Another bad coil, and more!
 

So here's the shortest version of a long story I can manage. A Ford Ranger backed into the front of my car at a light over a month ago (nice, honest kid, didn't even need my GoPro proof heh), and the car came back from ~$12,000 in repairs nice and showroom looking. I noticed some intermittent rattling sounds under the front of the car that neither I nor the body shop can figure out what/where/why it's happening. Also, a CEL came on for the first time ever (23,000 miles) boo :-(

Anyway, I grabbed a copy of the entire insurance repair order for the dealer, took the car to the dealer to get the code read, to take a look into the rattling, and also to take a look at a known issue I reported before that they said they couldn't reproduce (my driver side parking brake has a faulty retainer that's causing the shoes not to stay in place. They slide back and forth under acceleration and braking occasionally causing a "clink" sound). I know of the parking brake issue because my personal mechanic did the troubleshooting after I got their lazy response the first time. As for the code, they found it was a bad ignition coil, replaced it the next day ... yay :-) However, they "weren't able to reproduce" the rattling sounds I was hearing, and they checked the parking brake and "didn't find a problem there" either.

Anyone else find the dealer is not too motivated by the "I'm hearing this sound that should not be happening" diagnostic request? It seems like something has to be visibly falling off the car or a CEL before they take care of you. I purchased the 7 year, 100,000 mile warranty with maintenance plan by the way. I usually avoid these things, but since the car was brand new and I don't plan to mod it beyond my TRD exhaust for a long time I figured what the hell.

End of that rant though. I still love this car, and the only other issue I ever had was condensation in the taillight after a rainy weekend which the dealer ordered a new tail lamp assembly and replaced under warranty. :happy0180:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCyJ5-10QyE"]VID 20130616 175852 - YouTube[/ame] that sound?

I was reading through the documentation supplied with my car the other day.

If I remember correctly for this part of the world it states something like (Don't have it in front of me so may be mis worded):
-Misaligned panels are only covered for a month
-Rattles/creaks/other sounds are covered for a year provided they will not affect the operation or safety of the car.

:iono: Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the warranty policy could chip in?

@Carwhisperer, Yup. That sound exactly. Was bugging the hell out of me until Mori at Uehara Motowerks looked into it for me. You might have the same issue.

Wait... You got backed into & it caused damage equal to ~1/2 of the car's MSRP?(!) WAH?!

For everything in front of the motor that wasn't the frame, sounds about right: radiator, hoses, fans, bumper, clips, right and left fenders, paint matching, checking all the suspension, realignment, each headlight assembly is something ridiculous that I can't seem to find right now. It also may have damaged the A/C which could have been a huge cost.

All those parts are practically brand new, oem replacements add up.

Yeah, there was a LOT of damage. Guy was on the gas in reverse. He'll never do that again. He broke the fuse block, which unfortunately is only sold along with the entire engine harness, so that was another few thousand there by itself. Hood, a/c condenser, lights, bumper, etc etc as @strat61caster said.