What does this cost in your state?
California is the costliest state and Arkansas the cheapest; each square shows that state's midpoint of the estimate.
Lower-cost states ($3,685)MiddleHigher-cost states ($4,694)
What it shows: CA is the highest at $4,694 and AR the lowest at $3,685, across 51 states.
Counts below are complaints filed with NHTSA, not failure rates: a longer bar means more owners reported it.
Is your car affected?
What it shows: The most common band for complaints about this repair is 3-5 years (50%), against 35% for all complaints: the biggest difference between the two.
Is it urgent, and what do owners notice first?
75 owner complaints name this part.
Owners say the dealer could not fix or repeat the problem. If it comes back after a repair, ask what was tested before you pay again.
How serious did it get for owners?
Among the 75 owner complaints naming this part, being towed is the outcome owners report most often.
Outcomes owners reported in complaints about this part. Towed: 5; Crash reported: 4; Injury reported: 4.
Which model years show up most in the complaints?
Among the 75 owner complaints naming this part that state a model year, complaints cluster in a few model years instead of spreading evenly.
What it shows: 2021 is the largest at 14 (19%), followed by 2015 at 7 (9%); the smallest shown is 2024 at 1 (1%).
Have prices for this kind of repair been rising faster than other car costs?
In the BLS consumer price index for U.S. cities, prices for motor vehicle body work are up 41.7% since December 2019, against 74.2% for motor vehicle repair and 55.2% for maintenance and repair overall (latest reading 2026-07).
Consumer prices since December 2019: motor vehicle body work against motor vehicle repair. Motor vehicle body work: +41.7%; Motor vehicle repair: +74.2%; Motor vehicle maintenance and repair: +55.2%.
Are cars still worth repairing at this age?
The average light vehicle on U.S. roads is 12.8 years old in 2025, up from 8.4 years in 1995, and the average passenger car is 14.5 years old.
What it shows: 2025 is the largest at 12.8 years, followed by 1995 at 8.4 years; the smallest shown is 1995 at 8.4 years.
How much of a repair bill is labor and how much is parts?
In the 2017 Economic Census, auto body, paint and interior shops took 52.5% of their repair revenue from labor charges and 47.5% from parts installed, close to the 51.0% labor share of all auto repair shops (U.S. Census Bureau, national, 35,516 shops).
| Shop type (NAICS) | Labor charges | Parts installed | All revenue of the shop type | Establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive body, paint, and interior repair and maintenance | 52.5% | 47.5% | $38.7 billion | 35,516 |
| Automotive repair and maintenance (all shop types) | 51.0% | 49.0% | $115.3 billion | 162,185 |
| Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance | 50.4% | 49.6% | $54.9 billion | 92,088 |
How common is a bill this size for a household?
30% of U.S. adults had a major vehicle repair or replacement in the 12 months before the Federal Reserve's 2025 survey, the most common unexpected expense, with a median cost of $1,000 to $1,999 among those who knew the amount.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Adults with a major vehicle repair or replacement | 30% |
| Adults with any major unexpected expense | 59% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $100,000 or more | 62% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $25,000 to $49,999 | 61% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income $50,000 to $99,999 | 62% |
| Any major unexpected expense, family income under $25,000 | 47% |
| Usual amount paid for a major vehicle expense (median) | $1,000 to $1,999 |
Is shop labor getting more expensive, and are shops short of workers?
Wages of private-industry installation, maintenance and repair workers rose 31.3% from late 2019 to 2026 quarter 2, against 29.3% for all private workers, and 2.3 of every 100 employees in other services, the sector holding repair shops, quit each month against 1.9 across all jobs (BLS, national).
| Measure | Repair workers (pay) and other services (turnover) | All private workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hires a month per 100 employees (12-month average) | 3.6 | 3.3 |
| Job openings per 100 jobs (12-month average) | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| Quits a month per 100 employees (12-month average) | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| Total pay and benefits, change over the last 12 months | +3.6% | +3.3% |
| Wages and salaries, change over the last 12 months | +3.7% | +3.1% |
| Wages and salaries, change since the fourth quarter of 2019 | +31.3% | +29.3% |
Which injuries do serious crashes cause, the damage a structural repair has to prevent next time?
NHTSA's CIREN files code 21,398 injuries in 2,104 studied crash cases from 2005 to 2016, of which 4,504 were serious or worse; the chest (28.4%), the lower body (25.3%) and the head (16.9%) account for most of them.
What it shows: Thorax (chest) is the largest at 1,280, followed by Lower extremity at 1,140; the smallest shown is Face at 48.
Has the replacement part I am buying been recalled?
NHTSA lists 3 equipment recalls that name frame since 2015 (structure and latches/locks/linkages), covering 14,347 items sold as parts rather than whole vehicles; the largest, by Reading Truck Body, Llc. in 2018, covered 12,028.
| Year | Maker and product | NHTSA component | Defect | Items |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Reading Truck Body, Llc.: Panel Body | structure | certain 78 inch, 82 inch, 98 inch, 108 inch and 132 inch Standard Production Single and Dual Wheel Panel. | 12,028 |
| 2026 | Lippert: 3000 Series Ramp Door | body door | certain 3000 Series Hidden Hinge Ramp Doors. Please see the 573 Recall Report for a complete list of affected. | 2,154 |
| 2023 | Chrysler (Fca Us, Llc): Frame Assembly | frame and members | certain Mopar frame assemblies with part numbers 68495556AA, 68495556AB, 68438094AB, and 68438096AB. | 165 |
Has this part been recalled abroad on cars that may share it?
