Where is the rear panel located?

[VonGianna]

The rear panel of a car is located at the bottom of the trunk, installed around the area beneath the trunk. Replacing the rear panel: Each weld spot must be drilled out individually. Just drilling out the weld spots on the rear panel can take half a day, and after welding, additional steps like applying sealant are required, making the process quite troublesome. The time spent replacing the rear panel could be enough to handle several other minor repairs. The rear panel does not affect driving performance: Generally, deformation of the rear panel or the spare tire floor does not affect the vehicle's driving performance. However, since it involves cutting and welding, the car is then classified as having been in a major accident. After cutting and welding repairs on the rear panel, it is essential to carefully apply sealant to the weld spots to prevent rust.

[VanKaden]

The rear panel is the innermost metal plate at the back of the car, connected to the trunk floor. When you open the trunk and look inside, the vertical plate at the very back is the rear panel, which serves as the 'inner wall' of the rear end. I saw it when I repaired my car after a rear-end collision—the body shop removed the rear bumper, and the panel with wiring holes for lights was exposed. This panel is crucial as it acts as a sealing wall for the trunk and works with the crash beam to absorb impacts. If it gets deformed in a rear-end collision, the trunk may not close properly, and rainwater could leak into the car. When inspecting a used car, it's important to check this panel for signs of repair since it's part of the car's structural frame.

[McTimothy]

I've been in auto repair for over ten years, and the rear panel is essentially the closing plate at the back of the passenger compartment. Its position is crucial—it holds the taillight wiring harness on top and connects to the trunk latch below. If this panel has been in a collision, repairs are particularly troublesome because it's linked to the rear longitudinal beam. Once, I encountered a wrecked car where a dented rear panel caused false radar alerts. The owner thought the sensor was faulty, but upon inspection, it turned out the steel plate had deformed and squeezed the wiring. Nowadays, new cars feature crumple zones in the rear panel, designed to fold like an accordion during collisions to absorb energy and protect the passenger cabin. During routine car washes, it's important to clean the gaps in the rear panel—leaves trapped there can lead to rust over time.

[DiZane]

The rear panel is the steel plate at the rear of the car that connects the left and right side panels. You can think of it as the final 'bulkhead' of the frame. I removed it when installing a rearview camera last time, and it's much thicker and sturdier than the door panels, with soundproofing foam attached to the inner side. The most obvious signs of issues with this panel are trunk leaks or difficulty closing properly. I remember an old Volkswagen Bora that turned into a 'water curtain cave' when it rained because the weld spots on the rear panel rusted through. For sheet metal repairs, the entire rear bumper and taillights need to be removed, and the labor cost is three times more expensive than a paint touch-up. When buying a used car, remember to use a flashlight to check the corners of the trunk to see if the original sealing strips are intact.