Spotting the Telltale Signs of a Bent Frame

When a bent frame occurs during an accident, your auto body repair shop can usually diagnose it right away. However, in some cases, bent frames are minor enough to escape detection, until you start experiencing symptoms while you’re driving. If you notice any of these signs with your car after your collision repairs have been completed, make an appointment to have it re-evaluated at your auto body repair shop.

Uneven Fit

A bend in your car frame can cause the fit of all of the components of your vehicle to be off. One obvious sign of a bent frame is car doors that don’t close correctly. Doors on a car with a bent frame may not close entirely, or they may leave a gap between the frame and the door. You may also notice uneven body panels or bumpers that are not straight. All of these issues indicate some kind of damage to the frame of the car and should be checked.

Wheel Alignment Issues

A bent frame can cause problems with your car’s alignment. If you are driving and notice that your car is pulling to one side, your alignment may be off. If you have the alignment fixed and it starts pulling again, a bent frame is likely to blame. Wheels frequently won’t track properly with a bent frame, either. The front wheels and rear wheels will not track the same way, which can make your car do a slight side-to-side movement while you’re driving.

Wear on Shocks and Suspension

A bent frame will put more pressure on some parts of your suspension than others, which causes the shocks and suspension system to wear out unevenly. If you have a problem with your suspension that keeps reoccurring, you may have a bent frame that is causing the problem.

The longer you drive with a bent frame, the more damage it can do to your car. Let Michael J’s Body Shop make the auto body repairs you need to get your car back on the road. To learn more about auto collision repairs in San Jose, including frame straightening, call 408-279-2070.