According to a technical report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rear-end collisions make up the majority of car accidents, or just about 30%, nationwide.
Rear-end collisions cause obvious damage to the body and paint of your vehicle, but there is also damage done that you cannot see.
Find out what kind of hidden damage is caused by rear-end collisions.
Defining Hidden Damage
Hidden damage caused by a collision is damage you can’t see. While you can see paint transfer and dents, what you can’t see is the damage done to the body frame, mechanical, and electrical systems.
Frame Damage
When struck from behind even at seemingly slow speeds, it’s enough of an impact to cause damage to the frame of your vehicle. Although you can’t see it, telltale signs are in the way the vehicle handles post-collision. Here are some of the signs of frame damage.
Alignment
Alignment issues are identified by a noticeable difference in the way your vehicle handles.
- Steering wheel pulls to one side or shakes
- Noise when steering, especially when maneuvering turns
- Entire vehicle wobbles, shakes, or vibrates
- Tires wear unevenly
Another sign of frame misalignment is difficulty opening or closing the trunk, hood, or doors. When the back frame is damaged, the trunk may simply pop open randomly if the latches are damaged or out of alignment.
Damage to the trunk and doors may also damage the seals, allowing moisture to settle in and around your door, window, and trunk frames. Moisture settling into the frame causes rust, corrosion, mustiness, and mold.
Rear-end collisions may damage the suspension system, including shocks and struts. A bumpier ride is an indicator that there’s something wrong with your suspension.
Mechanical System Damage
The most common type of hidden damage to the mechanical system is to the transmission. If you have a rear-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle, transmission components are located near the rear of the vehicle, seriously increasing the odds of damage.
If you notice problems with shifting gears, accelerating, or the vehicle leaks fluid (especially dark red fluid), it’s possible that your transmission has been damaged.
Electrical System Damage
Especially with today’s vehicles, they house an intricate matrix of wires and sensors. In bumpers alone, there are sensors that control the Advanced Driver Assistance features (ADAS) such as cruise control, blind spot, and lane deviation warnings.
Other electrical components at risk are the connections to headlights, taillights, brake lights and the battery.
Conclusion
As you can see, rear-end collisions can cause a long list of hidden damage and to be safe, should be inspected by an experienced auto repair shop to locate, assess, and repair the damage.
To restore your vehicle frame, car paint, and all of your collision repairs, contact the experienced auto body experts at Downtown Collision in Santa Rosa.