Rav4 Issues After Crash Repair

[DanLB]

Hi All

Just a bit of advice please

Car involved in a non fault accident back in October, car died once we got it home (accident was 500 meters from home), received car back after repairs last week, not the back windscreen doesn’t defrost (one line DOES DEFROST?!) and the Battery barely starts the car.

The garage concerned collected the car this morning, have just called, and said sorry, nothing to do with us, your cars on its way back

What can we do , if anything , as we find it unacceptable that a car that was working perfectly prior to the accident , leaves us , dead on a back of a lorry , and now a week after repairs , still has problems , and the garage concerned are not interested ?

Is it likely to just be a Battery on its last legs or something else like a blown fuse or not connected up properly after the tailgate repair (my biggest concern)

Thanks

[FROSTYBALLS]

As regards the heated rear window, it sounds like the element has been damaged - have you examined the element on the inside of the tailgate to see whether there are any obvious scratches or breaks? You can buy some electro connector repair paint to cover any scratches in the elements - however some of these kits have had mixed reviews. Look at eBay, Halfords or Amazon..

The Battery - try putting it on charge

[DanLB]

Thank you

Surely being hit from behind and now the window only part defrosts indicates the garage havent repaired fully?

Am very annoyed that they have just sent our car back saying "you need a new battery" it must be their responsibility to ensure the heating element is repaired?!

[DanLB]

Assuming the garage refuse to even consider the heating element or anything else related to the window , what would we be looking at to fix ?

Also , i have read the Battery guide posted elsewhere on this site , but can anyone link me to a good Battery for a petrol RAV4 (2006) ? just in case i do need to Shell out

Many thanks

[crofter]

As well as following Frosty's advice and the car runs if you do not have a multimeter take your motor to a Battery supplier and ask them for a check on the Battery and the alternator output to see if the charging system is operating as it should. This check is often carried out for free.

You do not have enough info on your profile at the moment for members to give definite answers

I like others on here have gone for the diesel Battery as it is better and will fit the tray

Del

PS I do not have the fuel used on my profile as the auto was only fitted on petrols at that time

[ToyotaAuris]

Hi mate, sorry to hear about that accident and hope you are well. Both options should be a 'cheap' fix. The rear window sounds like a cheap job but you will have to inspect each and every black line on the window. You will have to look for any slight cracks or gaps. The lines all need to be intact and together in order to de-mist the window. You can pop into your local Halfords and they will direct you on what prodcut to buy, shouldent be more than £10 max.

Now your Battery, could be slight trouble. First thing I would do is disconnecting wires from each terminal and reconneting. Check for any loose wires which may have been caused by the accident, this is probally the main cause. if not, depending on the speed and imapct of the crash it may of crushed some sort of wires or circuits but they would be really rare. Other than that, you can normally find a cheap Battery on Euro car parts website, best parts I must reccomend, prices are rock low.

Good luck!

[NORTHERN_LAD]

For a new Battery have a look on carparts4less, sister company to Eurocar parts but cheaper. Mail order only though.

Keith

[Cyker]

Also, document your problems and speak to your insurance company too - When I had repairs done on my Yaris by Rye Street group they were pretty half-ubikd (And they missed off an entire piece!) so I took photos and with lots of red arrows of visible issues and also clear descriptions of stuff that was hard to show in the photos (Like the fact that the bonnet wouldn't shut properly without slamming it really hard) and e-mailed the lot to both of them.

The garages generally will do the bare minimum as specified by the scope of work from the insurance company, so to get additional work done you often have to get it authorized by the insurance company. If you tell them the heater element isn't working after the crash hopefully they will tell the garage to sort it out and you can get the car booked in again.

This is the sort of thing I would love to know about insurance companies (i.e. what their case handling and garages are like) but you never get much in the way of info.

