wiring or the sensor itself taken apart by the deadly beast but surely that would have puked a code by now.

Post up when you find the culprit.

Elmer

This is why i hate trucks and wish they had their own roads...:leaving:

Elmer - Have not brought vehicle in to run codes. My guess is that the oxygen sensors/wiring may be the culprit. However, no "check engine light" or message on the DIC

Very sorry to hear of that happening; those damn recaps from those large tractor trailer tires can do some serious undercarriage damage.

20 years ago I had a similiar incident when I was forced to have to run over a tractor trailor retread that was on the highway while traveling at about 70 mph.

There was traffic in every lane and I had no way out except to drive over the damn thing when the truck had just shed it's tire tread.

That damn thing was the size of a Florida gator and it shredded my front bumper and spoiler.

I would take it to the dealer and have them put it on a lift to inspect everything underneath the engine cradle.

Also read your auto insurance policy; many auto policy's will provide coverage under the Comprehensive Portion of your auto policy.

Good point. This won't be covered by any manufactures warranty.

Seems you aren't the only poor soul this has happened too:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ire-tread.html
Notice the discussion about what his insurance would cover.

Good luck

Tom

Those 'Road Gators' can be troublesome and extremely dangerous. Glad you're okay and there's no physical damage to the car. I'm sure the dealer will bring up a fault code and get it repaired. Let us know, please.

A few weeks ago while on I-40 a 18 wheeler passed us and I noticed a lot of smoke coming from one of his outside rear duals. I told the wife I believe his tire is coming apart, I slowed down considerably 'cause I didn't want to be anywhere near him when the tire let loose. He got well ahead of us and we lost sight of him. Then suddenly we started to see pieces of tire spewed along the interstate. It was really difficult trying to avoid the debris. Plenty of other car, and trucks, hit some of that debris. A few were pulled over on the shoulder.

Same thing happened to me about a year and a half ago. Drove car to Corvette of Houston and they fix everything back up.

Good Luck!

Semantics are very important with regard to the language of an insurance policy and how the claim is reported to the insurance company will determine whether the claim is treated as:

1. Collision Claim - In this case you would be responsible for your collision deductible AND you may very well lose any safe driver discounts that you currently have AND possibly get a rate increase.

As an example; while the vehicle is under your control, if you run into anything it's considered "At Fault" and you'll pay your deductible and possibly lose any safe driver discounts and possibly get an accident surcharge.

Examples would be running into something such as a curb or another car or running off the road and causing damage to your vehicle.

2. Comprehensive Claim - damage caused to your vehicle as a result of fire, water, wind or hail and striking an animal or having road debris strike your vehicle while airborn before it hits the road surface (for example a broken windshield caused by flying road debris).

So in this case; IF the tire tread broke off of the tractor trailer, flew through the air and then struck the front of your vehicle and was forced under it as a result of vehicle travel; it would be considered a Comprehensive Claim.

If however, the tire tread was laying in the road and you you simply drove over top of it even though it was unavoidable and caused damage to your vehicle; it would then be considered a Collision Claim and subject to your Collision Deductible as well as the loss of any safe driver discounts and surcharges.

GREAT INFO...:cheers:

Thanks ! That is exactly where I am heading - Corvettes of Houston

Good luck on getting the car running right. :blueangel:

I was talking to a retired truck driver recently and told him I thought they should outlaw recaps on trucks because of all the failures you see in the road. He said it's not economically feasible to use non-recaps except on the front steering tires. He claimed the problem is not the recaps, but drivers not keeping the tires properly inflated. :toetap:

If he were correct, there would need to be a lot of front tires to wear out so that enough cores are around to retread them for the other sixteen wheels.

I think it is a matter of cost. Cheap tires with a few failures has a lower cost than a set of new tires. At least the up front money is less. The tires that fall apart are seldom a problem to the truck or its driver. They just keep on going.

I hit one also!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...be-banned.html

Twobuells,if you really hate trucks try to go for 1 week not using anything that moves by truck!

You are Sooooooooo Right.. about 5 months ago a deer ran out from my left.. I swerved to the right, & hit a rock on the side of the road (about the size of a bowling ball) .. ruined a rim and front tire, & the right rocker panel (its an expensive part on C6) its part of the door frame.. damage was over $5000

I was told it was collision because I swerved into the rock, BUT had I drove straight ahead into the deer it would have been covered under comprehensive.... :(

Yea.. and the F***ING deer may have gone through my windshield and killed me :(

If I had lied, and said the deer ran into me causing me to lose control and hit the rock comprehensive would have covered it...

Bottom line if your "Honest you get screwed"