After impact, there may be visible damage to your car that you might decide not to repair. But under that cosmetic damage, sometimes there is a more serious problem. Here is what you should know when your car is misbehaving after an accident.
Accidents Can Affect Structure
That metal part that's bent out of shape after your accident? It's a clue that the structure of your vehicle has been altered. The body of your vehicle is designed to absorb a lot of the force of a collision before the more sensitive, internal parts are hit. But if the collision is significant, the internal parts of the car can certainly be affected.
A good sign that the frame of the car has been changed is when you notice differences in the way the car handles. Perhaps it's veering towards a certain direction, or you notice some resistance when you make a turn in a certain direction. These are signs that the car needs more than just a paint touch up; you wouldn't want the car to react strangely in an emergency situation where you need complete control of your steering wheel.
Accidents May Push Small Parts Out of Place
Accidents are also known to cause internal damage by affecting the placement of small parts. It may be that a screw has come loose on a car part, and when it finally falls out, it could affect the performance of your engine or another part. Electrical connectors are another example of a vulnerable small part. If the collision jars the connection of a fuse, you might experience electrical problems down the road. But damage may not appear right away; you might just notice that the car is stuttering or that some dashboard lights come off and on, for instance.
The bottom line is that you always need to get an inspection at an auto repair shop, like Wolfe's Foreign Auto, after a car accident. That way, you will document any car damage right away. If you are paying for repairs yourself, you may want to have a vehicle inspection done to lay out necessary repairs and costs. An auto body shop will usually offer to do a teardown of the vehicle to locate hidden damage, even when you have contracted with them to do a cosmetic repair. Being thorough is a good idea, especially when you have noticed something off about your vehicle after the accident.
Share28 June 2017
After my old car finally bit the dust, I knew that I needed something that would last for another 20 years or so. Instead of heading out to buy a car right away, I spent a lot of time doing my research. I test drove several different vehicles and I even checked consumer reporting agencies to see which vehicle had the best trade-in value. After I found a car that I felt comfortable with, I did my best to argue down the price. This blog is all about finding a great car and negotiating a great deal so that you don't have to deal with buyer's remorse later.