Everything You Need to Know About Bumper Repair

Carwise No Comment Jun 30,2021 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips

Bumpers are called bumpers for a reason – they’re often the first part of a vehicle to be bumped in a crash, and they’re designed to take most of the impact in order to protect the structure of the vehicle.

Because of their importance when it comes to safety, it’s crucial to get bumpers repaired or replaced if they are damaged in an accident. And it’s not just the exterior that needs to be checked out – bumpers also house various sensors, lights and warning systems, all of which can have hidden damage after a collision. All of these need to be functioning properly in order to best ensure your safety on the road.

Bumper repair vs. replacement

Oftentimes, bumpers can simply be repaired if the damage is minor. Depending on the size of any dents and the material of the bumper, paintless dent repair may be an option. In this type of repair, dents are slowly worked out without damaging the paint job, saving time and money. Minor scratches or punctures can also sometimes be repaired rather than replacing the whole bumper, though this may require a paint job on top of the repair.

For more intense damage – such as cracks, holes or a bumper that is falling off – the bumper may need to be replaced. If this is the case, you will need to purchase a new bumper through the auto body repair shop, and they will remove the old bumper and attach a new one, including connecting it to any systems or sensors embedded in the car. The paint will also be matched to the rest of the car.

When repairing or replacing a bumper, technicians may also do a post scan of the car to make sure all of the sensors and lights are properly aligned and functioning. This way, you can rest assured that any hidden damage has been taken care of.

Bumper repair cost

Cost for bumper repair or replacement can vary widely depending on a variety of factors. For example, SUVs or luxury cars will likely have more expensive bumper repair costs than a sedan-style car. The material of the bumper will also matter – plastic can be less expensive to replace than metal. And, the more sensors embedded in a bumper, the more expensive a repair can be. Bumper repairs can cost anywhere from $100 to more than $600, depending on the type of damage. For bumper replacements, that can cost more than $1000 depending on the parts needed and the time it takes to install.

Finding a repair shop

While it may be tempting to leave a bumper with a small dent, it’s important to check that any sensors or safety features are working properly after a collision. One way to determine whether your bumper needs to be repaired or replaced is to find a local collision repair or auto body shop and have a technician assess the damage. Carwise is here to help you find bumper repair services near you. From real customer reviews to shop certifications, hours and locations, Carwise’s search tool can help you choose the right auto body or collision repair shop from more than 21,000 shops nationwide. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

2021’s Most Popular Car Colors

Carwise No Comment Jun 23,2021 Trends

Like anything else, interior and exterior car color trends can go in and out of fashion, with some tried and true favorites that have withstood the test of time.

The Top Three Car Colors of 2021

What car colors are trending in 2021? According to Kelley Bluebook, the top three car colors this year are:

Dark Seltzer, a dark gray color
Redolent Red, a reddish-brown color
Abstraction Blue, a darker blue color

Gray is also expected to remain a popular choice, along with the classics: black and white.

This year, experts find that there is a bigger emphasis on texture or subtle details versus drastic color pallet changes. For example, cars may feature more textured-looking paint by including sparkles or specks.

Which Car Paint Colors are Easiest to Maintain?

Car color can be taken as a remark upon the driver’s personality, and many people want their car color to match their own personal tastes. However, when choosing a car color – either on a new car or for a paint job for an old car – it’s also important to consider maintenance. Some colors are easier to keep looking great than others.

For example:

Black looks great when it’s fresh and clean – but it can soon look dirty from grime or water marks.
White looks great like black does – and is equally hard to keep clean.
Gray is the easiest to keep clean and hides minor dirt easily, and silver is a close second.
Other colors may hide certain types of mess (for example, yellow can hide pollen) but not others (mud would show easily on a yellow car).
Blue, while rising in popularity, also doesn’t do a good job of hiding anything, so it can be difficult to keep clean.

If you’re considering a custom or unique color for your car’s paint, you may want to consider whether the color will be easy to match, should you ever need a touch up. Certain colors can be a challenge for auto body technicians to tint accurately, which could risk discoloration in areas where they’ve repainted. Specialized paint finishes can also create challenges if you need to repaint the car down the road. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid unique colors and finishes; the key is finding the right auto body shop near you that has the expertise to get the job done right if you ever need your vehicle repainted.

