On average, a driver gets into a car accident every
18 years. While not all car accidents are fatal, all result in some form of vehicle damage. Vehicle damage from minor accidents is sometimes hard to spot. However, your car will show subtle signs when it sustains damage after an accident. Read on to discover some signs of hidden vehicle damage to look out for after an accident.
Electrical Malfunctions
Most vehicles rely on electricity to run efficiently, and sometimes, an accident may compromise the functionality of a vehicle's electrical components. Flickering or dead lights are a common sign of loose wire connections in a vehicle's electrical system.
Loose wire connections may also cause brake failures, which make driving unsafe. Electrical damage may also be the culprit if your car's sound system does not work after an accident.
Transmission Fluid Leaks
An accident may result in a puncture to essential fluid lines on your vehicle. Leaks are often a sign of vehicle transmission damage. Transmission fluid lubricates a vehicle's metal parts, ensuring they do not grind against each other as the vehicle moves. Cars with automatic transmission also need transmission fluid to create hydraulic pressure, which internal parts need to function.
If your car has low transmission fluid levels due to a leak, you have difficulty shifting gears. Your engine revs higher than the normal level, and your transmission starts overheating. You may also notice a burning smell caused by friction on unlubricated moving parts.
Vehicle Misalignment
Body damage may sometimes misalign your vehicle. When this happens, the tires wear out unevenly. Unfortunately, you may not notice this type of damage for a long time, as vehicle tires take time to show signs of wear and tear. Thus, you must be aware of other signs of misalignment, such as:
- A vehicle that drifts on one side
- Squealing tires
- A noisy steering wheel
- A crooked steering wheel when driving straight
Repairing alignment issues on time saves you from having to replace other car parts sooner than expected.
Latch Damage
Collisions sometimes damage the latches on your car's doors, trunk, or hood. You may have difficulty opening and closing your doors, trunk, or hood when this happens. Your trunk or hood may pop up unexpectedly if its closing mechanism sustains damage, putting you at risk of another accident.
Having doors that do not close well also puts you and your passengers in danger. Therefore, have a collision repair technician fix these problems immediately.
Suspension System Damage
Your vehicle's suspension system gives it traction, controlling the impact of bad road conditions, which makes for a smoother ride. Damage to your vehicle's suspension system compromises its ability to withstand shocks.
Thus, if you can suddenly feel every bump on the road while driving after an accident, your vehicle's shocks likely sustained damage. Struggling to steer your car at low speeds is another sign of suspension system damage. A car with a damaged suspension system is unstable, and driving it may put you in harm's way.
Rust
You can easily overlook small scratches on your car's surface after a collision. Other times, people neglect to repaint small scratches in hidden areas because they do not ruin a car's appearance. However, the paint around a scratched area rubs away over time, leaving the metal parts underneath exposed to the elements.
When this happens, rust builds up in those areas and starts eating away at the metal, weakening the car's structure. Small scratches are cheaper to fix than rusted parts. Thus, fix small scratches as soon as you notice them to avoid costly repairs down the line.
Even when you do not observe visible signs of damage on a car, you'll need a collision repair expert to check it for hidden damage. Do not let undiscovered damage ground your car.
Contact us for vehicle inspections after an accident to catch and repair hidden damage on time.
