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:

    Fuel level sender unit - removal and refitting
    Caution: Refer to the precautions in Section 1 before proceeding. A new seal must be used when refitting the sender unit. Saloon, Hatchback and Estate models All models except 2.0 litre DOHC 1 ...

    Engine/manual gearbox assembly - reconnection and refitting
    1.8 litre (R2A type) 1 Reverse the procedure described in Section 10, noting the following points. 2 Before attempting to reconnect the engine to the gearbox, check that the clutch friction disc ...

    Tailgate lock (Hatchback and Estate models) - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Open the tailgate and prise out the trim panel using a wide-bladed screwdriver (see illustration). 12.1 Tailgate trim panel fixings - Hatchback and Estate models 2 Remove the lock bar ...