Find An Auto Body Shop Near You to Repaint Your Car

How do you know when it’s time to paint your car? Things like hail damage or rust could mean it’s time for a paint job, assuming paintless dent repair isn’t an option. If you decide to paint your car, make sure you take the time to research the process and get quotes from several different shops.

When you’re ready, Carwise.com is here to help you. From real customer reviews to shop certifications, hours and locations, Carwise’s search tool can help you choose the right auto body or collision repair shop from more than 21,000 shops nationwide.

U.S. Cities With the Most Collisions

Carwise No Comment Jun 17,2021 Trends

Summer is a great time to travel. Whether you’re loading up the family for a road trip to the beach or setting out solo to visit friends, summer tends to be a busier travel time than any other season.

When on the road, accidents can happen – and they’re actually more likely to happen in some cities than others. Before you hit the road, check out this list of cities with the most collisions, so you can know before you go.

U.S. Cities with the Highest Car Accident Rates

Allstate’s America’s Best Drivers Report uses “relative collision likelihood” to compare the rate of accidents in each city with the national average and ranks each city from best to worst. According to Allstate, these cities were the ten most accident-prone in 2019:

Baltimore, MD – 152.5% relative collision likelihood
Washington, D.C. – 142.3% relative collision likelihood
Boston, MA – 116.5% relative collision likelihood
Worcester, MA – 105.6% relative collision likelihood
Glendale, CA – 99% relative collision likelihood
Los Angeles, CA – 82% relative collision likelihood
Springfield, MA – 81.7% relative collision likelihood
Providence, RI – 70.8% relative collision likelihood
Alexandria, VA – 69.9% relative collision likelihood
Oakland, CA – 67.7% relative collision likelihood

U.S. Cities with the Most Car Accident Fatalities

While these cities may have the greatest chance for accidents, a different set of cities had the most fatalities. Some of the deadliest cities for drivers are Baton Rouge, LA; Savannah, GA; and Dallas, TX.

The Riskiest Days and Times to Drive

When traveling, there are also specific times of the year – or even times of the day – when you’re more likely to have an accident. In the United States, July 4 is the deadliest day on the roads, with many other holidays close behind, such as October 31 (Halloween) and January 1 (New Year’s Day). With regard to time of day, it should come as no surprise that the most dangerous time to drive tends to be 5 to 7 p.m., when rush hour traffic is at its peak.

These statistics or numbers might be alarming – but no need to panic. Simply exercise extra awareness during peak travel times or days, and of course stay alert when traveling anywhere unfamiliar or driving in heavy traffic.

After an Accident, Find a Local Collision Repair Shop with Carwise

Accidents happen – and with them come repairs. From paintless dent repairs to repairing hidden damage to a car’s technology, if you’re in an accident you’ll want to be sure your car is repaired quickly and effectively.

Fortunately, Carwise.com is here to help. Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 shops, from hours and locations, to shop certifications, reviews by real customers, and before and after photos. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

How New Vehicle Technology has Changed Car Repairs

Carwise No Comment Jun 10,2021 Auto Body Shop Owner Tips

In the past ten years, so much has changed when it comes to automobiles. From the technology embedded in each new car to the efficiency of engines, great strides have been made in car design. All of those improvements create a more enjoyable, efficient and safe vehicle for you to drive, but also create new challenges to car repairs if you’re in a collision. One of the biggest challenges? Keeping tabs on all the technology that now comes in every car.

New Vehicle Technology

From end-to-end, new cars are embedded with technology. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) offer tons of convenience for drivers, as well as improved safety. These systems can include:

Navigation. Many cars today come already equipped with built-in GPS systems to get directions easily while you’re on the road.
Adaptive cruise control keeps your speed steady on the road and give your foot a break from the gas pedal.
Collision avoidance systems. Some new cars will alert the driver when an obstacle or pedestrian is detected – and some even automatically brake the vehicle for the driver.
Rearview cameras. These make it easier to back up by showing a view to the driver of what’s behind the car and sounding an alarm if the vehicle’s bumper comes too close to an obstacle.
Smartphone connections. Bluetooth has become commonplace, making it easy to connect your smartphone to your car’s audio system. Some cars even offer WiFi for passengers.

Can Car Accidents Damage ADAS Technology?

