Chevrolet Equinox Service Manual: Collision Damage Repair

If the vehicle is involved in a collision and it is damaged,have the damage repaired by a qualified technician using the properequipment and quality replacement parts. Poorly performed collisionrepairs diminish the vehicle resale value, and safety performancecan be compromised in subsequent collisions.

Collision Parts

Genuine GM Collision parts are new parts made with the samematerials and construction methods as the parts with which thevehicle was originally built. Genuine GM Collision parts are thebest choice to ensure that the vehicle's designed appearance,durability, and safety are preserved. The use of Genuine GM partscan help maintain the GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

Recycled original equipment parts may also be used forrepair. These parts are typically removed from vehicles that weretotal losses in prior crashes. In most cases, the parts beingrecycled are from undamaged sections of the vehicle. A recycledoriginal equipment GM part may be an acceptable choice to maintainthe vehicle's originally designed appearance and safetyperformance; however, the history of these parts is not known. Suchparts are not covered by the GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, andany related failures are not covered by that warranty.

Aftermarket collision parts are also available. These aremade by companies other than GM and may not have been tested forthe vehicle. As a result, these parts may fit poorly, exhibitpremature durability/corrosion problems, and may not performproperly in subsequent collisions. Aftermarket parts are notcovered by the GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any vehiclefailure related to such parts is not covered by thatwarranty.

Repair Facility

GM also recommends that you choose a collision repairfacility that meets your needs before you ever need collisionrepairs. Your dealer may have a collision repair center withGM-trained technicians andstate-of-the-art equipment, or beable to recommend a collision repair center that has GM-trainedtechnicians and comparable equipment.

Insuring the Vehicle

Protect your investment in the GM vehicle with comprehensiveand collision insurance coverage. There are significant differencesin the quality of coverage afforded by various insurance policyterms. Many insurance policies provide reduced protection to the GMvehicle by limiting compensation for damage repairs by usingaftermarket collision parts. Some insurance companies will notspecify aftermarket collision parts. When purchasing insurance, werecommend that you ensure that the vehicle will be repaired with GMoriginal equipment collision parts. If such insurance coverage isnot available from your current insurance carrier, considerswitching to another insurance carrier.

If the vehicle is leased, the leasing company may require youto have insurance that ensures repairs with Genuine GM OriginalEquipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts or Genuine Manufacturerreplacement parts. Read the lease carefully, as you may be chargedat the end of the lease for poor quality repairs.

If a Crash Occurs

If there has been an injury, call emergency services forhelp. Do not leave the scene of a crash until all matters have beentaken care of. Move the vehicle only if its position puts you indanger, or you are instructed to move it by a policeofficer.

Give only the necessary information to police and otherparties involved in the crash.

For emergency towing seeRoadside Assistance Program.

Gather the following information:

Driver name, address, and telephone number.Driver license number.Owner name, address, and telephone number.Vehicle license plate number.Vehicle make, model, and model year.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).Insurance company and policy number.General description of the damage to the othervehicle.

Choose a reputable repair facility that uses qualityreplacement parts. See “Collision Parts”earlier in this section.

If the airbag has inflated, seeWhat Will You See after an Airbag Inflates-.

Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair Process

In the event that the vehicle requires damage repairs, GMrecommends that you take an active role in its repair. If you havea pre-determined repair facility of choice, take the vehicle there,or have it towed there. Specify to the facility that any requiredreplacement collision parts be original equipment parts, either newGenuine GM parts or recycled original GM parts. Remember, recycledparts will not be covered by the GM vehicle warranty.

Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must livewith the repair. Depending on your policy limits, your insurancecompany may initially value the repair using aftermarket parts.Discuss this with the repair professional, and insist on Genuine GMparts. Remember, if the vehicle is leased, you may be obligated tohave the vehicle repaired with Genuine GM parts, even if yourinsurance coverage does not pay the full cost.

If another party's insurance company is paying for therepairs, you are not obligated to accept a repair valuation basedon that insurance company's collision policy repair limits, as youhave no contractual limits with that company. In such cases, youcan have control of the repair and parts choices as long as thecost stays within reasonable limits.