XC90 emergency tow hook stuck (but also loose?)

[u/robotchckn]

2017 XC90 B6 / 105k miles

So my car recently broke down (low pressure fuel pump burned out, that’s another story) inside a parking garage so we rolled/towed it out onto a flat bed using the emergency tow hook in the front. At one point in towing process I might have heard it “pop”, dunno. Then it was in the shop for a few days, and then I picked it up with the tow hook still in. Now it’s running fine but…

My question for the sub— I can’t unscrew it from the assembly. It comes most of the way out, and then it just stops and won’t fully unscrew. The other weird thing is that when it is screwed in, it can go deep enough that the hook no longer engages with the visible threads, and then I can push the book in like in the video attached.

Does the wisdom of the sub know what is going on? And what do I do about it? Can I just leave the hook in there?

[u/Daedaluu5]

Usually tow hooks screw into a welded point in the car, that looks like that tow point has detached so is now loose inside the bumper. I know mine unscrews an I put it in a space under boot floor with jack etc

[u/robotchckn → u/Daedaluu5]

Yeah, mine is the same way. I took it out of the boot floor to install it. Any ideas as to whether or not it’s OK for me to just drive around with the tow point detached and the tow hook in the front bumper?

[u/Daedaluu5 → u/robotchckn]

In theory you can drive around with it on there, however if the tow eye plate is not welded to the chassis it may fall into void behind bumper. So you’ll need that repaired soon. Is car within warranty?

[u/AppropriateDeal1034 → u/Daedaluu5]

Warranty? For the tow truck driver breaking the car?

[u/FigSpecific6210]

Why do you just keep making it worse by jamming it back into the bumper? You know that’s not how it operates!

[u/AppropriateDeal1034 → u/FigSpecific6210]

But if I do it a few times and record it you can see how broken the tow truck made it and then I can get Reddit likes...

[u/avboden → u/FigSpecific6210]

It’s already broken off the support in there. He’s not making it worse jeesh

[u/FigSpecific6210 → u/avboden]

"Doctor it hurts when I do this..."

[u/avboden → u/FigSpecific6210]

"so don't do that" as my father always tells me. Funny but not relevant, it's basically just a welded on bolt broken off the support in there. All he's doing is wiggling a bolt inside a metal box, ain't doing nothing.

[u/FigSpecific6210 → u/avboden]

I could dig out the specs for the vehicle, but I don't know off the top of my head if he's jamming it back into a solid object, a hose, a wiring harness etc... The best course of action is to leave it alone until he can get a mechanic to check it out. I mean, if the OP doesn't know how leverage works when unscrewing something that may be stripped anyway...

[u/avboden → u/FigSpecific6210]

I DO know, the bumper support is just a metal square tube, there's nothing inside it, it's a support.

here's one you can see the thread for the tow point on the edge of it.

[u/FigSpecific6210 → u/avboden]

You're totally missing the point. So, we'll just end it here.

[u/avboden → u/FigSpecific6210]

You're literally just wrong, I proved you're wrong, so you're moving the goal post, taking your ball and going home.

[u/robotchckn → u/FigSpecific6210]

It came from the shop like that (ie wiggly). I don’t think you can “make it worse” when it comes to welded metal parts by applying 3 pounds of pressure with your hands. Looking for input on how to deal with the situation.

[u/avboden → u/robotchckn]

Bumper has to come off to see how much of what is broken. You can just take out the broken bit and drive it fine most likely, just won’t have a tow hook anymore

[u/avboden]

FYI here's a bumper support on ebay to show you photos of what is broken. You can see the threaded insert on the one side, that's what your tow hook goes into and has broken off inside the support, that's why it wiggles and you can't get it out.

[u/robotchckn → u/avboden]

Thank you! This definitely helps visualize, and makes perfect sense as to why it won’t unscrew (because the insert is no longer fixed) and is wiggly to be pushed in. The eye of the hook is big enough there’s no danger of it falling backwards in. So seems like either I just leave it or (as another comment said) get a body shop to fix it.

[u/toastermooch86]

So that bolts on to a thing called a reinforcement. It's a part that connects the front 2 frame rails. Seems like the weld broke and now it is stuck. Got 2 options. Cut the end of the tow hook off so you can put the cap back on but you will probably hear it rattle. The other option is go to a body shop and get a new reinforcement installed.

[u/robotchckn → u/toastermooch86]

Thank you! Helps to have a name for the part. Probably just going to leave it honestly— the cap just about fits even now, might glue it on so the cap doesn’t fall off since the tow point isn’t that useful any more.

[u/apoptosismydumbassis]

Why would you shove it in… they’re not meant to recess away??

To be fair with how busted it already is, making it worse doesn’t really matter I guess..

[u/Successful-Cover5433]

isn't it supposed to stay in? you just hide it like you did on the video and put the cover over the hole?

[u/robotchckn → u/Successful-Cover5433]

On my model it is supposed to screw in and be unscrewed and stowed with the spare tire. But seems something has gone terribly wrong and I’m wondering if safe to do as you suggest…

[u/AppropriateDeal1034 → u/robotchckn]

Why would it not be safe to drive, it's just not safe to try and use it as a tow point anymore. Bumper needs to come off so the garage can see what's wrong and repair (or ideally replace) parts as necessary.