Post-Repair Inspection of Your Vehicle: What to Look for

Editor's note: This post was originally published on June 14, 2018 and has been updated for accuracy and relevance.

The time after a car accident can be stressful. Between dealing with insurance companies, possible injuries, rental agencies, and many more small factors, getting your car back from the collision center can be a huge sigh of relief and feel like the end of this hectic chapter.

Although a good repair shop would ensure that your vehicle is in like-new condition, it is still important that you perform an inspection before driving off. This will protect you and your vehicle from any potential damages and loss caused by a shop that has cut corners or that is passing off poorly performed repairs.

What You Should Look for In Your Post-Repair Inspection?

One of the most important steps you can take is to be open and clear with the body shop about which repairs are to be made. Knowing what work should be done beforehand, better equips you to ensure it has been completed to your standards after the fact. That being said, there are still a few specific areas to which you should pay close attention when looking over your newly repaired vehicle.

First, you should conduct a basic visual examination of your car. Check to make sure that paint matches in both texture and color to the rest of your car, and ensure that your car is clean. It is standard practice that the shop will wash, vacuum and clean the interior of your vehicle upon returning it to you.

The next thing you should look at is to see that the airbags were replaced and that the alignment is placed evenly. Most cars have a light that indicates if your airbag is in properly and ready to deploy in the event of impact. Alignment is another common issue. Drive your car around the lot, or take it for a short test drive around the collision shop. If your car is pulling in a way that it was not before, the shop may not have properly realigned your tires, which will cause uneven wear.

You should also check for new welds in an area that you never noticed before. In the past, some shops have participated in a practice called clipping. This is when an entire portion of another, similar model of car is used to replace the damaged portion of another. This is not as common now, but it is very dangerous. It can cause structural flaws in your car that make it very dangerous to drive.

Torque can be another problem when repairs are made. Make sure that any bolts or screws that were replaced are not stripped and were torqued to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Bolts applied too loosely can cause parts to come off too easily, while too tightly could cause the bolts to be stripped if they need to come out again.

Lastly, check to see that original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts  were used for replacements wherever possible. Medines only uses OEM parts when available; however, some shops will try to pass aftermarket or used parts on your repair to cut costs. Unless you have specified that you would like to use aftermarket parts for your repairs, ask to see the parts invoice and make sure that only OEM parts were used in replacements.

Using Wreck Check to Diagnose Repair Problems

While following the above steps is important, it can be difficult for anyone who is not a professional auto body repair technician to determine whether or not their repairs have been done properly. Fortunately, there is another valuable tool at your disposal in the form of a Wreck Check Car Scan. These scans use 3D dimensioning equipment to help technicians review all aspects of your vehicle and its repair, ensuring that it was restored to the manufacturer’s specifications. In Baton Rouge, Medines is the one and only certified Wreck Check Car Scan Center, helping drivers get back on the road with the peace of mind that their vehicle is structurally sound.

For quality repairs or even assessments of repairs performed by others, you can always count on Medines Collision Center to deliver both excellence and honesty. Click below to request a free estimate, or call us today.