2004 Honda Accord engine cradle, steering, etc

YANKEE66

MEMBER
2004 HONDA ACCORD
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
149,000 MILES

Accord was in perfect shape until my son ran it into a deep drainage culvert (cement) wheel was bent and when we took it off rotor fell off in two pieces, etc. Wrecker had to drag the car onto flat bed. Spent two months in shop and had multiple things replaced including engine cradle, front bumper, front wheel bearing, steering knuckle, lower control arm, front wheel hub, front backing plate, etc. The car now steers however it likes, pulls to the left when accelerating, makes clunking noises in the front end. I had it back in earlier this year and everyone swears that they can find nothing wrong. The car is possessed. It is a weird feeling to merge right and gently turn the wheel left so that it merges correctly to the right. Help.

4 Replies

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,938 POSTS

HI there,

Thank you for the donation,

There is obviously a serious body or steering geometry misalignment here, frankly if it is checked on a body aligner and a wheel aligner a competent operator will be able to pin point this problem, a good mechanic should be able to identify the clunk in the drive line, I don't think that your people really care enough to sort this out, it may now be in the to hard basket, it is not rocket science, its all about dimensions and geometry being correct and they have the original specs, how hard can it be.

Mark (mhpautos)

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Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 AT 9:07 PM

YANKEE66

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thank you Mark. The body shop said they had to send it back several times to be aligned correctly and the last time I had it in there, they rotated my new tires for me as a favor. I know you can't diagnose from your end but as a best guess and if it was your car, what would you do? My adjuster is being an a** and I really don't trust him anymore. The problem is getting worse and I am more than a little bit afraid to drive it. I can't ethically trade it in either. Do you think this is all related to the hit it took from the culvert? My adjuster has offered to take it to a Honda dealer and their body shop but if the damage or whatever is wrong with it can't be attributed and proved to be a result of the accident, I am on the hook for the bill.
I won't hold you to it, but if it was your car?

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Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 AT 7:44 AM

MHPAUTOS

MECHANIC
31,938 POSTS

HI there,

I would be fairly confident that the problem is related to the accident, I would want to see the car on a chassis bench laser aligner, this is different from a suspension alignment machine, this is what will check the actual body alignment points, if this is not correct there is no way it will be right, this should have been done already, as the front strut towers are part of the body module and if they are out of alignment, you will have no hope in hell of this care steering a straight line, I would like to know what the dealer check involves, if it is just a wheel alignment, they are wasting there time. Keep me informed, I hope this does not distract you form a happy Xmas and new year.

Mark (mhpautos)

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Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 AT 8:02 AM

YANKEE66

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Mark,

I will keep you posted and thank you. I hope you and yours have a Merry and blessed Christmas too. It is only a car and I am sure it will work out as it is supposed to according to plan. I will let you know.

Mary

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Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 AT 8:12 AM