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:

    Front seat air cushion assembly - removal and refitting
    Complete assembly - removal and refitting 1 Remove the seat. 2 Straighten the seat back cover retaining tangs, and pull the cover upwards to expose the air cushion. 3 Cut through the four securi ...

    Engine - refitting (automatic transmission in vehicle)
    1 Reverse the procedure described in Section 9, noting the following points. 2 Check that the engine adapter plate is correctly positioned on its locating dowels. 3 As the torque converter is only ...

    Door interior handle - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Remove the door inner trim panel. 2 Where necessary for improved access, peel back the waterproof plastic sheet from the door. 3 Remove the two securing screws in the case of models up ...