You’ve just been in a car accident. Your thoughts are on the pain in your back and insurance claims. But after a car accident, you should do one thing before driving again: check for damages.
Car accidents, even small ones, can leave unseen damages that you might not recognize. A seemingly innocent fender bender could be hiding some serious issues. Without diagnosing them, you risk your life and others by driving that car again on a public road.
The causes of car accidents do tend to lead to a common set of car damages. We’re here to help you identify some of the key ones. Keep reading for the damages you should be on the lookout for after a car accident.
Why it’s so Important to Diagnose Car Damages After a Car Accident
Damage to your car isn’t always obvious. On the exterior, it may look perfectly fine. As we’ve mentioned above, appearances can be deceiving.
Your car has thousands of individual parts, all of which are essential to its function. Even low-velocity collisions can lead to significant, lasting damage. Diagnosing these damages immediately is important for the following reasons:
- The damage may not manifest until many miles later
- You need to know the scope of the damages to make a car accident claim or insurance claim
- Certain damage may get worse over time, leading to a more expensive repair job
- The damage may involve critical components of your vehicle, leading to loss of control while driving
With that said, let’s look at some of the top issues after a car accident.
1. Damage to the Frame
Think of the frame as your vehicle’s skeleton. This is the core of your vehicle, which supports the weight of the engine and aligns the wheels. All critical components rest on this frame and rely on it for structural security.
Your frame is tough, but when it fails, it affects the entire vehicle. Damages to the frame may only manifest in small ways, such as doors not closing correctly. Or, they could stop the vehicle from functioning altogether.
Many shops specialize in frame damage and can ensure your vehicle is back on the road soon.
2. Issues With Alignment
Alignment has to do with how your vehicle handles after an accident. Alignment issues, like issues with the frame, are hard to gauge from just a casual look. Only an expert will be able to determine the origin of alignment issues, and how to fix them.
Here are some common symptoms when your vehicle is misaligned:
- Steering is really noisy
- Tires squeal unnecessarily
- The vehicle vibrates in a way that is concerning
- Steering is wobbly and hard to remain straight
- Your vehicle veers to the right or left even when the steering wheel is straight
Other parts may suffer as a result of poor alignment. Important components like brakes or vehicle suspension may experience additional stress. At best the parts will wear out faster, and at worst it will lead to catastrophic failure.
3. Damage to the Trunk
Most accidents involve a front or rear collision. In these cases, the bumpers and trunk tend to take the brunt of any impact.
While these damages might be a bit more obvious, they come with some unexpected consequences, such as:
- Your trunk opens without warning
- Your trunk does not remain sealed, leading to leakage of external moisture
- You have difficulty opening your trunk
- The locking mechanism fails to open, or fails to remain shut
A broken trunk is more than a minor annoyance. It may fly open while you’re driving, making it hard to see out the back. Your belongings could spill out into the road behind you.
Bumper repairs can often solve any issues you might be having with the trunk.
4. Electrical Issues
Electrical issues will be the most subtle of them all and may take the longest to recognize on your own. Brake lights may not work, or work intermittently. Your sound system may not function, or battery issues may arise.
Electrical problems are costly to fix and can get worse with time. It’s for this reason that you should diagnose them ASAP.
Fixing a Car After a Car Accident
It’s important that you take your vehicle to a collision expert ASAP after a crash. These are professionals who specialize in crash-specific car damages. Again, it’s essential that you do this sooner than later to avoid damages from growing worse.
It goes without saying that in some cases, you should not take your vehicle out onto the road. If your car is having difficulties with steering or brakes, that risks your life and the lives of others. Don’t take any risks, tow your vehicle to your neighborhood shop.
Further, your car will likely require a repaint. Paint scratches may be relatively minor, such as a fender bender, or more severe, such as a T-bone accident. Find a shop that can match the paint to your existing paint job without ruining the overall look.
A paint job isn’t just to make sure your car looks good as new. It affects the resale value, too. It may be a lot cheaper to give the car a repaint than to sell it as such.
Visit Flawless Auto Paint Repair
After a car accident, one of your first orders of business is to get a collision inspection. Latent vehicle issues may not be apparent on the surface, but they will rear their ugly heads later on. Don’t take the risk, and get your vehicle into a shop to repair any car damages.
Flawless Auto Paint Repair is your go-to shop for everything from frame repair to bumper repair. Schedule an appointment with us today and get back to driving like you used to.
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