dwats

I gave my daughter, who lives in Albany NY my 2000 Lexus RX 300 that had about 143K on it. Before I gave her the car I had the front and rear brakes done, the motor mounts replaced, new timing belt and water pump replaced and wheel alignment in March. On April 26th she was involved in a rear end collision on an interstate a month after I made the repairs while she was stopped in traffic .A car crashed into the car behind her (which was also stopped) and the car behind her ran into the Lexus. Although she was not hurt, when she tried to leave the scene after the police made out the accident report she found that her car would not start. There was minor damage to the rear bumper but the force of the collision must have done some mechanical damage and the car had to be towed because it would not start. The insurance company of the person who caused the accident had the car towed to the Lexus dealer and found that the timing belt had moved and that the water pump was damaged now the insurance is claiming that her car is mechanically damaged due to a pre existing condition. (Timing belt was going bad. Liberty Mutual is now claiming that the time belt was bad and that the fact that the car is not running now has nothing to do with it being rear ended. I drove the car from Rhode Island to Albany to give it to my daughter and my daughter drove the car every day since the beginning of March. The car ran like new after I made the repairs in March. Liberty Mutual now only wants to pay for the repair to the bumper and not the fact that the car has mechanical damage. The car has not run since the accident. Even if the car had a preexisting condition wouldn't the accident have made the problem worse if not caused the problem in the first place? The Lexus dealer is saying that a rear end collision could not cause this damage. But they admit that the car would not have been drivable in the condition it’s in now. Can a rear end collision cause motor damage?

salimshah

Who did the timing belt change in March? Was the tensioner replaced?

Who ever did the work should weigh-in on this.


Damage to the drivetrain due to rear-ending is possible, but damage to the timing is stretch.

I would suggest that you let the insurance company talk to the dealership or even the shop who did the Timing belt work. Apparently dealership is agreeing with the insurance company.

Salim

Baetke

There is a G-switch that is designed to cut off power to the fuel pump in the event of a collision. Maybe that got tripped. I don't recall off hand where it is but the Lexus garage should be familiar with it and be able to reset it.

Baetke

salimshah

I have not found the G switch ... if you know where it is and how to reset it, please share.

Salim

code58

Salim,
I know Ford's use an impact switch to assure that the electric fuel pump doesn't continue to pump fues in case of an open line in an accident but I know MOST cars do it differently. I know some use oil pressure (or lack of it) to shut the fuel pump down. In those cases there is no reset. I am not sure what Lexus uses but I don't think it is an impact switch. I have seen MANY cases over the years of (unusual) damage that could ONLY have been caused by the accident (as in this case where the car was running before it was rear ended). Insurance companies are in the business to make money and it is not uncommon for them to pull this kind of "cheap shot". The car had the TB belt replaced and was running fine before the accident, how could it NOT be the cause of the accident??? The odds of coincidence (engine damage, having NOTHING to do with the accident) but happening at that precise instant are too large to get the # on this page!

salimshah

Roger you are right in pointing out that the problem initiated with the accident and that is what drove OP to post.

Insurance company has cited that the items were weak, and the accident just hastened their demise. [ fortunately we are not talking about people and their age]. OP can argue or litigate, but it will come to expert opinion.

Mechanic/shop who recently replaced the mentioned items should be able to produce the evidence that the parts were not weak. If they were indeed weak then they broke down prematurely and his warranty should cover repair.

Caution ... shear speculation on my part ,,, it seems Lexus dealership may have jacked up the repair cost by adding the term "weak" (interpreted as worn) and thus given the insurance guys a loop-hole. The maintenance work that OP paid for may have been shoddy/partial.

Bottom line, get the expert opinion. It may require the dealership to revise their findings (separate, accident based repairs from suggested fix-up for wear/tear items) or the mechanic who did the maint work to either bat or eat the cost.

Salim