Major body damage - repair

Where serious damage has occurred or large areas need renewal due to neglect, it means that completely new sections or panels will need welding in, and this is best left to professionals. If the damage is due to impact, it will also be necessary to completely check the alignment of the bodyshell structure. Due to the principle of construction, the strength and shape of the whole car can be affected by damage to one part. In such instances the service of a dealer with specialist checking jigs are essential. If a body is left misaligned, it is first of all dangerous, as the car will not handle properly, and secondly uneven stresses will be imposed on the steering, engine and transmission, causing abnormal wear or complete failure. Tyre wear may also be excessive.

    See also:

    Brake fluid pipes and hoses - removal and refitting
    Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1. Removal 1 To remove a flexible hose, always free it from any mounting bracket(s) first by prising out the U-shaped retaining clip, and then using ...

    Heater unit - overhaul
    1 With the heater unit removed from the vehicle, remove the two securing screws and withdraw the heater matrix from the casing (see illustrations). 19.1a Remove the securing screws . . . 19.1 ...

    Windscreen wiper motor and linkage - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Remove the wiper arms and blades as described in Section 17. 2 Disconnect the battery negative terminal. 3 Remove the nut covers, the fixing nuts, washers and spacers from the pivot sha ...