Front Suspensions Problem

October 7, 2005

Well at the grand old age of 2 weeks and 2 days (T4) whilst driving home from work my wife was passing a playing field and a plastic football came bouncing into her path. The traffic was busy at the time and so she could not swerve or brake too heavily and had to go over it. The ball came out the rear of the car and she carried on driving. A short time later as she was turning a sharp right she could hear a rubbing noise and mentioned to me on her return home.

I had a look under the car and could see nothing that appeared wrong. I took the car for a drive around the estate and on turning right on a slight incline I could also hear the noise.

The following day I took it to the dealers who had a look at it and called me through to the workshop. The car was up on a ramp and they showed me the front drivers side shock absorber which was more or less touching the inside edge of the wheel arch, as apposed to the passenger side which was about 1" away. They said that the shock absorber was bent and it was this that was causing the rubbing sound.

The thing that they could not understand was that there was no damage to the underside of the car, not even to the flimsy plastic bit at the front which they said should have been ripped off if if had hit anything of any substance. There was one small scratch to the forked arm supporting the wheel but I can not see this being caused by the ball if nothing else was touched.

I am now waiting to hear from them.

We have not hit any pot holes, and speed bumps are never approached above 20, which car of this quality, in fact any car should be able to handle.

After thinking about it I am beginning to suspect that the car could have been damaged before I received it, but how would I prove this?

Do you think that an independent survey should be carried out, perhaps by the RAC?

Has anybody had or heard of a problem similar to this before?

I wouldn't mind but I have never drive so carefully in my life, it's true what a lot of you say, that the Prius changes you driving habits.

Thanks Rick.