Vehicle Damage After a Rear-End Collision

You’ve been rear-ended and been to the hospital or seen your doctor and taken care of your physical needs. But what about your vehicle. It doesn’t appear to have significant damage. Are you sure?

Rear-end collision damage is often difficult to spot by an untrained eye. Issues under the surface that are not immediately recognized will only lead to bigger problems in the future. The collision impacts the functionality, appearance, and value of the car, but it can also put your safety at risk.

Alignment problems are a common form of damage after a rear-end collision. Even if your vehicle’s alignment is only slightly off, it can cause unnecessary stress on brakes, tires suspension and other various parts, causing them to wear out faster than they should. How can you tell if your vehicle is out of line?

  • Noisy steering
  • Vehicle vibration
  • Crooked steering wheel
  • Squealing tires
  • Rapid or uneven tire wear

Cars and trucks today are very delicate and complex. A rear-end collision has the potential to compromise an engine’s performance. The impact could affect the vehicle drivetrain. The rear-end impact can move the exhaust system forward, causing damage to the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, muffler, engine mounts and “Y” pipe that runs the engine.

Is your vehicle leaking transmission fluid? Are you having issues with shifting and acceleration? In vehicle’s that are rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD), the transmission components are near the rear of the car and the rear-end collision may have caused damage to these components.

Additional vehicle issues from a rear-end collision may include suspension and electrical problems. Suspension damage can be the result of damage to the vehicle frame. And even the slightest rear-end collision, can loosen the wires to your taillights, brake lights or battery. Both the suspension and electrical issues can cause safety issues when you are on the road.

As soon as possible after your collision, take your vehicle to a professional, trusted auto body shop. Have an experienced collision repair technician carefully look over your vehicle and provide a detailed plan of repair to restore the vehicle to its original condition.

It’s a good idea to talk to an attorney after a rear-end collision to protect your rights. There is no fee to talk to one of our attorney’s. Call us at (479) 202-5200.

We would also like to send you a copy of “Rear-End Collisions in Arkansas”. Call or contact us through this website.

We can help.

Source: https://www.uti.edu/blog/collision/rear-end-collision-damage