Why Your Should Take Your Car To The Auto Body Shop After Any Accident
Taking your car in for repairs is a normal response to learning that something is not working or a part is damaged. After an accident with your vehicle, there are many things that can be affected on the vehicle even if it seems okay. Making sure all the things you can't see are working right is critical after any collision, and your local auto body repair shop is the best place to do that job for you.
Damage to the Body and Frame
If you are in a collision that damages the body of the car, you should take the vehicle to an auto body repair shop and have an inspection of the damage completed. Often, the damage goes deeper than you can see with an untrained eye, and it is essential that an auto body technician check anything that could be damaged on the car before you start driving it again.
A lot of cars are manufactured with uniframe construction, with a body and frame that are all one unit. The auto body repair shop will inspect the body and the uniframe to ensure that the frame is straight and the vehicle is still safe. A minor accident can often cause enough damage to change the alignment or even cause the frame to bend.
A car with a bent frame may not handle well, and the twisted frame can cause tire wear, suspension and steering damage, and other long-term problems. Checking the frame for damage does not take long, and depending on the level of damage the frame has, the auto body shop can typically straighten it, but the car should not be driven until the repairs are made to the frame.
Suspension and Steering Damage
You may not think about having an auto body repair shop check the suspension and steering on your car, but during an accident, these parts can be damaged, and the technicians working on the vehicle are trained to spot problems with these parts. During the car's initial inspection, the tech will look over the entire vehicle, checking for bent tie rods and damaged shocks or struts and checking all the moving parts in the suspension and steering system to be sure everything is working correctly.
The auto body shop will go over the car and let you know what they find during the inspection. If you are still driving the vehicle, they may recommend that you stop driving it for your own safety and the safety of others on the road. The auto body repair shop can also help you report the damage to the insurance company and, in many cases, fix the car and send the bill to them.
To learn more, contact an auto body repair shop.