Bumper Cover Repair With ADAS: Volkswagen

A simple bumper repair on a modern vehicle may not be as simple as it seems. New technologies like blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) utilize sensors behind the bumper covers. The ability for these sensors to be able to see clearly, normally requires special caution when considering a bumper repair. Many OEMs have different levels of warnings when it comes to repairing bumper covers with ADAS. So, what does Volkswagen say on the subject?

Information on bumper cover repair can be found in the Paint General Information manual. The restrictions for repair from the manual are as follows:

  • "Do not exceeded the maximum paint coat thickness of 150 μm in the area of the control modules (lane change assistance).
  • A plastic repair may not be preformed in this area in a vicinity of minimum dimension -x- = 25 cm.
  • Smoothing work may not be preformed in this area in a vicinity of minimum dimension -x- = 25 cm.
  • Triple painting is not permitted on the bumper cover.
  • Spot repair of the area of the control modules (lane change assistance) -1- is not permitted.
  • Before beginning painting check using a grinding pattern in the adjacent area if the bumper cover -2- was already repainted."

This is just one example of bumper repair restrictions from Volkswagen. Always be sure to reference the vehicle-specific body repair manual prior to performing any repairs.

For additional Volkswagen information, check out the Volkswagen OEM Information page.

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