Whether you've been in a serious accident or a fender bender, it can be difficult to determine the actual extent of the damage. Cars are designed to "crumple" when hit in order to protect you and your passengers from impact. Some damage, such as paint damage, is often considered to be cosmetic. Other damage, such as frame damage, is more severe. Of course, the best way to determine whether you have frame damage is to see a professional -- but in the heat of the moment, you might just want to be able to visually assess the problem.
Check the Car's Alignment
It's generally impossible to align wheels on a car that have frame damage. If you've brought your vehicle into a shop and they haven't been able to align your wheels, then that's a sign that you've had frame damage in the past. If you suspect that you have purchased a car with frame damage or that a minor accident in the past may have caused frame damage, this is a good way to check.
Look for Any Gaps
Circle around your car to see places where there are "gaps" between the parts of your car's body. After an accident, you'll see a lot of dents and scratches. But if the parts are actually pulling away from each other, that's almost always a sign that the underlying frame has been damaged.
Tilting Towards the Left or Right
Park your car in a straight line in a parking stall. If the car appears to be going slightly left or slightly right to an observer, the entire frame is likely to be tilted. This is different from alignment (pulling left or right), and generally happens after a fairly serious collision moves your vehicle.
Open and Close Everything
Open all of the doors in your car, the hood, and the trunk. These are designed with very tight tolerances. If they are difficult to open, swing open too freely, or do not quite close properly, then it's very likely that your frame has been bent. If a door won't open or close at all, the damage is likely to be fairly serious.
Damage to your car's frame needs to be fixed immediately; a car with frame damage is not safe to drive. A car with frame damage also shouldn't be sold. If you think there's damage to your car's frame, you need an auto body shop. Contact Suburban Auto Body now to get a consultation and quote.