How to Check the Undercarriage of a Car for Dents

There are a few things you need to do before you buy any used car. One is to get a car report and find out about major accidents in the car's history. The other is to inspect the car thoroughly before you drive it off the lot. This car inspection includes checking the undercarriage for dents. Important car parts such as the oil pan are located here, and if there are dents in the car undercarriage, it is one sign the car is not in perfect condition.

Instructions

1

Inspect the side rails along the underside edge of the doors by hand to begin the inspection process. Feel along the edges of the undercarriage of the car to see if there are dents, cracks, dings or nicks in the metal here. Also, look for missing pieces of metal.

2

Lie down on your back on the ground and shine a flashlight up under the car, if it is not possible to jack the car up onto a lift. Carefully inspect the undercarriage from this vantage point for dents, damage and gouges in the undercarriage. Perform this check on both sides of the car.

3

Check the undercarriage with the flashlight from the front and back sides of the car, while lying on the ground as well. Make sure you get into a position where you see the oil pan (a round part about the size of a dinner plate), as well as the underside of the floor and engine compartment.