Suggest taking your RAV4 to a wheel alignment shop. An alignment check should identify whether there is a problem.

 

Just to follow up: I drove it home tonight, and noticed the VSC OFF indicator light is on all the time now (the icon looks like tires swerving). Pressing the button on the dash does nothing, it's not like I just have it turned off.

Steering was a bit scary on the way home. If I was going straight, it was mostly ok. But if I turned the wheel to the left just a little (changing lanes), it felt like it suddenly wanted to drift quickly to the left. That required a LOT of steering wheel input to correct and keep it going straight. Also, the steering wheel isn't centered when driving straight now, it's cocked maybe 30-40 degrees (!) to the left.

I know I've caused damage, and I've heard that front end suspension/steering components are designed to fail in a certain order. This happened right before work and I just got home.

Any idea what I'm in for? I'm really worried about this because the financial situation is really tight and I can't afford to have this happen. I've spent all day beating myself up over this, I don't know how I could have let this happen. I drive in bad weather all the time and I even drive for work.

Tomorrow I'm going to arrange for a ride to work and I will hopefully take it in on Saturday. Please though, if anyone sees this and has a good idea of what I have done to this car, please reply. I've felt just sick all day since this happened.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it. It may be nothing more than an alignment. Your steering wheel being cockeyed can be fixed easily when they do an alignment. At least it wasn't wrecked.

 

Driving too fast for road conditions?
Insufficient tire tread depth?

Alignment check will show how bad out of alignment it is and what suspension components might be damaged.

 

I guess it was too fast for conditions (20mph) on a curve on a 30mph side street. The tires are fine, but didn't stand a chance because it was a patch of ice. I started sliding and I had plenty of time to think to myself "oh shit oh shit oh shit, gonna hit the curb."

I am used to driving in winter conditions, but I guess I slipped up this time. My last accident was 17 years ago and I was a new driver.

Snow is one thing, but this was ice. The conditions were just wet roads in most places, and looked no different where this happened. I hate driving on icy roads.

I'm dropping the car off tomorrow to get looked at on Monday. Shit happens I guess. I will reply later with the damage done just in case anyone is curious.

 

My guess is possible bent tierod and or balljoint. A front end check and alignment is most likely needed also.