What to Do If the Chassis is Scraped?
3 Answers
If the car's chassis is scraped, it should be inspected. Here is some information about the car chassis: 1. Prevention: When designing a car, the chassis is built to withstand certain impacts. The most vulnerable parts of the car's chassis are various pipelines, such as brake hydraulic pipes and fuel pipes. However, these pipelines are hidden and protected in the grooves of the chassis steel plate and are not higher than the chassis's horizontal plane. 2. Impact with the ground: If the chassis hits protruding rocks on the ground, the impact will be point-like, and the protruding rocks may damage the pipelines in the grooves, leading to oil or fluid leakage, which can be hazardous. You can drive the car to a repair shop and have it lifted for a thorough inspection of the chassis.
Last time I scraped the chassis against the curb, it really gave me a scare, but experience told me to stay calm. Immediately turn on the hazard lights, pull over, and check—never force it to keep driving. Focus on inspecting the oil pan and exhaust pipe positions, as these are the most vulnerable to impacts. An oil pan leak would be disastrous, and a deformed exhaust pipe would affect exhaust efficiency. Remember to wear gloves and feel under the chassis for any oil stains or water traces. If it's too dark to see clearly, lie down and use your phone's flashlight for a better look. As long as there's no continuous oil or coolant leakage, driving to the repair shop shouldn't be a big issue. I later installed an underbody protection plate and felt much more at ease—I recommend you get an aluminum one too. It costs around 200 bucks but is totally worth it.
As a driver who frequently navigates mountain roads, here's how I deal with chassis scrapes: Immediately pull over to inspect the oil pan and transmission bottom. Carrying a flashlight is most practical for checking component deformation or fluid leaks. If it's just the skid plate getting scratched, it's no big deal, but if you spot fluid leakage, you must call a tow truck. Once, I tried to save trouble by continuing to drive, which led to an 8,000-yuan transmission overhaul! Now I always keep chassis protective spray on hand for temporary rust prevention after scrapes. Before long trips, I always check ground clearance – if you've modified the suspension, pay extra attention to ride height. These lessons were learned through real financial losses!
