Oh this is special... please explain. Yes, many German cars are rear wheel drive, but I'm dying to understand how a rear wheel drive car is more prone to hydroplaning.

 

Basically, I'm with you on this one..........there isn't a significant amount of difference between FWD/RWD when it comes to hydroplaning, although it could possibly be argued that FWD cars place a little more weight over the front wheels, slightly increasing their bite through a film of water. Of course, that would mean less rear-wheel hydroplaning on RWD cars because they have more weight in the rear. But, in actual tire tests, it hasn't shown that much difference....I think we can safely say you are correct on this one.

What is a lot more important than the drive wheels themselves is tire pressure. Incorrect PSIs, allowing the tires to put down an overly concave or convex footprint on a wet road, is just asking for trouble.

 

tires will make or break the car your in, tirerack or one of the well know monthly car mags did a test on tires, even at 4/32nd the stopping distance increases a considerably amount

it all comes down to the driver, my friend drove around on bald tires in pouring rain, to this day we laugh about how he somehow did not lose control of the car then I know a girl with a G35x, a guy with an A4 Quattro, and another guy with a Subaru Legacy, all 3 where less then 6 months old and nearly totaled during the 1st wet snowfall of the season

the owners seem to think the AWD is a saving grace for pulling off moves only a professional driver would attempt

 

Your being facetious, right?

ESP/VSC cannot overcome the laws of physics. Once you're going that fast the tires can "plane" on the surface of standing (or moving) water and it's all over.

This is why it's better to slow down in the rain...

 

skidding should not result with a wheel falling off unless it wasnt torqued to the right specs!!. I agree with mmarshall 200% hope youre insurance contacts your dealership. if you can proove that yourre wheel wasnt fastend right sue the bastards

 

can the owner actually sue the dealership that perform the latest maintainance since the wheel fall off (due to loose lug nuts) ? He was thinking of suing Nissan for this. lol. But I say he' s not going to win coz his car doesn't have stability and traction control stuff..

 

This is where MMarshall's post is really relavant--what caused the skid? If it was the wheel coming loose, the dealer wants to get a good lawyer. If it was hydroplaning by driving 60 mph in heavy rains, the dealer argues that they didn't cause the accident--driver error did.

 

I absolutely agree with mmarshall on this, hydroplaning did not cause this accident (though it may have contributed). No amount of water or anything else on the road will cause you to lose a wheel.

I've done unplanned 360-degree spins in my cars on ice, in snow, and on perfectly dry pavement and have never had any tire damage, let alone lose an entire wheel.

So why did the wheel come off? That's where the fault lies.

 

What caused skid, I think, is when the driver applied the brakes. Once he applied the brakes, the wheels skidded.

What causes hydroplaning, is when the rain + amount of water on the road + 60mph driving during that condition.

So, with the skid, wheels lose balance, and went off..I think the skid causes the wheels to be loose..but again it takes a loose lugs to make the wheels come off, right? Is there by any chance the wheels come off a properly tightened lugs?

 

I am assuming he lost control b/c of hydroplaning but I am not sure what caused the rear wheel to fail.

Can we have pics? Was it a wheel failure/ Lug nut failure? Suspension?

 

sorry no pics at the moment. now the car is in a tow yard. Then it's going to the bodyshop for repair. If I have the chance to see the car I will take some pics and post them.