Many ADAS features rely on sensors embedded within the auto body of the vehicle to operate. The newer your vehicle is, the more sensors it will likely have, and these sensors are susceptible to hidden damage because of where they’re located: your bumpers. Sensors that are damaged in a collision – even if it is a light fender-bender – can cause these ADAS features to malfunction or fail. This damage can be costly to repair, but it’s important to fix it so that your car is safe to drive when you get back behind the wheel. Losing your car’s Bluetooth or navigation capabilities might be inconvenient, but when collision damage causes adaptive cruise control or collision avoidance systems to malfunction, that creates a serious safety risk that could potentially lead to another collision.

Find a Collision Repair Shop Near You

One way to tell if your car has hidden damage that will impact your ADAS systems is to get a diagnostic scan at a collision repair shop near you. A shop technician can connect their diagnostics tool to your car’s computer system and check to see if there are error codes indicating that a sensor is damaged.

Carwise.com makes it easy to find a collision repair shop near you when your car needs repairs. Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 shops, from hours and locations, to shop certifications, reviews by real customers, and before and after photos. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Why Auto Thefts and Burglaries Are on the Rise in 2021

Carwise No Comment Jun 2,2021 Trends

Since the 1990s, vehicle thefts and burglaries have trended downward, to less than 800,000 in 2019. Yet 2020 saw a sharp increase in car thefts and burglaries, and the trend has continued into 2021. It’s not just cars being stolen, but specific parts on a vehicle, as well. Theft of catalytic converters rose sharply in 2020, from an average of 282 converters stolen per month to 1,203 in 2020 – a rise of nearly 327%. What could be causing this rise in thefts? We dig into the contributing factors to this trend below.

Reasons Car Thefts and Burglaries Are Rising

1. The COVID-19 Pandemic

One big contributing factor to this rise in auto thefts and burglaries is the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic downturns like the one that resulted from the pandemic often create financial desperation that might motivate some people to steal assets that they can sell for cash, whether it’s the car itself, or parts on the car, or items that have been left in a car, like a backpack, laptop, or another valuable.

Another factor during the COVID-19 pandemic was that during the peak severity when infection rates were high, many people were also trying to avoid public transit, which may have been another motivating factor for car thefts.

2. The Rising Demand for Precious Metals

One factor driving theft of car parts, in particular, is the rising demand for precious metals: palladium, rhodium and platinum. These are the metals used to manufacture catalytic converters, the part on an engine that manages exhaust emissions. With metal prices soaring due to increased demand, thefts of catalytic converters have soared, with thieves typically selling the stolen parts for scrap. A catalytic converter is located on the underside of a car, in the exhaust system between the manifold and the muffler.

Vehicles that have higher ground clearance, like a pickup truck, make it easier for thieves to access the catalytic converter and remove it. Hybrid vehicles are also frequent targets for catalytic converter theft because theirs tend to be in better condition, due to reduced use of gasoline compared to other vehicles. (Source)

There are two ways to tell if your catalytic converter has been stolen. First, if you turn on your engine and it is suddenly much louder than usual and the exhaust coming from your tailpipe is smoky, this could be the result of a missing catalytic converter. Second, thieves steal the catalytic converter by cutting off the pipes on either end of it. If you look beneath your vehicle and see two severed pipes with no converter, it’s been stolen. (If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, try searching the internet for photos of the undercarriage for your car’s specific make and model, e.g., “2018 Toyota Prius undercarriage.”)

3. The Key Fob Problem

Many newer cars do not require a manual key to start the engine, but instead use a keyless ignition that come with a key fob. As long as the fob is in proximity to the car’s computer system, the car can be turned on with the push of the button, thanks to an embedded microchip in the fob that validates the signal. At first, this technology drove a steep decline in car thefts, but recent reports show that one big contributing factor to the rise in car thefts is how often vehicle owners forget to take the key fob with them when they leave exit the car, typically leaving it in the cupholder for anyone to find. In other words, stealing a car has never been easier for a thief. If you own a car with keyless ignition, never leave your key fob in the vehicle, even if you think you’ll only be out of the car a few minutes.

What to Do if Your Car has been Stolen:

1. File a report with law enforcement. Your auto insurer will not be able to honor the claim if a police report has not been filed.

