Auto body repair & detailing: Control arm, hyundai elantra, alignment machines

Question
QUESTION: i have a 08 hyundai elantra with 30,000. I took it to get alligned and they said my camber is off.(left rear wheel tilts in)they said that nothing was visibly wrong that they could see and told me to take it to the dealer. The dealer said that my lower control arm is bent upward and that its not covered under warranty. Ive never hit anything on that side. My question is could the bent part be my fault even though their is nothing wrong with the tire/rim or are they just trying to get out of doing warranty work?

ANSWER: THE ALIGNMENT PRINTOUT WILL SHOW IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE LEFT REAR. IF THE DEALER IS CORRECT AND THE CONTROL ARM IS BENT I WOULD ASK THEM TO PUT THE VEHICLE ON A LIFT AND SHOW ME.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE IF THE CONTROL ARM HAS BEEN IMPACTED WITH AN OBJECT BY INSPECTING
THE CONTROL ARM FOR SCRAPES,BENDS AND PAINT TRANSFER.

I WOULD ALSO INSPECT THE WHEEL ON THE LEFT REAR TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN AN IMPACT TO IT.

IF THERE ARE NO VISUAL CLUES FOUND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE HIT YOUR LR WHEEL AT SOME POINT.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My toe is perfect but the camber is off by 1.0,it is at 2.1 on the left.
I went back to my alignment shop and they put it on the lift. We couldnt find anything wrong with the lower control arm it looked just like the other with no visible scratch marks. Nothing wrong with the wheel either.
So i guess now my question is. Do i let the dealer replace what they say needs to be replaced or should i try to take it somewhere else?

Answer
OK.....WITH NO VISUAL DAMAGES AND HAVING THE LR CAMBER A FULL DEGREE OUT OF SPEC.

A SECOND ALIGNMENT WOULD BE ADVISABLE AS ALIGNMENT MACHINES ARE CALIBRATED AND YOU MAY SEE A DIFFERENCE IN ALIGNMENT SPECS.

IF THE TOE IS GOOD AS YOU SAY THE LR CAMBER MAY NOT CAUSE AN ISSUE...I HAVE SEEN REARS OUT OF ALIGNMENT FROM THE FACTORY.YOU COULD NOT DO ANYTHING AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY UNUSUAL WEAR OF THE TIRE TREAD ON THE LEFT REAR IF MONEY IS TIGHT.

YOU COULD HAVE THE ARM REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE REALIGNED..YOUR CALL.

MIKE