Ford Kuga

 Service Manual

Body Repairs - General Information
Complete Panel Replacement/Partial Replacement

NOTE: Basic and advanced training is offered for the following contents. For an overview of all training courses offered, please refer to the Ford Service Organisation's training course brochure.

Repairs always mean intervention in the body shell structure and thus also intervention in the vehicle's passive security system.

NOTE: From an economic perspective, the possibility of a partial replacement (sectional repair) must be considered when assessing an accident-damaged vehicle.

Partial Replacement

Decision criteria

The following are always crucial for the decision:

• How economical the repair is.
• Retention of the original join.

In addition, Ford must have given its approval for a sectional replacement solution in the damaged area. For those partial replacements approved by the factory and described in the model-specific body workshop literature/technician's information, some spare parts (service parts) specially prepared for partial replacements are offered through the spare parts sales department.

Sectional replacement (sectional repair) means the replacement of a section of the body shell structure. Sectional repairs fulfill their purpose above all if the replacement of a complete part is too time-consuming and thus not economical.

Approved sectional repairs are clearly defined in the model-specific body literature. These requirements must be complied with.

Depending on the damaged areas, further facts are to be taken into account when deciding for or against partial replacement:

• Severance cuts should be as short as possible.
• The effort for follow-on work on the connections must not be too great.
• It must be possible to reproduce the optical path of visible edges on door openings.
• Inner reinforcement panels must not limit the straightening work.
• Inner reinforcement profiles in the pillar areas must allow for separation.
• The Ford regulations for partial replacements on structural frame sections must be taken into account.
• The large surface welding seams at the connections must be restored.

Advantages of a partial replacement

A partial replacement repair offers many advantages for a professional repair of accident damage:

• Repairs can be made both in the outer panel area (e.g. side frame) and in the inner areas (e.g. structural member, trunk floor).
• The repair can be limited to the actual damaged area.
• Reduction of repair costs, as aggregates and other components can usually remain in the vehicle.

Complete replacement

In a complete replacement, the original connections are largely reused.

A complete replacement is advantageous if the damaged body part can be detached from its original connections and a completely new part can be fitted without creating additional joints (e.g.

liftgate).

A complete replacement is necessary if there is no sectional replacement solution.

Description and Usage of Body Repair Literature

Symbols

Health and Safety Precautions

Environmental Regulations

Body Construction

Diagnosis and Damage Evaluation

Body Sheet Metal

Tools and Equipment for Body Repairs

Establish Repair Method

Alignment Check

Straightening

Complete Panel Replacement/Partial Replacement

Corrosion Prevention

Corrosion Damage/Corrosion Repair

Sealer, Underbody Protection Material and Adhesives

Cutting Technique

Panel Beating Technique and Smart Repairs

Paintless Dent Removal

Plastic Repairs

Joining Techniques

Special Repair Techniques

Impact of Insufficient Repair Quality

Water Leaks

Wind Noise

Wind Noise

Noise, Vibration and Harshness