2. Contact your auto insurer to inform them of the missing vehicle.

What to Do if Your Car is Burgled:

If your car has been broken into or you suspect that a part such as the catalytic converter has been stolen and you want to file an insurance claim, we recommend taking these steps:

1. Document the damage for your auto insurance provider.Documenting the damage with your smartphone will help speed up the process of filing a claim with your auto insurance and seeking repairs from an auto body shop near you. Proceed with caution if there is broken glass.

2. File a report with law enforcement.

3. Contact your auto insurer to inform them of the incident. If the damage is covered, ask if you can submit photos and video of the damage, as well as documentation.

4. Find an auto body or auto glass shop near you to repair the damage. If your car has been damaged, such as a shattered window, or damaged door or handle, you can contact an auto body or auto glass shop near you to discuss possible repairs. Ask if they accept digital photos of vehicle damage to generate a virtual estimate and kick off the repair process. Professional auto body and auto glass technicians can help restore your vehicle to pre-theft condition.

Find an Auto Body or Auto Glass Shop Near You

A car burglary is always a distressing experience but finding the right auto body or auto glass shop to get repairs doesn’t have to be. Carwise.com makes it easy to find a repair shop near you, with details on nearly 22,000 shops – from real reviews by customers, to shop hours and locations, to shop certifications and before & after photos. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby to get your vehicle repaired after a burglary: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

How Has the Pandemic Changed Driving & Traffic?

Carwise No Comment May 27,2021 Trends

As more of the U.S. population becomes vaccinated against COVID-19 and public spaces begin to reopen, you may be wondering what to expect once you hit the road again, whether it’s a return to your daily commute or a long-awaited road trip to see loved ones. Like many parts of daily life, the coronavirus pandemic had an immediate, massive impact on when, how, and what people drive, which may lead to long-term changes in traffic, vehicles and driving experiences. Here are the major ways that driving has changed during the pandemic:

Less people on the road has led to fewer but more severe accidents.

In the early months of the pandemic, when the stay-at-home orders and shift to remote work began, a large percentage of people stopped driving, leading to fewer car accidents. The number of miles driven nationally plummeted nearly 46% by early April 2020¹; by December, 50% of vehicle owners continued to drive less.²

Yet, while the number of car accidents dropped dramatically, those accidents that did occur were more severe. With significantly lower traffic congestion, people were driving at higher speeds. Another factor is the size of vehicles people are driving; in the first seven months of 2020 alone, SUVs accounted for 50% of all new vehicle registrations.³With more large, heavy vehicles on the road moving at faster speeds, the trend of accidents getting worse isn’t all that surprising, but something drivers should be mindful of.

Not only are these conditions more dangerous for drivers; they are more expensive. Severe accidents lead to more extensive repairs and a higher likelihood that a vehicle will be declared a total loss. (A vehicle is a total loss when one of the following is true: the car cannot safely be repaired, the car’s damage meets your state’s criteria for total loss, or the repair costs would exceed the car’s estimated value.) When you’re out on the road, try to stay aware of your speed even if traffic is sparse, and be prepared to encounter other drivers who are speeding.

People who used to take public transit are choosing to drive during the pandemic.

While the percent of people commuting by car has always been significantly higher than those taking public transit in the U.S., the pandemic has deepened that gap even further. In a study by Continental on public mobility, 81% of U.S. respondents reported having changed their daily mobility habits during the pandemic, with 22% report traveling more often by car than before the pandemic.⁴ This trend will likely continue for the next several months amid lingering health concerns from coronavirus. So even though the pandemic has changed the way many people work and more companies are allowing employees to work from home, if those who do commute to the office continue to choose personal transportation rather than mass transit, it will not only increase traffic volume but likely continue to impact rising gas prices.

Be prepared to pay more at the pump.

With more people choosing to commute by car instead of public transit, and more people planning travel for their first vacations post-pandemic, gas prices are soaring back to pre-pandemic levels as demand for oil rises. A recent report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) predicted that gas prices will climb to a three-year high this summer, to an average of $2.78 per gallon in the next six months. Although that price is similar to what we paid in the years before COVID-19, it’s still a 34% jump from gas prices in 2020 and may catch many drivers off-guard if they haven’t filled their gas tank in a while.⁵

Drivers are becoming more interested in usage-based insurance.