[DanLB]

Thanks all , well were being truly shafted

The garage wont do any repairs , as the the independent inspectors wont authorise it as they say no work was done to the rear windscreen during repairs , that may be the case but the car was hit from behind , and the heating element for the rear windscreen is in the tail gate is it not ?

I know i need to deal with the Insurance company direct to get this issue looked at , as the garage arent interested in even diagnosing unless they are getting paid , but Insurance companies are devils from hell and lifes too short!

[cameron_5]

Hello,

I work for an insurance company and deal with claims.

You can get an independent engineers report and see if they think the damage was or could have been accident related.

Take the car to a local trusted garage and let them check into it.

Also the garage/approved repairer will authorise what the insurance company tell them.

Speak to someone higher up at the insurers claims department and explain the situation and ask them to have the vehicle returned to the garage and looked at.

Hope you get it sorted.

All the best

Dan

[DanLB]

Hi All

is this Battery suitable ?

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/Toyota_Rav-4_2.0_2006/p/car-parts/car-electrics-and-car-lighting/electrical/car-battery/?444770056&1&3050b36a5b0947ddb0d7991b4023e23e5b24a70a&000020

or is the cheaper one OK ?

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/Toyota_Rav-4_2.0_2006/p/car-parts/car-electrics-and-car-lighting/electrical/car-battery/?444770057&1&32ed162f3514f33fc1308533756759a08b502b00&000020

?

My car , sorry , is a rav 4 2006 petrol XT4

[NORTHERN_LAD]

I think your Battery is now duff as its been standing for a while and the weather is now colder but before shelling out for a new one I would test it with a multimeter if you have access to one or take it to Halfords or similar place and ask them to check it.

Both those batteries are good for your car but check the dimensions and the position of the terminals match your existing Battery. Both have similar CCA's but as someone mentioned earlier, batteries for the diesel rav are far more powerful and are the same dimensions as the petrol.

If you spend £75 you get £10 off , new wipers maybe !!

Keith

[DanLB]

well , the car beat me to it , my wife just broke down in town!

i asked her to send me a pic of the Battery

but it doesnt match with what car parts 4 less advised me to buy

this is ours...

http://oi58.tinypic.com/anhkcy.jpg

and this is the one i was told to buy

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/c/Toyota_Rav-4_2.0_2006/p/car-parts/car-electrics-and-car-lighting/electrical/car-battery/?444770056&1&3050b36a5b0947ddb0d7991b4023e23e5b24a70a&000020

[DanLB]

ours is roughly (my wife couldnt remove it)

254mm l x 165mm w x 216mm height

[NORTHERN_LAD]

The layout looks OK with the positive being at the back left. You need to check the dimensions.

[Conrod]

Thinking about the accident your car had, was there any items in the back of the car that may of hit the windscreen on impact ?....if yes then that could be the reason why a single element is now not working.

Maybe you could send the insurance a photo of "the item" that was in the back that caused the damage to the element :) It would have been overlooked in the claim as the screen looked ok .

[DanLB]

there was , a riding hat loose , but the independent assesor has been a right **** as it is , the film tint was chipped from it , but he refused to authorise that , he is just saying no to anything to be honest , it`s been a nightmare

[DanLB]

The layout looks OK with the positive being at the back left. You need to check the dimensions.

Yep , ill remove it and measure it exactley then source one

cheers

[Conrod]

there was , a riding hat loose , but the independent assesor has been a right ubik as it is , the film tint was chipped from it , but he refused to authorise that , he is just saying no to anything to be honest , it`s been a nightmare

Sounds like you're left with paying the windscreen excess and get a new back window fitted .

[DanLB]

oooh , good call , £75 well spent possibly....

[philp]

hi seems like a bunch of cowboys repaired it to me.

I ve just replaced my Battery on my xt3 2.2 diesel yesterday, the Battery had shorted out. a 335 I got from Halfords for 99.99. used my trade card and got a better deal similar to what you paid. a bit of pig to replace but manageable.