Unable to Find Problem with a Rattle in Hyundai I30 Following Crash Repair

Ocker on 21/03/2019 - 19:23
Last edited 21/03/2019 - 19:31 by 1 other user

About a year ago my daughters 12 month old Hyundai i30 Active X was rear ended by some 20'ish bimbo more interested in sending a text message than looking at the road ahead. Ploughed into the back of my daughter's car and caused just on $12,000 of damage (her Commodore was a write off)

Car was with the panel shop for just over 3 months before finally returned. When we got the car back there was a rattle seemingly coming from around the drivers side rear wheel area.

The car was taken back to the panel shop 3 times (totaling 6 weeks) and each time they returned the car claiming to have fixed the rattle, but it was still there.

At the beginning of January, after consultation with AAMI, the car was taken to another panel shop, and notwithstanding they claim to have stripped the car from the front seats back they cannot find the cause of the rattle. Now, after them having the car for 3 weeks it has been taken to a suspension specialist workshop for their assessment.

So, if after all of the insurers efforts they cannot find the problem (yeh I know, how hard can it be to find the cause of a rattle), where do you think I stand legally?

I would add that Suncorp (the underwriter) has been extremely accommodating and helpful. I estimate their costs so far to be around $19.000!

Auto buffs - what do you think the cause is?
Legal buffs - where do I go from here?

Automotive

Comments

  • JimmyF on 21/03/2019 - 19:40
    +2

    where do I go from here?

    Trade it in, buy a new car.

  • kahn on 21/03/2019 - 19:42
    -2

    Remove your bracelet and/or earrings while driving. Do not have Mr T as a passenger.

  • npc on 21/03/2019 - 19:44
    +1

    There are so many things to rattle. The worst is a piece of something that falls into the hollow part of the car body during repairs. It is impossible to retrieve it after the repair is finished without cutting the body part.

    Given the severity of damages and major repairs, I'll suggest to sell this car and buy another one, that hasn't been in a crash previously.

  • 87percent on 21/03/2019 - 19:59

    Was the panel shop Capital Smart?

  • steven6 on 21/03/2019 - 20:30

    Perhaps take it to a panel/suspension shop of your choice for a free quote to find the rattle? They might look harder if they think they will get $$$

    More info on the rattle might help, like when you hear it? when cornering? braking?

  • Euphemistic on 21/03/2019 - 20:38
    +1

    No way you can even guess what a rattle is caused by with a description of ‘there’s a rattle’. You need to test drive it and have a passenger sit in different locations to listen for it. , and then recognize just because it sounds like it is coming from somewhere, that it could be somewhere else and just being transmitted along the car somehow. You need to then find a repeatable way of causing the rattle and get the panel shop/mechanic to take a ride with you and have them hear it too.

    Rattles suck. I’ve fixed a few on my cars. Some things: spare tyre not wound up properly and squeaking when it bounced. Loose grab handles on the b-pillars, loose side steps in Ute, seatbelt buckles banging on the pillar (putting them back properly solves that one), mechanic left a socket extension in the engine bay and it rattle across and back when cornering. There have been others too.

    • subywagon on 21/03/2019 - 22:22

      What Euphemistic says is spot on. No way we can diagnose it unfortunately. If you're lucky maybe they forgot a bottom bolt in the panel and it's vibrating and rattling when you drive. Check the panel yourself and see if all the bolts and clips are there and that nothing moves when you press and shake it with your hand.

    • daiwai on 22/03/2019 - 06:24

      Could even have the heat shield loosened and hitting the exhaust or the other way around under the car, possibility of rattle is unlimited.

  • spackbace on 22/03/2019 - 02:35
    +1

    It's the wobulator

    • afoveht on 22/03/2019 - 10:22

      It's the echo of the 20ish bimbo laughing at her phone while they text their friends about how they got a new car after finally disposing of their old one with an insurance payout.

  • Ryanek on 22/03/2019 - 09:28

    This would drive me crazy. Trade in for sure!

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