Rep Power: 0

So I accidentally hopped a curb with my front passenger tire. Hit the curb rim first at about 40 km/h and amazingly did the following damage:

-cracked rim
-small bend in sub frame
-strut
-entire lower control arm
-steering column
-tie-rod and ball joint

Anyway, I'm no mechanic but I saw all the damage and all that stuff defimately needed replacing and I know my mechanic personally. Anyway I got a 4-wheel alignment after all the repair and just wanted to know what to watch out for over time. I know my car will never be the same after an accident but is there anything I should be wary of while driving? Should I look out for any leaks, noises or tire wear? I've never had an accident before and I want my civic to last a long time. Anyway, any advise would be great.

Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 517

Really? How so? Seems odd, unless you meant the rack&pinion (gear).


Crappy, second-rate BODYWORK is where people get that idea.

Sounds like everything damaged on your car was easily replaced with nuts and bolts.
No problems.


Curbs, apparently.



Actually, listen for wheel bearing noise to start soon (next few thousand miles). They don't like abuse, and bending that many parts could have stressed it quite a bit.

 
Rep Power: 290

I was thinking the exact same thing.

 
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ezone: haha, that is great (about the curb), did actually make me lol. Sorry, the steering rack is what I meant to say. I somehow popped (pooped?) a piston right out of it! Found a cap and piston buried in the frame.

I am having a steering pull now though. Seems to pull to the left at high speeds (>60 km/h). I have put winter tires on now (not top quality) so I am thinking maybe they are to blame? The pull is slight, but incredibly annoying to drive with for long distances. I already got an alignment after the work was done (which they printed the finished specs, so I know it was done correctly, plus I trust the guy that did it) and still a pull persists.

Any thoughts? Other than going back in time? Or buying a brand new steering rack?

Thanks!

 
Rep Power: 517

Post the numbers, let me have a look.

 
Rep Power: 517

Got a pic of whatever you are talking about?


Also, are you talking about a drift/pull where you let go of the steering wheel and the car goes one direction or the other....

or is the steering wheel merely off center when traveling straight ahead?


Tires can certainly cause a pull.

Quickest way to figure it out is to swap the 2 font tires side to side, then see if the pull goes in the opposite direction now (or goes away).

 
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Well, this is what was replaced:




See the hex shaped plug near the bottom left? Yea, that popped off and a piston came out of the cavity in behind. Either way, it was replaced with a certified used rack so I am not 100% sure if that is the issue.

So the pull is like this: If I do not put constant clockwise pressure on the steering, the car will drift off to the left. The wheel is essentially centre and there is no play in the wheel. I will try swapping the tires around and see if that fixes the issue.

Here is the PDF copy of the alignment report, what do you think?

Alignment Report.pdf

Thanks

 
Rep Power: 517

Oooh, that "hex" is one of the preload adjustments for the rack. Wow, that must have been a BIG hit.

The PDF link is a fail. Sent me to a VIN decoder.
I did not know this was here.

 
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Honestly, from what I remember, I hit the curb, rim-first, at about 40km/h. I was skidding on a slippery patch of road and taking a turn too fast. Yes, stupid, I am unfortunately aware.

Haha, I guess you learned something new today. I have no idea why it did that, must have been the name of the file screwing it up. I edited the post, should work now.

 
Rep Power: 517

Ok I see here

Camber -.1 / -.5 Near max difference limit spec. (.4 apart, goes left.).
Caster 3.0 / 2.2 Not close. (.8 apart, goes right.)
("close" would be within .5 degree of each other, not stacked to the same side.)
Combine the forces of each, they may be far enough that it could go relatively straight.

The way the alignment numbers read at the moment, I'd expect it to drift RIGHT.
Pull to the left is now assumed to be tire related.

Swap the front tires side to side and drive it. See if that makes it drive any different.





There isn't much that can be done to correct any of the numbers except replace big chunks of suspension or something major, bodywise. There are no adjustments provided by the manufacturer for adjusting anything but toe.
Correcting the caster difference would make it want to go even stronger to the left.

Swap front tires, report back.

HTH

 
Rep Power: 231

Just keep in mind that your snow tires are directional, so after you switch them for experimental purposes, make sure they are replaced to the correct rotation.

 
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Interesting, I never thought of this. And exactly what "direction" should they be going? I assume you mean tread direction. I just threw them on, lol, so what is the correct "direction" or "orentation"?

I will swap tonight and report.

 
Rep Power: 517

My snows aren't directional, and they are Blizzaks.
I wouldn't buy tires I couldn't run backwards.


The sidewall would have some indication of "direction of rotation" with arrows and words, or be marked "inside" or "outside" IF the tread design is that type.
If not, then there will be no marked indication.

Even if they are directional (or symmetrical, whatever), you aren't going to hurt anything by doing this swap as a test.

Hell, Wallyworld caliber employees mount all types of tires backwards quite often and nobody ever knows until someone with BOTH eyes open looks and notices they aren't right.

