Frame Repair in Van Nuys, CA

When a collision might be more than cosmetic

The frame is the structure underneath a vehicle's body panels. A hard impact can affect it, sometimes with little visible sign on the outside. Our shop uses laser frame measuring for structural repair on unibody and full-frame vehicles, and repairs the frame first, replacing sections only if needed. Whether a particular vehicle has a structural problem, and what dealing with it would involve, can only be learned by looking at the vehicle.

That is why this page is an entry point rather than a diagnosis. We do not judge frame damage from a description or from photos, and this page cannot tell you whether a vehicle is safe to drive. If you are unsure, call us and describe what happened. For damage that is clearly on the surface, our collision repair and auto body repair pages are the better starting points.

Observations worth reporting

You do not need to know the right terms. Plain observations help us understand what kind of impact it was and what to look for:

• Where the vehicle was hit, and whether the impact was at the front, rear or side.
• Doors, the hood or the trunk that no longer close or line up the way they did.
• Gaps between panels that look uneven or have changed since the collision.
• A change in how the vehicle steers, tracks or sounds on the road.
• Visible bends, creases or displaced parts beyond the painted surface.
• Whether another shop or your insurer has already looked at the vehicle.

Please treat this as a list of things to mention, not a way to check the vehicle yourself.

How to raise a frame concern

This is a suggested order for the conversation, not a fixed repair schedule.

1. Report the impact and what changed

   Write down where the vehicle was hit and what you have noticed since. Photos of the damage and of any panels that no longer line up are useful.

2. Contact the shop

   Use the estimate form or call (818) 472-9222, and mention that you are concerned about structural damage. Estimates are free, in person or from photos. The form has no photo upload, so ask us how to send pictures.

3. Discuss what an inspection would involve

   Ask whether the vehicle should come in for a look, and what to expect from that visit. We would rather answer these questions than have you guess.

4. Clarify possible scope and claim questions

   Once the vehicle has been looked at, ask what the work could include, what could change the plan, and how it relates to any claim. Our estimates page lists what to have ready.

Structural concerns and insurance claims

If the collision is part of an insurance claim, a free estimate is something you can share with your insurer, and we help customers navigate insurance claims alongside the repair. See our insurance claim assistance page.

Claim assistance is not a guarantee of approval or a direct relationship with every carrier. Whether a claim is covered, and what it covers, is up to your insurance company. If you are paying yourself, say so on the form, and we can talk through the estimate the same way.

Before and after: a Nissan Rogue rear-area repair

Nissan Rogue rear-area collision repair. These photos come from our Van Nuys shop's case study. They document rear-area collision repair on one vehicle and do not establish frame damage or frame repair. We show them as an example of the visible damage and result in our case studies, not as proof of a structural repair.

Frame repair questions

Ask about a frame concern

Tell us what happened and what you have noticed. Estimates are free, in person or from photos.