With more people driving less often and working remote for the foreseeable future, many have started seeking new ways to save on their auto insurance and understand how it is priced. A growing percentage of customers are comfortable with their auto insurers using their driving data to inform pricing,⁶ or what is known as “usage-based insurance” (UBI) or “pay as you drive” insurance.

Here’s how UBI works: depending the age and type of vehicle you have, your car may be able to record things like the mileage, speed, and distance of your driving on an average day. Some insurers can collect that data from your vehicle with your consent and use that to personalize your auto insurance pricing – and the better driver you are, based on the applicable carrier’s criteria, the better the price. If you find yourself working from home more often than you did before the pandemic, UBI may be a cost-effective option.

Drivers are using digital tools to file insurance claims and seek repairs after an accident.

The necessity for social distancing had a major impact on how people interact with their auto insurer or local collision repair shop after an accident. Insurers used to send an adjuster to inspect a vehicle in-person after an accident and write an estimate for repair costs. These days, that entire process can be done from your smartphone, making it a COVID-safe experience for you and the adjuster: many insurers offer self-guided experiences through their mobile app that will allow you to snap photos of your damaged vehicle from the scene of the accident and upload any additional documentation securely. From there, the insurer uses a combination of computer and human analysis to review your photos and draft an estimate, which they can send to you via their app or an email.

Some collision repair shops offer similar digital experiences: you can start by searching for a collision repair shop near you via an online tool like Carwise, which lists profiles on over 22,000 collision repair shops nationwide. On Carwise you can review dozens of details on local shops, from their operating hours and location to real customer reviews, industry certifications, and photos of their work. Once you find a collision repair shop near you that meets your criteria, you may be able to schedule an appointment online or request a virtual estimate based on your photos of the damaged vehicle. Many shops are offering contactless drop-off and pick-ups as well and will update you about your repair status via text or email.

Daily life may not return to “normal” for a while, but as we rediscover familiar experiences like commuting to work for visiting family, we encourage you to be safe on the roads. If your car is in need of repairs, use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop near you: http://carwise.com/auto-body-shops.

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Article sources:

1 – Bob Pishue, Transportation Analyst, INRIX. “COVID-19 Effect on Collisions on Interstates and Highways in the U.S.” Page 5, December 2020. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/travel_monitoring/tvt.cfm

2 – ENGINE CARAVAN. “Driving Change in Auto Insurance.” December 1, 2020. https://engine-insights.com/blog/driving-change-in-auto-insurance/

3 – Top Libby, IHS Markit. “New Vehicle Registrations Show Record Levels for SUVs.” www.aftermarketnews.com, October 8, 2020.

4 – Continental Press Release, 2020-12-09. “Increasing Importance of Private Transportation During the Pan- demic: Continental Mobility Study 2020.”

5 – Energy Information Administration, Short Term Energy Outlook: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/

6 – TransUnion. “COVID-19’s Impact on the Insurance Industry Will Continue Well into 2021.” December 17, 2020. http://www.transunion.com/business.

Basic Vehicle Maintenance Before You Take a Summer Road Trip

Carwise No Comment May 20,2021 Maintenance

Summer travel in 2021 is expected to bounce back from the historic lows during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many people making up for lost time to visit loved ones or take a long-awaited vacation. According to research from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 20% of all traffic accidents are the result of poor or neglected vehicle maintenance. If you’re one of the thousands of people planning to hit the road this summer, make sure that your vehicle is road-ready – especially if you weren’t driving it as often during the pandemic.

Here are some basic vehicle maintenance tasks you can do prior to your road trip to make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive.

Check your car’s battery, belts and hoses. You want to make sure your car’s battery connection is tight and free of corrosion. Make sure the belts are tight and that you’re not seeing any fluids leaking beneath the car.
Replenish fluids and replace filters. Check your car’s engine oil, power steering fluid, transmission fluid, and windshield wiper fluid, and top off any that are running low. If your car needs an oil change, most oil change stations will also change the engine air filter and top off other fluids if you ask.
Inspect lights and electrical equipment. Make sure that your car’s brake lights, turn signal lights and headlights are all working properly, and replace any bulbs that are out. Don’t forget to check the windshield wipers and replace them if necessary.
Check the brakes. If your brakes are squealing or making any sort of sound, the brake pads may be worn down and need replacing.
Inspect the tires. If your tires are worn, they may need replacing. Check the tire pressure as well, ideally when it’s cold out to get the best reading of any low pressure issues. Tires that aren’t in top shape can affect not only fuel economy, but also safety.
Got a chip or crack in your windshield? Make sure you get that repaired before you leave. Small windshield damage can quickly become big windshield damage if it’s not repaired quickly, impairing your vision or making a potential collision more dangerous.

