Got rear ended yesterday, need advice

[Keithy P38]

Hey guys n gals,

I copped a shunt from behind yesterday, lucky for me my towbar was on and the poor little ford that hit me has a good crumple zone. I only copped a few minor scratches to the bumper, the other car resembles a bug! I've contacted my insurance company and given them the vague details that I got off the other driver, the only issue I now have is a tailgate that won't lock (it shuts fine but doesn't lock with the doors) and a drivers door that won't lock either.

Any ideas? I wouldn't mind being able to steer the assessor in the right direction to fix the problem ASAP!

Cheers
Keithy

[Scouse]

You might find the two are linked. My new car has a sticky O/S/F door lock & if it doesn't unlock properly, the tailgate won't release with the push button.

[Marshall]

Get your vehicle assessed by a LR specialist mechanic ASAP. Get them to check everything... including the exhaust / manifold system, as well as the tailgate.
Get the report and subsequent quote for repairs and send it to your insurance company ASAP.

[PeterAllen]

Check the wiring loom as you may have had something disconnect in the tailgate or a smashed wire in the drivers side rear corner. Easy to check the tailgate by taking off the carpet panel. There are nine wires in the loom that go back through the bottom of the drivers side of the tailgate in a rubber protecting tube. All the wires are white so its hard to determine which wire goes to what unless you seperate them all. I would check the two going to the lock actuator (one of them comes from the push button connection) and the two that go to the push button connection. Otherwise check the connectors housed behind the drivers rear tail light. On mine all the wires going to the tailgate are spliced in here and a decent hit in this could easily dislodge the cable connectors or earth a wire out. Access is via the removal of the little plastic panel in the rear luggage space drivers side wheer you access the taillight globes.

[zwitter]

Get the towbar replaced even if it looks ok. I had a bus bump me years ago and everything looked fine as he just bumped the bar. But insurance co said replace bar otherwise if in future it failed and trailer went its own way, they would not cover and I would be criminally liable for damage it caused! :(
Something about prior knowledge being equivalent to premeditated

I replaced the bar.

[PeterAllen]

By the way I got hit in the rear drivers side a couple of months ago.
Repairs needed included exhaust ,tailgate,bumper and light fitting and some panel work needed on the rear corner.
AS my vehicle is not insurered comprehensively the at fault drivers' insurance wrote it off ( Repair quote was around $8,000). They gave me a cheque and said there you go take the car and do what you want. Luckily mine has a chasis build of 1996 although the other plates on it say 1997. Since its pre 1997 the insurers only write it off and its not an RTA write off. Got colour matched tailgate and bumper in great condition plus taillight for less than a $1K delivered from Triumph Rover Spares in SA. Great service and very well packed. New exhaust thru to the block for $2,300 (all mandrel bent, new cats and ceramic coated custum headers). With every cloud there's a silver lining but usually it just ****es down.

[Keithy P38]

Cheers for the advice guys, I'll endeavour to get it to a rover specialist, nearly two weeks until I can get it to insurance assessor so will get things rolling ASAP!

As I said, panels appear square and doors all open and shut as normal, just the security side of things! The tow bar is what took the impact!

Cheers
Keithy

[uzz32soarer]

Door lock module is in RHR quarter panel, this may have copped a shock in the accident. Just takes a loose solder joint and your tailgate and door locks stop working.

[Keithy P38]

Cheers mate!

The problem seems to have sorted itself out!

I did remove the quarter panel trim when running a lead up for my dual battery system and noticed nothing out of the ordinary (except my emergency fuel flap release cable ain't there).

Cheers
Keithy

[TheTree]

Good luck with it Keith !

[Hoges]

Sorry just caught up with this... glad there was no further damage! Make a careful check of the vertical floor pan seams which extend from below the tail lights. They are normally just spot welded and filled with seam filler on the production line. Took me several Qld wet seasons to track the spare tyre well water leak... the PO of my vehicle had been shunted... tow bar took most of the pain. However, noticed that the end of the chassis rail was butchered on the driver's side where the towbar fits. The panels had been stressed, had slightly popped and were drawing in water by capillary action . Careful inspection needed.

Currently in last week of UK trip. Was planning to buy an additonal suitcase and stock up on spares:twisted: but what to buy:eek: ah well...:angel:

[Pete38]

Currently in last week of UK trip. Was planning to buy an additonal suitcase and stock up on spares:twisted: but what to buy:eek: ah well...:angel:

Same here. I bought a full bush kit for suspension, struts for the rear hatch, green and orange bulbs for dash switches, extra clips for airbags in my spacer/angle brackets for lift...

Wanted to get more but couldn't think of anything I need... Hmm any thoughts or suggestions on your side?

[goldiloxgirl]

Oh dratts Keithy ! I've noticed that you were off to the Cape at the end of the month and as I'm joining friends doing the trip in 2 weeks, I thought I might bump into you...looks like someone's beaten me to it :o

Hope the repairs go well and you get the rangy back soon.

Regards,

Lani

[Keithy P38]

I'm leaving next Saturday (from Townsville)!

Who knows who you can bump into up there!

You can't miss us - one dark blue classic Rangie and one dark blue P38 Rangie and that's our convoy!

[goldiloxgirl]

I will be passing thru Towsnsville around the 5th August so perhaps I will spot you on your flip side. I'm in a dark blue p38.

Regards Lani

[Keithy P38]

Ill keep my eyes peeled!

If I were home I'd offer a place to pull up overnight. Will be at least in the daintree on the 5th.

Cheers
Keithy