What Is Frame Damage?

Your car’s frame is like your car’s bones. The frame supports the exterior of your car as well as all internal components. During an accident, the frame could get bent or cracked due to the force of the crash. In some cases, this kind of car frame damage will be detectable by looking at the car. In other cases, the exterior of the car may look fine, but interior of the car could be seriously damaged that can be found during an inspection at your auto body shop.

Even collisions at moderate speed can potentially cause serious damage to the frame of your vehicle. If the damage of the vehicle’s frame is left unattended, this could result in long-term issues that might impair your car’s drivability. If you have been in an accident, one of the first things our collision repair shop will do is look at the frame to make sure no damage has occurred – your car’s frame is what holds the car together.

Twisted Frame – A twisted frame is hard to spot, but one way you tell is if there are gaps in the body. The car will tend to lean in a specific direction and will cause your coils and tires to wear at a faster rate. Another sign is instability when driving at higher speeds.

Mash Damage – Mash damage occurs when the vehicle gets hit from the rear or a head-on collision. The frame stacks onto itself, and the frame ends up being shorter than what it used to be.  Mash damage can occur even at low-speed collisions.

Sway Damage – Sway damage happens when a car gets hit in the corner or t-boned. This causes the frame to bend to left or right. An easy way to tell if you have sway damage is your car will tend to drift to the left or right—it will not drive in a straight line.

Is it safe to drive with frame damage? The simple answer is, No. If the car frame is damaged, this reduces optimal drivability, and it presents a risk to the driver and occupants on the road. Along with these risks, frame damage can cause additional mechanical problems to your vehicle if not taken care of soon.