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:

    Seat belts - removal and refitting
    Front seat belt stalk 1 Remove the front seat. 2 Detach the seat belt stalk from the seat by removing the two Torx screws. 3 Refitting is a reversal of removal. Front seat belt assembly 4 Where ...

    Fuel injectors - removal and refitting
    Note: Refer to the precautions at the end of Section 1 before proceeding. New injector seals will be required on refitting. Removal 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Depressurise the fuel ...

    Headlamps and auxiliary lamps - beam alignment
    The headlamps are adjustable individually for both horizontal and vertical alignment from within the engine compartment. The auxiliary lamp adjustment is carried out by slackening the lamp mountin ...