General description

The body is of welded steel construction available in 3 or 5-door Hatchback, 3 or 5- door Estate, soft-top Cabriolet, or Van configurations.

The body is of monocoque construction and is of energy-absorbing design.

Rust and corrosion protection is applied to all new vehicles and includes zinc phosphate dipping and wax injection of box sections and door interiors.

All body panels are welded, including the front wings, so it is recommended that major body damage repairs are left to your dealer.

    See also:

    Oil seals - renewal
    Camshaft oil seal Note: Thread locking compound will be required to coat the camshaft sprocket bolt on refitting. 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Release the timing belt from the camsha ...

    Exhaust system - renewal
    1 The layout of the exhaust system varies considerably according to model and engine. All except the RS Turbo versions can be renewed in sections; coupling sleeves are supplied, enabling an old se ...

    Flywheel/driveplate - removal, inspection and refitting
    Note: The manufacturers recommend that the flywheel/driveplate securing bolts are renewed after slackening. Suitable thread-locking agent will be required to coat the bolt threads. Removal 1 If t ...