Hi, not sure if anyone can help? My powersteering pump is making a noise, i took my skoda Fabia 1.4 diseal wk10 back to main dealer as its under warrenty. After they inspected it i was told that I currently have a bent bracket and the pump is not running in line? About 6 months ago I was involved in a slow speed impact ( left front side) which the insurance company put right, well so they say! I have since gone back to my insurance company and they have said that it could not have been bend in the collision as there is a plastic water bottle between the point of contact and this bracket which shows NO signs of damage! The insurance company will NOT sort this bracket unless I can prove that it was bent in the accident ! Has Anyone got any ideas on how this could have got bent without damaging the plastic water bottle? It was suggested to me that it was damaged underneath the car through the sump cover, which is plastic, sorry I am not macnically minded and don't really understand how all this works. If anyone can HELP, I would be most greatfull and also what damage is having a bent power steering bracket with the pump not running in alignment? Many thanks. , cass

welcome to the forum.

I take it you are dealing with the Insurer and not just the Broker.

Do you have everything from them in writting?

There must have been an Insurance Inspection Carried Out by an Assessor/Inspector or they just left it for the Repairer to Provide a Report & a Quote.

You need to sort it with them.

** THey must understand Crump Zones, & the requirement to have a Vehicle checked for alignment etc ,

even after low speed impacts.

They are taking the Michael IMO, & they need to correct the matter, if this is the only incident the vehicle has been involved in and they accepted carrying out the original inspection and repair**

**Request information on who prepared the report and did the inspection

& approved the Repair work that was carried out.**

??CAN YOU OR THEM BE SURE THAT A REPLACEMENT PLASTIC BOTTLE WAS NOT FITTED & 'NOT PUT' ON THE TOTAL

OF THE PARTS SUPPLIED & SHOWN AS PART OF THE FULL BILL.?

??? What was the total bill for the 'Light frontal collision damage'. to be Repaired?

Was there damage to the Tyre/wheel in the impact, & did anything need replaced, or Wheel alignment or adjustment get done?

What type of accident was it?

You can now go to an Independent Vehicle Engineer/Inspector and have your vehicle and the paper work Looked at,

& then with this, hopefully get the Insurance Company to Carry Out the Work Properly as they are required to.

The Inspection might cost in the Region of £120 plus VAT.

(i will not link to any company, you can find ones with a Google Search. Insurance Loss Adjusters

& Mechanical Engineers vehicle accident inspection)

Tell the Insurance Company by Email & in Writing of your Requirements for information and your intention to have an Independent Inspection &

that you will be 'Requiring them to pay in full the cost of the Inspection & Repairs if it is proved that the Damage from the Accident was not Properly

Inspected & competent and Safe Repairs carried out.

I would Talk with your Local Trading Standards now before starting incurring any additional expense to your self.

?? What is the cost now to get the repair done yourself?

All the best

george

Many thanks for your reply George.

I hit a large rut/hole on a country road, then hit the hedge on front bumper and then as it was caught in a rut it caused the front left wheel to bend around. I believe that the car was hit on the fount bumper as well as the wheel. The garage have told me that the bottle has not been changed and has got an assessor who agrees that this power steering bar had not been bent because of the accident. Also the Eco system is flashing and when I took it back to the main dealer they said its leaking gas, which again the assessor says is nothing to do with the accident. I cannot explain how this bracket got bent, I have had this car from new and have had no other accidents in it, I have to convince the assessor that the bracket got bent in the accient before it will get sorted!

You talk about the crump zones, and alignment , what do you mean by that?

Regards

Cass

I thought you were in a collision and it was a wing of inner wing that were damaged.

Now that you have explained the type of incident i can not even imagine that there was not the possibility of damage to the steering or steering components.

Was there damage to the tyre & were any steering components damaged, replaced or even checked properly.

Steering Rack,Track Rod, steering arm, spring, damper or anything such as that.

?? Did it need or get the 'tracking adjusted' ?

Or was it only the bumper or wing that were repaired?

I think they just missed the extent of the damage if that is the only Incident that you know of.

That is giving them the benefit of the doubt on the fact that it was checked correctly!

It is easily done,

and now they have the chance to redeem themselves..

george

Hi, it was a collision, with a hedge! Lol! No its not funny.

I was told that the wishbone, steering rack, left tyre, bumper, wing, not really sure what else got replaced. I been told because between the point of impact and the power steering bracket there is a water bottle which is intact and has no marks on it, they are not prepared to replace this bracket. And it's down to me to prove that this bracket got bent in the Accident. Was after any ideas of how this could of lt bent. Just very cross that no one is listening to me and that I got a Skoda that making a horrible noise! :(

Thanks

I think a Trained Vehicle mechanical engineer would consider or give an opinion that the damage was sustained at the time of the other damage to the parts you know required replacing.

If you do not want to pay yourself for the repair now, i would look at having an Expert In vehicle Accident

& Accident repairs check and report.

The Insurance company would highly likely have to Cover the expense of this Report,

and the work needing doing.

It is up to you really if you want to take the gamble.

It will need to be done by a recognised & qualified expert.

Maybe more than a RAC inspection/report.

george