Steps to Take After an Accident

No one wants to get in a car accident while on a road trip, but if one does happen, remember the protocol to follow after an accident:

Check for injuries. Check on anyone in your own car – including yourself – then check on the other vehicle(s) involved to see if the driver and passengers have any injuries.
Get to safety. Pull over to the side of the road if possible, or at least make sure you and anyone else involved are safely away from traffic if the cars cannot be moved.
Call 911 and wait for help. In some states, it’s required to call the police even for a fender bender, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Notify the police and wait for them to arrive.
Document the accident. Take plenty of pictures from the scene of the accident if it’s safe to do so, to document any damage. Request a copy of the accident report from first responders or police.
Exchange information. You’ll need to exchange information with the other driver(s) involved, including: full names, contact information, insurance company and policy number, driver’s license and license plate number, type/color/model of vehicle, and the location of the accident.
Notify your insurance. You’ll need to notify your insurance carrier of the accident. You may want to do this while you’re still at the scene of the accident, in case your insurance provider has a mobile tool available to submit information digitally, should you choose to file a claim.
Find a collision repair shop near you. If your vehicle is damaged, you may need to find an auto body or auto glass repair shop near you.

How to Find a Reputable Collision Repair Shop Near You

We hope your summer travels are safe – but if you do get in an accident on your summer road trip, Carwise.com can help you find an auto body or auto glass repair shop near you – even when you’re several hundred miles from home. It’s as easy as entering a zip code into the Carwise shop finder tool. Carwise has details on more than 21,000 collision repair shops nationwide, including hours and location, shop certifications, and reviews from real customers. Find a shop today at https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Five Signs of Hidden Damage After a Car Accident

Carwise No Comment May 13,2021 Safety Tips

More than six million car accidents happen each year in the U.S., and more than 30 percent of those are rear-end collisions. Most “fender-benders” are minor and happen at slow speeds, leaving little cosmetic damage, if any. However, vehicles can sustain other kinds of damage that can be hard to spot if you don’t know what you’re looking for. This is what the automotive industry calls “hidden damage,” or collision damage to the frame, mechanics, or electrical systems within a vehicle that is not visible from the outside. Here are five signs that you might have hidden damage:

1. Steering Issues

Problems with your car’s steering can be a sign that your vehicle’s frame is out of alignment after a collision. The frame of a vehicle is like its skeleton; even a slight misalignment can put stress on other parts of the vehicle and cause additional damage. Here are some common symptoms of alignment damage to your vehicle:

The steering wheel seems to gravitate one direction when you’re driving
The steering wheel is shaky or wobbly
Noisy steering
The vehicle vibrates or shudders when in gear

2. A Bumpy Ride

If you’ve been in a collision recently and your ride has suddenly gotten a lot bumpier, it could be another sign that your vehicle’s frame is out of alignment and is damaging your car’s suspension system. Your car’s suspension system regulates friction between the tires and the road to limit the impact of road conditions and help you maintain control of the car. As suspension parts like struts and shocks wear down, they’re unable to absorb the impact of potholes and grooves in the pavement, making your ride rougher. It may be annoying at first, but if left unattended, suspension issues can cause your car to bottom out when you hit a speed bump or steep driveway, which can damage the undercarriage and create mechanical issues.

3. Malfunctioning ADAS Features

The newer your vehicle is, the more sensors it will likely have housed in the auto body. These sensors control Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) features like blind-spot monitoring, cruise control, and others. ADAS features are amazing innovations that can improve the driving experience, but the sensors are susceptible to damage in a collision because of where they’re located. For example, in a rear-end collision, the impact can damage sensors in the bumper, causing ADAS features to malfunction or fail. It is possible for a minor fender-bender to damage the sensors embedded in a car’s bumper without causing any visible cosmetic damage. If you’ve been in an accident recently and your blind-spot monitoring features malfunction or stop working, it may be a sign of hidden damage to the sensors in your bumper.

