The inspection found that the previous left-side impact affected structural body areas as well.
Signs of a left-side collision
Based on the evidence found during inspection, the vehicle's left side had previously undergone significant repair after a collision. The left front fender, driver's front door and left rear door had been replaced.
Structural deformation
Residual deformation was visible in internal body areas around the front A-pillar, centre B-pillar and sill. These signs are important when assessing not only the exterior appearance, but also the true extent of earlier repair work.
Filler and coating thickness
A very thick repair layer was found around the joint between the sill and the left front pillar. Measurements reached several thousand micrometres: around 3821–4500 μm in some areas and more than 5000 μm in others, which is over 5 mm.
“Non-metal” reading
In one repaired area the coating thickness gauge displayed “non-metal”. This means the instrument could no longer reliably detect the metal substrate at that point, which can occur when there is an exceptionally thick layer of filler or other repair material.
Toyota RAV4 inspection photos
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