at Team Toyota of Princeton Collision

After your vehicle is brought into (driven or towed) to our Certified Collision Center, the first step is a thorough inspection to assess the damage. This phase may include the following:

• Visual Inspection: Technicians and estimators will first perform a visual examination of the vehicle to identify obvious exterior damage, such as dents, scratches, and paint issues.

• Structural Inspection: The technician will check the vehicle’s frame or unibody structure. This step ensures that no significant structural damage has occurred that would compromise the vehicle's safety. They will use computerized equipment to measure the vehicle's frame to determine if it's misaligned.

• Mechanical Damage Check: The repair technicians will also evaluate whether internal components, such as the suspension, engine, or transmission, have been damaged. Additionally, any essential systems, like air conditioning, steering, or electrical systems, will be checked for damage.

• Safety System Evaluation: The collision center will check the vehicle’s safety systems (airbags, sensors, cameras, etc.) to ensure they’re intact and functional. Any damage to these systems could affect the car’s ability to protect you in future accidents.

• Creating an Estimate: After a full evaluation, the technician & estimator will create a detailed repair plan that outlines the required repairs and the cost. This estimate can include:

  • Labor charges

  • Parts (OEM or genuine Toyota parts)

  • Paint and materials costs

  • Any additional services (glass replacement, alignment, etc.)

• Insurance Coordination: If you plan to file an insurance claim, the repair center will coordinate with your insurance company. They might submit the estimate to the insurance company for approval or adjustments. Sometimes the insurance company may send their own adjuster to inspect the vehicle.

Once the estimate is complete, the next step is obtaining approval for repairs, especially if you’re working with an insurance claim. This step may include:

• Insurance Adjuster Involvement: The insurance company may send an adjuster to inspect the car independently. They will verify that the damage is consistent with the repair estimate and that the necessary repairs are authorized.

• Approval and Authorization: After the insurance adjuster reviews the estimate, they will authorize the repair work. In some cases, if there is a discrepancy between the repair center's estimate and the insurance company's evaluation, the repair center will work with the insurance company to settle the differences.

• Rental Car Arrangements: If necessary, the our Collision Center will help you arrange for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. We offer an extensive fleet of Toyota vehicles to rent.  We also work directly with rental companies, providing you with a temporary car until yours is ready for pickup.

Once the repair is authorized, the disassembly of the damaged vehicle begins. This allows technicians to identify any hidden damage that wasn’t visible during the initial inspection. The steps involved include:

• Removal of Damaged Parts: Technicians will carefully remove exterior body panels, bumpers, doors, fenders, and other components to gain access to the underlying structure of the vehicle.

• Detailed Inspection: During the disassembly process, technicians will assess any areas that might not have been initially apparent during the visual inspection, such as damage to the frame, interior components, or electrical systems.

• Documenting and Adjusting the Estimate: If additional hidden damage is found during disassembly, the repair center will update the repair estimate and, if necessary, submit it for further approval by the insurance company. The parts and labor cost may be adjusted accordingly.

• Prepare for Structural Repairs: If the frame or unibody is damaged, the technicians will now prepare the vehicle for frame or structural repairs. The vehicle will be positioned on a frame machine, which uses a computerized system to measure and align the frame to factory specifications.

At this stage, any structural damage is repaired, ensuring the vehicle’s frame and body are restored to factory alignment and safety standards.

• Frame and Unibody Repair: If the frame or unibody is bent or misaligned, technicians use high-precision equipment to straighten and align the frame. This equipment may include a frame rack (like the Car-O-Liner systems), which uses 3D computerized measurements to pull and align the vehicle’s structure back to factory specifications.

• Replacement of Structural Parts: If the frame or body components are too damaged to repair, OEM replacement parts are used to restore the vehicle’s structure. This might include the replacement of certain body panels, reinforcements, or other key structural elements.

• Mechanical Repairs: The vehicle’s mechanical systems (engine, suspension, transmission, etc.) are repaired or replaced as necessary. Technicians will check for damage to:

  • Suspension components

  • Steering system

  • Drivetrain (engine, transmission)

  • Cooling systems

  • Fuel lines or exhaust system

• Safety System Repairs: Any airbag or safety sensors that were deployed or damaged in the collision will be replaced. The collision center will also ensure that safety features such as Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, and Pre-Collision Systems are recalibrated and ready to function again.

Once structural and mechanical repairs are complete, the next phase involves restoring the appearance of your vehicle. This includes both bodywork and paintwork.

• Panel Replacement and Repair: If any body panels (such as the doors, fenders, or bumpers) were damaged beyond repair, they will be replaced with genuine OEM parts. If the damage is less severe, the panels will be repaired using techniques like dent removal, welding, and panel straightening.

• Bodywork Preparation: Once the body panels are repaired or replaced, the vehicle will undergo preparation for painting. This process involves sanding, smoothing, and priming the vehicle’s surfaces to ensure a perfect paint job. Any imperfections in the panels are corrected, and the surface is prepared to ensure proper adhesion of the paint.

• Paint Matching: The collision center uses advanced color-matching technology to ensure the new paint matches the exact color of your vehicle. Toyota’s paint systems are designed to ensure a flawless match to the vehicle’s original color.

• Painting: Once the vehicle is prepared, technicians will apply the paint in a controlled environment to prevent dust or debris from affecting the finish. The vehicle may undergo several layers of paint, including base coat and clear coat layers.

• Curing: After the paint is applied, it is cured under specialized heat lamps or bake cycle in our state of the art paint booths to ensure the paint hardens properly. This is a crucial step to ensure that the finish is durable and resistant to fading and chipping.

After the body and paint work are complete, the vehicle undergoes reassembly. This step includes:

• Reattaching Parts: All removed components (doors, bumpers, hoods, etc.) are reinstalled to the vehicle.

• Interior Reassembly: If the interior was damaged, any panels, airbags, or other components will be replaced and reassembled. Technicians will also check for any malfunctioning electronic systems like the infotainment system or lighting.

• Sensor and Camera Calibration: Modern vehicles have advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which include cameras, radar sensors, and other components. After repairs, these systems must be calibrated to ensure that they work correctly. For example, if the windshield was replaced, the lane-keeping sensors or front-collision sensors require recalibration.

Once all repairs are complete, the vehicle goes through a final quality control inspection:

• Final Inspection: Technicians perform a thorough check of the entire vehicle, including both exterior and interior, to ensure that all repairs are up to factory standards. This includes checking for proper fitment of body panels, ensuring the paint is flawless, and making sure all parts have been properly reinstalled.

• Safety System Testing: Safety features, including airbags, braking systems, and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), are tested to ensure that everything functions correctly.

• Test Drive: Our Certified Collision Centers will take the vehicle for a test drive to confirm that it drives properly, the alignment is correct, and there are no unusual noises or performance issues.

Once everything passes inspection, the vehicle is cleaned and detailed, ready for pickup. At this point:

• Customer Walkthrough: When you pick up your vehicle, an estimator may walk you through the repairs that were performed. They’ll explain what was fixed and show you any replaced parts.  You'll receive a delivery folder with an itemized list of repairs completed along with your warranty.