2005 center differential gone

[gogordo]

This whole situation is super shady...

 

 

1. I called the number on my insurance card for "Liberty Mutual Roadside Assistance." 1-800-426-9898.
   
2. After the incident, and some detective work, I find out that "Liberty Mutual Roadside Assistance" is not Liberty Mutual at all. They outsource their roadside assistance work to "Cross Country Automotive Services."
   
   1. 
      
   2. If you Google their incident department number, 888-551-1050, you find that the BMW Roadside Assistance and VW Roadside Assistance have the same number.
      

Throughout the entire incident, I thought I was talking to my insurance company. I was furious to find out, it's just a 3rd party company that does roadside.

 

So here's where I am now:

 

1. The tow truck company is doing an investigation.
   
2. Cross Country is doing an investigation, and I am filing an incident report with them.
   
3. Liberty Mutual (the actual insurance company) is doing an investigation. I filed an insurance claim and an adjuster is coming to look at the damage on Wednesday. However, he won't be able to see much, since you need to rip open the differential to see the damage. I am going to try to get insurance to send the car to a Subaru dealership to assess the damage and give an estimate.
   

I'm hoping that in the end, one of these 3 parties will cover the damage. I'm just nervous that they'll say "You already had clutch problems, so you can't prove that the tow truck caused any of the damage we just found."

 

Also, Stohlman Subaru said that you can't replace just the center differential. You have to replace the entire transmission, for ~$5200. Is that true?

[ehsnils]

Also, Stohlman Subaru said that you can't replace just the center differential. You have to replace the entire transmission, for ~$5200. Is that true?

 

Removing the gearbox taking it apart, fixing it and mounting it again takes more time for them than to just replace it with a new one. And they will of course get a percentage on the replacement gearbox.

 

So from their perspective of economy a new gearbox is what they want you to go for.

 

And replacing parts in the gearbox - it also means that it has to be examined to make sure that everything that is damaged is replaced and that metal shavings are cleaned out. They will of course bill you by the hour for that - and if they can they will make sure that it will cost you more than a new gearbox.

[gogordo]

That makes so much sense. Thanks for the explanation. I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

[AShoe]

Good luck. This is why I always ask for a flatbed, It really surprises me that tow companies use anything else anymore.

[gogordo]

I posted this in a different thread, but I forgot to mention that the tow truck driver said he was disabling AWD by inserting a fuse. My car was towed on a flatbed today and this other driver said that there was no damage to my car because the FWD fuse was inserted. However, my car was towed at least 3 blocks before the fuse was inserted AND my car is manual + turbo. The owner's manual specifically states:

NOTE

If your vehicle is an AWD type with an automatic transmission but is neither a Turbo model nor a 3.0-liter model, deactivate its all-wheel-drive capability as follows: Before driving your vehicle with the temporary spare tire, put a spare fuse inside the FWD connector located in the engine compartment and confirm that the AWD warning light comes on. The all wheel drive capability of the vehicle has now been deactivated. After re-installing the conventional tire, remove the spare fuse from the FWD connector in order to reactivate all wheel drive.

From: Page 9-4 or PDF page 459 from the mysubaru.com owner's manual.

 

Here's my post from the other thread:

 

Here's what happened to me:

 

1. I have a 05 LGT, 5 speed
   
   
2. My clutch gave out, so I called roadside assistance for a tow.
   
   
3. The car may have been stuck in 1st gear.
   
   
4. They started towing my car with 2 rear wheels on the ground.
   
   
5. After 3 blocks, the driver pulled over, popped the hood, and put a fuse in the FWD socket (remember, this is manual + turbo)
   
   
6. After 3 more blocks, there was a loud popping noise.
   
   
7. The driver pulled over, and told me to keep going. I do not know what he did that time.
   
   
8. The car was towed for 1.2 miles.
   
   
9. Currently, my LGT is at Don Beyer Subaru. They are going to check for damage from the tow.
   
   

What should I ask Subaru to check? Here's my list so far:

 

1. Center Differential
   
   
2. Transmission
   
   
3. ???
   
   

 

 

"If there is damage from the improper tow, then I have an insurance claim and the damage will be covered." -- Words from my Adjuster, who is also a Subie owner

.

 

PS - I have done my research. This car

cannot

be towed with 2 wheels on the ground. Also, the FWD fuse is for Automatic, Non-turbo models

ONLY

(2 things my car is not).

 

I'm anxious to find out what Subaru says!

[gogordo]

I authorized an $860 charge to drop the transmission to get the damage assessed.

 

Subaru just called to say:

 

1. I need a new clutch
   
2. I need a new flywheel
   
3. I need new bellhousing
   
4. This will cost $3100.
   
5. They need to repair the clutch in order to assess the center differential damage.
   

WTF - The whole reason I brought it to Subaru in the first place was so they could assess the center differential damage before fixing the clutch.

[jshute]

Independent repair shop testimony, small claims court.