 
Rep Power: 0

Changing the tires around in a few... however, one more question in the meatime. So, after the accident, my mechanic noticed some coolant along the bottom of the ground moulding (I have a Reverb) and so he though there may have been a leak in the rad when I hit the curb. However, he could not, for the life of him, find the damn leak. I even tried myself but to no avail. The car does not seem to be leaking coolant at this point (I am actually doing a flush this weekend) so where do you think this mystery coolant could have come from? Any ideas? I have another rad ready to pop in just in case but I am stumped.

 
Rep Power: 517

See if the coolant is being pushed into the reservoir and overflowing. Reservoir ends up overfull and radiator is low.

Search for the billion threads on head gaskets here.

 
Rep Power: 252

Possible it came out of the coolant tank after the impact?

Its only a small plastic cap, nothing too serious holding the coolant back.

 
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Ohhh I checked around the head gasket right away after the accident, lol. Had the hood open about one minute after to make sure my baby was still looking somewhat together. I'll have a better look at the system when I change the coolant later this week.

On a related note, swapped the front end tires around (and actually got them balanced) and all seems to be well now. No more pull and the car runs quite straight on the highway. No more sore arms!! And in terms of dircetion, my tires don't seem to offer a specific orentation so I assume they are the multi-directional type.

Still have one final issue... my damn airbag light. The seat belt tensioners went off in the accident and of course I had to get "new" ones from the wreckers. Checked the resistance of the new belts and the tensioners seem to be good. However, after plugging them in and resetting the SRS module, the light is still on. Ugh, I guess I have to find someone with a code reader that reads SRS codes to find the problem. Maybe you guys have some thoughts on this?

Thanks

 
Rep Power: 0

So after finding this little golden nugget:


DIY: SRS Codes and reading them
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...ding-them.html

I determined my SRS code is:

10-1 Seat belt and seat belt buckle tensioners (and airbag(s)) deployed

Now I know the tensioners are working fine, as are the buckle tensioners and airbags since I am nott getting a code for those as well. However, I have tried about 50 times to reset the DTC memory via the MES connector, but the light prevails. This code does not seem to suggest a sensor was permanently flipped (other than the tensioner), but just a notification that they in fact were deployed.

I did notice upon resetting the DTC that my airbag light does not "blink twice" as most DIY articles suggest it should after properly resetting, so I am not even sure I am preforming the procedure correctly, though it does not seem that complicated!

??

 
Rep Power: 517

So the tire swap took care of the pull, that's good. You need to remember the tires caused it next time you get them rotated (or installed next winter). Maybe even mark where they go before you take them off in the spring.


------


SRS:

A "deployed" code is a "permanent code" and cannot be erased. You have to replace the control unit, the deployed items, and the impact sensors that would have triggered the SRS charges in the accident.


C&P from Hondas service info:
After a collision where the seat belt tensioners deployed, replace these items:

• Seat belt tensioners
• Seat belt buckle tensioners
• SRS unit
• Front impact sensors

A control unit with a deployment code can't be trusted to give other true codes (or at least I can't trust them, and I have dealt with the same issues repeatedly.) After a new control unit is in place, THEN see if any other codes are set and proceed accordingly.


HTH

 
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You obivously have a great deal of knowledge about vehicles so I pretty much trust what you are saying, but at the same time, the SRS module is simply a small computer is it not? I know there are some companies out there that will essentially "re-flash" the original image on the module for a small fee (relative to the cost of a new module). What do you think of these services? I mean, if there is a malfunctioning component, the module should still detect the faulty component after the re-flash since it is just reading a resistance from the individual components.

Where would the best place be to order another SRS module (other than the "stealership" as you call it, haha, that is great)? I have looked around myself, but I can't decide if I trust some of the sources.

Thx

 
Rep Power: 517

This is absolutely NOT supported by Honda. Their reasoning is sound.

Someone else posted not too long ago about problems with SRS and they had used a rebuilt control unit.

You can't decide if you trust the sources, but yet you think you can trust someone that claims they can "reflash" an SRS controller?


A dealership.
I have never called a dealer that.
I work for a dealer.

Maybe I should stop responding to you now.

 
Rep Power: 0

Sorry, my bad, I thought you had said this somehwere, clearly I am mistaken. Just because I have an opinion about "dealships" you get all uptight? Relax, and you are free to give whatever advise you wish, whenever you wish, there is no obligation.

 
Rep Power: 517

You are certainly entitled to your opinions, as is everyone else.

Some dealership experiences are much better than others.
(Greed and incompetence exist in every business, and every walk of life.)
Some days I feel like I work in a Dilbert cartoon.


Yep. Certain things offend me.

Some days it doesn't bother me much, other days it really "burns my toast".
Guess what today is......







I post here trying to give a little help in my free time, and you are bashing "me", my chosen profession, and the place I choose to do it.

The helpful info I have given you: Guess where it came from.



You just struck a nerve.
I'll be ok in a week, after the bleeding stops.