End of the Beginning

[Luha]

Hi All

Was previously around here under another user (mzMinty?) name but for personal reasons I had to remove all internet accounts and am back around again...

I had a 12/09 ZR aurion in white, fully optioned - loved it!

Anyhow, boyfriend had cleaned it with his mate and they were headed just outside of the city quickly and coming back in to vacuum it. Turns out a pod of kangaroos had another thing in mind. Coming around the last corner at about 100kms the roo's jumped in front of them and although he didnt swerve much it was evidently enough to hit the mud on the side of the road. Had been raining for about 3 days rather heavy and the car slid out of control, nose first into a spoon drain (and apparently from an onlooker although the boys don't remember it) the car was air born out of the drain and come to rest about 20 metres up the road in a cluster of tree's.

Damage doesn't look all that bad although it had apparently twisted and was recorded as repairable write off.

I know people say you shouldn't swerve but instincts kick in and it happens. Not here to analyse driving skills. It may not have been so bad if it didnt happen on a corner either or if it had rained earlier. There was about 2inches of thick mud so there wasnt much hope of controlling it. At the end of the day it was insured and both boys walked away with nothing more then some decent whiplash!

Can anyone tell me if that is what is meant by 'collapsible' steering wheel? Someone told me that it shouldn’t have done that but another said that it should?

Pics attached.

Just thought I would share with a few people who also have the soft spot for the aurion!

Not sure if I will be getting another face lift or look at the new mod... havent yet warmed up to it just yet!

[jeffy]

ouch... them kangaroos definitely do a number on cars ...

[Wildseven]

Man this is so so sad to see :(

Especially an Aurion :'(

[SATORI893]

I'm pretty sure 'collapasible steering wheel' refers to the steering column, because of the up/down adjustment the column has join in it a bit like a uni-joint on a two-piece tailshaft and it's designed to collapse under front impact rather than spear the wheel into to driver/cab, saftely thing I think. That's what I heard.

[Luha]

I'm pretty sure 'collapasible steering wheel' refers to the steering column, because of the up/down adjustment the column has join in it a bit like a uni-joint on a two-piece tailshaft and it's designed to collapse under front impact rather than spear the wheel into to driver/cab, saftely thing I think. That's what I heard.

well thats what I had previously been told and thought, so in that case it didn't collapse it just fell to the floor. Made it harder to get out of the car.

[DJKOR]

I'm pretty sure 'collapasible steering wheel' refers to the steering column, because of the up/down adjustment the column has join in it a bit like a uni-joint on a two-piece tailshaft and it's designed to collapse under front impact rather than spear the wheel into to driver/cab, saftely thing I think. That's what I heard.

well thats what I had previously been told and thought, so in that case it didn't collapse it just fell to the floor. Made it harder to get out of the car.

I think given the circumstances, the way the steering wheel had moved would still be considered acceptable. It needs force in the appropriate direction to be able to collapse. Having it collapsible would just prevent it from moving further towards the driver or allow it to be pushed forward in the event the driver had continued their forward momentum towards it.