Crash damage Question

[Dave44]

I have a 2.00 Ltr Transit T260 SWB on a 54 plate, in April I was involved in a front end smash with a car, at no more than 30 Mph, that pulled out from a junction in front of me, the other car was spun around and i shot across the road and mounted the Kurb. At the scene I found this had caused damage to the drivers side plastic front bumper, head light and wing and there was a couple of drops of fluid on the road under the van, the van was totally drive able after the smash so drove it home approx 600 mtrs.

Next day found a large pool of clear oil under the van on closer look found the power steering pump bottle was empty, as they were taking my van for repair and bringing me a replacement van this wasn't a problem.

The insurances garage now say there is an oil leek on the seal on the rear of the power steering pump but it has been like that for months and the damage can in no way have been caused by the crash and are refusing to repair or replace the power steering pump.

My Van was in for a full service and MOT in Feb this year by my garage have told me there was no seepage or leeks anywhere under the van at that time or they would have told me or shown it as a advisory on the MOT. My question is simply this is it just a coincidence that the pump failed at the exact time of the crash or could a 25-30Mph crash have caused the power steering pump to start leaking??

Cheers

[apples26]

I would imagine they have noted a lot of dripped down crudded up old oil hence its old.

[Dave44]

I have had the van to Ford for a second opinion. They looked at it and found loads of problems with the repair work mainly that in the crash the whole front panel has been pushed over as far to the right as it will go along with everything that bolts to it. You can clearly see were the holding brackets have bent.

They took a look at the oil leak from the rear seal of the power steering pump and in their opinion it had only been leaking a matter of a few weeks as no crud mixed in with the oil and it looks fresh were it is running down onto the bottom of the bell housing.

They said with a new power steering pump there was no way the accident could have caused it to start leaking but a combination of the age of the pump, me putting the steering on full lock to try and avoid the other car and the steering wheel then been ripped out of my hands in the crash would have put a lot of extra strain on the seal and if it was already at the point of failing then this is why it could have failed. he told me it could have gone on for a day, a week, a month or years but the pressure on the old seal was too much.

Now thrown it all back to the insurance to sort out, see what happens

[Beegly]

fecking repair centers, hate em, go in and make a fuss till it`s right

[DodgeRover]

I have had the van to Ford for a second opinion. They looked at it and found loads of problems with the repair work mainly that in the crash the whole front panel has been pushed over as far to the right as it will go along with everything that bolts to it. You can clearly see were the holding brackets have bent.

They took a look at the oil leak from the rear seal of the power steering pump and in their opinion it had only been leaking a matter of a few weeks as no crud mixed in with the oil and it looks fresh were it is running down onto the bottom of the bell housing.

They said with a new power steering pump there was no way the accident could have caused it to start leaking but a combination of the age of the pump, me putting the steering on full lock to try and avoid the other car and the steering wheel then been ripped out of my hands in the crash would have put a lot of extra strain on the seal and if it was already at the point of failing then this is why it could have failed. he told me it could have gone on for a day, a week, a month or years but the pressure on the old seal was too much.

Now thrown it all back to the insurance to sort out, see what happens

Wow, that sounds like an uncommonly helpful ford garage, yep the insurance approved repairers don't give a sh*t....