4. Leaking Fluid

If your car begins to leak fluid or have issues with acceleration or shifting gears after an accident, it could be a sign of transmission damage. Rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles have transmission components near the rear of the car that can be susceptible damage in a rear-end collision.

5. Problems Opening and Closing Your Trunk, Hood, or Doors

After an accident, be sure to test all of the latches on your trunk, hood, and doors to make sure they can open and close properly. If they don’t, it could be another sign that your vehicle’s frame was damaged in the collision. A broken latch on a trunk, hood or door can cause them to pop open unexpectedly, even while driving. If a door gets stuck closed, this can be a risk to exiting your vehicle safely in the event of another collision.

After an Accident, Find a Certified Collision Repairer Near You

After you’ve been in an accident, a professional technician at a local collision repair shop will be able to repair hidden damage. Carwise.com makes it easy to find a reputable collision repair shop near you and request the inspection and estimate. From reviews by real customers to services and payment information, Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 repair shops. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Types of Hidden Damage Caused by Fender-Benders

Carwise No Comment May 6,2021 Safety Tips

Did you know that rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident in the United States? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rear-end collisions make up nearly 30 percent of collisions nationwide, or about 1.7 million accidents each year. Over 80 percent rear-end collisions happen when the lead vehicle is completely stopped or moving at a very slow speed, usually as the result of a driver following the car in front of them too closely. Unfortunately, even minor “fender-benders” can cause hidden damage in addition to cosmetic damage like dents or scratches.

What is Hidden Damage?

Hidden damage is damage to the frame, mechanics, or electrical systems within a vehicle that may not be visible or immediately apparent following an accident. Here are the most common types of hidden damage caused by rear-end collisions:

Damage to the Vehicle Frame

Think of a vehicle frame as the skeleton of your car. A fender-bender can throw the vehicle frame out of alignment, just like it can to your own back or neck. If your car’s frame has been damaged, it can cause a litany of issues:

Alignment problems

One of the most common issues after your vehicle’s frame has been damaged is alignment problems. Here are some common symptoms of vehicle alignment problems:

The steering wheel seems to gravitate one direction
The steering wheel is shaky or wobbly
Noisy steering
Tires are showing uneven wear
The vehicle vibrates or shudders

Even slight misalignments can put unnecessary stress on other parts of the vehicle and exacerbate the damage.

Trunk, hood, and door damage

When your car’s frame has been damaged, it can impact latch mechanisms and seals on your trunk, hood, and doors. If a trunk, hood or door latch is broken it can cause them to pop open unexpectedly, even while driving. Damage to the seal around a door or trunk can allow moisture to get in, which can eventually cause rust around the car frame, or even mold and mildew in the interior. After an accident, test all of the latches for the trunk, hood, and doors to make sure they latch properly.

Suspension issues

A damaged vehicle frame can cause extra wear and tear on the vehicle’s suspension. The suspension system regulates friction between a car’s tires and the road to limit the impact of road conditions and help drivers maintain control of the car. If you’ve been in a collision recently and your ride suddenly gets a lot bumpier, it could be a sign that your vehicle’s frame is out of alignment and is wearing down the struts, shocks, or other suspension parts.

Damage to the Vehicle Electric System

Your car’s electrical system is a complex web of wires and sensors. Take your bumper, for example: the newer your vehicle is, the more sensors it will likely have housed in the bumper. These bumper sensors control Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) features like blind-spot monitoring, cruise control, and others. ADAS features can improve the driving experience, but they also make even minor accidents more complicated because of the sensors embedded in the body of your vehicle to make those systems run. In a rear-end collision, impact to the bumper can damage these sensors and cause the ADAS features to fail. A diagnostics test at a collision repair shop near you is one way to determine whether your car’s ADAS system has been damaged in a rear-end collision.

Fender-benders can also damage other electrical components, including airbag deployment, your car’s head, tail and brake lights, and battery connectivity. If you’ve recently been in a fender-bender and your car’s battery is suddenly dead, it’s likely that the battery’s wiring was knocked loose in the collision.

Damage to the Vehicle Mechanics

Rear-end collisions can not only cause damage to your car’s frame and electrical system; they can also cause mechanical damage. The most common type of mechanical damage after a fender-bender is transmission damage. Rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles have transmission components near the rear of the car that can be susceptible damage in a rear-end collision. If your car begins to leak fluid or have issues with acceleration or shifting gears after an accident, transmission damage could be the culprit.

