AI DamageShort answer
After crash repair a car often looks new, and the problems surface weeks later: on the motorway, in the rain or in winter. Most have a specific cause that can be checked. The key is to spot them quickly, while the shop is still responsible for the work.
Eight signs and what they mean
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Pulls to one side, steering wheel off-centre | Suspension or body geometry not restored | Wheel alignment, body reference points |
| Uneven tyre wear, vibration at speed | Bent wheel or control arm | Balancing, suspension inspection |
| Wind noise or whistling at the doors | A door or pillar is out of position | Gaps and seals |
| Water in the cabin or boot | Poorly bonded glass, a gap in a seam | Water test, seams and sealant |
| SRS or airbag warning light | A sensor, belt or module was not replaced | Reading SRS fault codes |
| Radar or camera not working | No calibration after a part was replaced | Calibrating driver-assistance systems |
| Paint shade differs, orange peel | Paint without colour matching or with too few coats | Paint gauge, inspection in daylight |
| Rust on seams after a few months | Welded seams left without corrosion protection | Seams, sills, arches from below |
Why electronics fail most often
A modern car almost always needs electronic work after an impact: calibrating radars and cameras, checking sensors and modules. None of it is visible, which is exactly where corners get cut. The car drives, but the driver-assistance system misses obstacles or brakes for no reason.
Ask the shop for a post-repair diagnostic printout and a calibration report. More in the guides on radars and cameras and airbags and SRS.
Geometry: what you cannot see at the car wash
After a serious impact the body is pulled back to factory dimensions on a frame bench. If this is skipped, doors and bonnet can be adjusted to the gaps, but the suspension will still sit crooked. That is where uneven tyre wear and a car that pulls to one side come from.
Wheel alignment will not fix this, it only hides it for a while. How body geometry is checked is explained in a separate guide: body geometry.
How to document the problem
- Note the date the problem appeared and take a photo or video of the symptom.
- Get an independent shop’s findings: a fault code printout, an alignment report, paint thickness readings.
- Contact the repair shop in writing, with these documents, while the warranty on the work is still valid.
- Keep the work completion record and the list of replaced parts. Without them it is hard to prove what the repair included.
If you are buying an already repaired car
All eight signs can be checked before purchase: a motorway test drive, a look at the gaps, a paint gauge, reading fault codes, a lift. If the seller will not allow diagnostics, the repair usually has something to hide.
Find photos of the car before repair by VIN. They show which areas need the closest inspection, even if the car looks perfect now (see suspension and wheels after an impact).