Who Caused The Crease?

[headhurts]

What do you think I should do concerning the following?

About 7 weeks ago a car slid on the ice crossed the road and hit my wifes Aygo causing damage to front bumper, off side damage to front wing, door, front A piller and Cill.

The insurance company arranged collection and hire car, the Aygo languished for 2 weeks at Nationwide but due to them not doing anything never returning phone calls and outright rudeness I had it moved to the spray shop of my local Toyota dealer from whom we purchased both our cars.

I collected the car for her on Monday, there was a chip on the drivers door Cill and it has to go back for a repair.

When I got home the car was given an internal clean and wipe over and whilst doing this I noticed the cover to the airbag on passenger side has a crease in it, the air bag did not go off and the damage from accident was on drivers side.

The Aygo is 1 year old and has covered just over 4000 miles, and as I look after the cleaning of the cars I know this crease was not there when it was taken away.

The crease is only on the airbag cover and almost looks like someone has prised it up with hands and caused this crease.

I have contacted the spray shop manager who says they have not touched it, the car did go to the main workshop for wheel alignment and fitting of new clock under warranty, neither of which would have caused anyone to interfere with this cover.

I thought I would just buy the cover myself but the parts dept tells me the cover is part of the air bag assembly and cannot be purchased separately (how expensive I do not know).

The cost of the repairs was in excess of £3600.

so what do you think?

The damage could have been caused when at Nationwide, the spray shop or the service department and as I moved the car from nationwide on my authority the insurance company cannot use their disputes procedure.

Any advice much appreciated.

[mbellinger]

You are unfortunately snookered as you have driven the car away from their premises without pointing it out before you left.

Toyota will say Nationwide could have done it or you could have after you collected the car.

Nationwide will say Toyota did it or you did after collecting from Toyota or in transit between them and Toyota.

You will be in the middle not knowing who really did it and you have no evidence at all either way.

Legally and morally you have no position I am afraid.

Your choices are:

1. Live with it. (probably preferable on balance).

2. Have new airbag fitted (estimated cost £400-500).

You could spend a fortune going legal and get nowhere. One of those unfortunate things I am afraid. Whenever a car leaves my sight for any kind of work, mechanical or body, I always take detailed photos of the exterior and interior so I have evidence of the condition as the vehicle left my care. This sounds anal, but having had my fingers burnt once to the tune of over two grand, I won't be doing so again.

[Wh1teLeopard]

I'm currently working in partnership with Derbyshire fire and rescue service for our final year project and there's only one thing the RTC training group are frightened of above all else, and that's SRS systems.

They've got countless videos of firemen being knocked out and hospitalised by airbags going off whilst they are cutting out a casualty. From what I've learnt airbags are not to be messed with.

Personally I wouldn't risk a potentially damaged air bag in my car, but then you're not me!

I would consider changing the airbag just in case the crease causes the airbag to unexpectedly go off, and persue every company involved via their head offices until one of them gives in. However that is just my opinion.

Hope you get it all sorted out soon!

[headhurts]

Thanks for the replies, I would have thought it to be policy to check airbags following any accident even if there was no activation.

It seems strange that the crease is limited to just the airbag cover and nothing else.

I will write to the managing director of the dealership and as we have 2 new cars from them they may meet me somewhere to resolve this.

We had hoped that the car would be returned in as good condition following the crash not actually worse.

[AygoIronman]

I wont be surprised if someone fromt he Toyota garage swopped your airbag for his.

I took my Aygo into the Toyota, and when I got my car back.......guess what?

Scuffed wheel trims, and the hazard light came back with a crack in it. Obvousily some mechanic changed/swopped parts!

[Wh1teLeopard]

and the hazard light came back with a crack in it

So did mine! How strange!

[AygoIronman]

and the hazard light came back with a crack in it

So did mine! How strange!

Not strange. Some corrupt mechanic chnaged it for his dodgy one. The difficulty is proving it. I ll need to get one of the pin hole cameras. lol

[Wh1teLeopard]

and the hazard light came back with a crack in it

So did mine! How strange!

Not strange. Some corrupt mechanic chnaged it for his dodgy one. The difficulty is proving it. I ll need to get one of the pin hole cameras. lol

My worry would be seeing something I didn't want to see haha, like that old advert where the burglars leave pictures behind of what they did to the guys toothbrush

[headhurts]

It's official I am a moron, popped into my local Toyota dealership today with wife and we happened to be looking round the new 'Go' and noticed the air bags do have a slight crease in them, must be something to do with how they activate.

In my defence I had never noticed it before and we have been without the car for seven weeks.

Changing the subject slightly the Aygo Go looks superb with the alloys and privacy glass.

[Red Yaris 54]

and the hazard light came back with a crack in it

So did mine! How strange!

Not strange. Some corrupt mechanic chnaged it for his dodgy one. The difficulty is proving it. I ll need to get one of the pin hole cameras. lol

Aygo hazzard warning switches have been known to suffer from a cracked appearance on delivery............My sons Aygo had the switch changed under warranty

The switch is not really cracked it is just a flaw on the moulding which gives the appearance of a crack

Statements like "Corrupt mechanics" are libelous and could prove very difficult to substantiate.........If you have a problem then take it up with the service manager.......but I would advise against accusing his staff of "corruption"

[Unklian]

It's official I am a moron, popped into my local Toyota dealership today with wife and we happened to be looking round the new 'Go' and noticed the air bags do have a slight crease in them, must be something to do with how they activate.

Don't worry, Mine has a "crease".

If sh*t happens, and the airbags go off, the cover has some very thin, weak areas built into it.

These are the marks you can see.

The cover splits and is destroyed as the airbag goes off.

Here's a passenger airbag going off......

BANG

Ian.

[Parts-King]

Thanks for the replies, I would have thought it to be policy to check airbags following any accident even if there was no activation.

Not a lot to check to be honest, they certainly would not dismantle the airbag and look for something that isnt there

I take it you will be apologising to your dealer and Nationwide for even thinking they could damage your car?

At least you have the decency to admit you were wrong on this occasion

Kingo

[headhurts]

Thanks for the replies, I would have thought it to be policy to check airbags following any accident even if there was no activation.

Not a lot to check to be honest, they certainly would not dismantle the airbag and look for something that isnt there

I take it you will be apologising to your dealer and Nationwide for even thinking they could damage your car?

At least you have the decency to admit you were wrong on this occasion

Kingo

Yes I have already been to see the body shop manager and eaten huge amounts of humble pie, I did not think anything had been taken from the car but the air bag cover in the dash had the appearance of having had something leaning on it.

To be fair the Toyota dealership have been superb and have no doubt had to deal with idiots like me with a ready smile on their face many many times before.