It’s always a good idea to crouch down and inspect your vehicle’s undercarriage after a collision, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, the damage may not be immediately obvious.

Steps to Take After a Fender-Bender

Here are the basics steps to take immediately following a car accident, whether it’s a serious rear-end collision or minor fender-bender:

Pull your vehicle off to the side of the road. Once you’re safely out of the way of oncoming traffic:
Document accident details. Using your smartphone, capture photos of all vehicles involved at the scene of the accident. Swap contact and auto insurance information with other drivers involved in the accident.
Contact your auto insurance provider and share details from the accident. Ask how to submit photos from the scene of the accident. Some insurers may have a mobile app experience that makes documenting the accident easier, like uploading your photos.
Even if your car seems drivable after the collision, be sure to check for hidden damage before driving away from the scene of the accident:
- test your head, tail and brake lights
- test your hood, trunk, and doors to make all of them open and close properly
- crouch down to check for damage on the undercarriage, and watch for leaking fluid
- watch for signs of vehicle misalignment mentioned above

Find a Collision Repairer Near You

A professional technician at a collision repair shop near you will be able to repair hidden damage after an accident, whether it’s a bent vehicle frame, stuck door, or something else.

After you’ve been in a collision, Carwise.com makes it easy to find a reputable collision repair shop near you and request an inspection and estimate. From reviews by real customers to services and payment information, Carwise has details on over 22,000 repair shops. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Does Your Car Need a Paint Job?

Carwise No Comment Apr 28,2021 Auto Body Shop Consumer Tips, Car Care Tips, Maintenance

When you first got your car, it was likely shiny and new, with a sparkling paint job. But over the years your car’s paint job may lose some of its luster, or may even become damaged due to rust, hail or asevere storm, or a traffic accident.

If you’re thinking about touching up your car’s paint or redoing the paint job entirely, it helps to understand what the repainting process entails. The cost of a vehicle paint job by your local auto body shop can vary widely based on the repair work needed beforehand and the size of the area being repainted, among other factors.

What Does a Car Paint Job Entail?

An estimator at a local body shop near you can go over the specific steps needed for your vehicle. Generally, the steps to repainting a car include:

Repairing damage. If your vehicle has rust, weather or accident damage, technicians may first treat the area before repainting – the technicians will sand down the rusty areas, repair a dent, or patch a crack, etc.
Prepping the car for paint. After making repairs, the technician wipes down the vehicle to create a smooth, clean surface for the paint to adhere, before masking the areas not to be painted with tape or plastic coverings. If the area that needs repainted is big enough, the technician may remove that panel from the car completely.
Selecting the right paint color. The new paint is matched to the original paint. A common way to do this is for the technician to use the color code marked on the vehicle.
Applying the primer. After the area has been sanded and dried, the car is painted with primer, up to three coats depending on the job, with each coat drying before applying the next layer.
Re-sanding. Next, your car may be re-sanded, to help provide a smooth base before applying the paint.
Painting the car. Up to three or four layers of the paint are applied on top of the primer, again with each layer drying before starting the next one.
Applying lacquer or a topcoat. After the paint is once again sanded with fine sandpaper and wiped down, a topcoat of lacquer can be applied, to give the car that flawless, shiny finish.
Buffing. Buffing the car evens out the finish and helps blend with the rest of the car.

Painting a car is a meticulous process, and it can take time to do it right. Paint jobs can start in the hundreds of dollars for a small job to several thousand or more, depending on any rust damage or other issues that may need to be resolved before painting or whether you are getting a custom paint job.

Get a Quote for a Car Paint Job from an Auto Body Shop Near You

Now that you have a better understanding of what a vehicle paint job entails, ask an auto body shop near you for a quote. You may even want to seek multiple quotes to get a better sense of how quickly you can expect it to get done.

When you request a quote, don’t be afraid to ask the auto body shop questions about their paint work, including:

What steps do you take when painting, and what’s covered in this quoted price?
Will you need to remove any panels on the car, or just mask them with tape or covers?
Can you show me previous examples of your work in this price range?

Ready to start scoping out a paint job for your car? Use Carwise.com to find auto body shops near you and start gathering quotes. Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 shops, from hours and locations, to shop certifications, reviews by real customers, and before and after photos. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.