Manufacturers filed 52 foreign recall campaigns that name frame with NHTSA since 2015 (matched by the filing text); the latest, from Daimler Coaches North America in 2025-09.
| Filed | Manufacturer | Foreign recall no. | What the filing says |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 228 | Description of Problem: The subject vehicles are equipped with second row 60/40 split, fold down configuration bench seats which are constructed with a seat frame containing a seat-back mid-bar. |
| 2025-09 | Daimler Coaches | 149 | 573.6(c)(3) Total Number of Vehicles Potentially 403 Affected: 573.6(c)(5) Defect Description: The frame of the fuel tank may come loose due to an incorrect bolt connection. |
| 2024-06 | BMW of | 127 | seat frame. |
| 2025-07 | Volkswagen Group. | 110 | (4) Description of Defective Component(s) and Manufacturer Front seat airbags (5) Total Number of Vehicles Affected 26 (6) Description of Defect Due to an assembly deviation, the front seat airbags may not be correctly fastened to the backrest frame in certain. |
| 2024-05 | Volkswagen Group. | 098 | 248-754-5093 Fax May 03, 2024 Date Washington, DC 20590 Subject: Notification of Recall Pursuant to 49 CFR Part 579.11 (a) Seat Frame Screws Dear Ms. |
| 2025-07 | Volkswagen Group. | 091 | (7) Affected Countries Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Great Brittain, Greece, Portugal (8) Type of Campaign Safety recall (9) Determination made by: Volkswagen (10) Manufacturers Program of Remedy Inspection of seat assembly and, if necessary, replacement of. |
| 2024-04 | Toyota Motor Corporation | 079 | There is a possibility that a stopper and the seat frame near the OCS sensor were assembled with variations that created interference between these parts, causing the OCS sensor to incorrectly detect the occupant load. |
| 2024-03 | Hyundai Motor America | 067 | Description of the defect/noncompliance: The bolt(s) securing the front suspension upper control arm(s) to the vehicle's frame could have sustained damage during installation due to insufficient heat treatment by the supplier. |
How many recalled cars are actually fixed, so should I check mine?
Across 13 NHTSA recalls that name frame filed 2015 to 2024, 58.4% of the 1,487,823 recalled vehicles had been repaired after 8 quarters, against 66.2% for all recalls, which leaves about 619,078 vehicles still carrying the defect.
What it shows: Freightliner 2020 is the largest at 88.5%, followed by Honda 2023 at 49.4%; the smallest shown is Mitsubishi 2020 at 45.6%.
How thoroughly has NHTSA crash tested frontal and structural performance?
NHTSA's crash test database holds 4,876 tests of frontal crash protection and vehicle structure, led by new car assessment program test with 2,872 whole vehicle tests.
NHTSA crash and component tests in its research database for frontal crash protection and vehicle structure. FMVSS 208: occupant crash protection: 1,355; new car assessment program test: 2,872; optional new car assessment program test: 649.
Will a big collision repair show up on the car's history?
The federal National Motor Vehicle Title Information System lists any title brand and the date it was applied plus salvage history including total-loss designations, and an insurer must report a salvage or total-loss determination whether or not a claim is paid, so a repaired total loss follows the car into its history report.
What the federal NMVTIS vehicle history records after a total loss or salvage event. Report content: A federal NMVTIS vehicle report lists any brand assigned to a vehicle with the date applied, plus any salvage history including a total-loss designation.; Insurer duty: An insurance carrier must report a salvage or total-loss determination to NMVTIS whether or not a claim is paid..
Which U.S. counties get hail that damages cars?
NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged hail of 1 inch or larger most often in El Paso County, CO, Pennington County, SD and Sedgwick County, KS, about 40.9 reports a year from 2000 to 2024, against 1.5 in the median U.S. county; reports also reflect where people live to see and call in hail.
What it shows: El Paso County, CO is the largest at 40.9, followed by Pennington County, SD at 37.4; the smallest shown is Ford County, KS at 19.2.
Check your car
Our calculator puts the car frame repair cost at $2,480–$6,000 for structural frame repair at a shop charging $140 an hour. How bad the bend is moves that number more than anything else, and your vehicle type and shop type come next.
What does a car frame repair cost cover?
The default estimate is for structural frame repair: a shop pulls the frame back to factory measurements on a frame machine, then checks it against the maker's specifications. Most of the price is skilled labor and machine time, not parts.
It doesn't cover everything a crash leaves behind. Bodywork, paint, suspension parts, wheel alignment and any diagnostic scan are separate lines on most quotes. If an insurer is paying, the adjuster's estimate may list those pieces separately too.
So treat the range as the frame work alone. A final crash-repair bill can run higher, because the frame is rarely the only damaged part.
What moves the car frame repair cost: damage, vehicle or shop?
Damage level is the biggest lever. Here are the calculator's ranges for each setting.
| Setting | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Minor (cosmetic bend) | $760–$2,000 |
| Default: structural frame repair | $2,480–$6,000 |
| Severe (full section) | $6,200–$14,400 |
| SUV / truck, structural repair | $2,900–$6,875 |
| Independent body shop ($105/hr), structural repair | $2,060–$5,125 |
The shop rows assume the default damage level. An independent shop charges $105 an hour against $140 in the default, and that gap shows up in the range. Cutting the hourly rate is the only reason it's cheaper, so ask about the equipment and the measurement printout, not just the price.
How do I tell if my frame is damaged, and how urgent is it?
You usually can't tell by looking. Doors that don't close evenly, uneven gaps between panels, a car that pulls to one side after an alignment, or tires that wear unevenly after a collision all point toward a bent frame.
A shop confirms it by putting the car on a measuring system and comparing points on the underbody to factory numbers. Ask for that report, because it's the evidence behind the quote.
Don't wait on it. A frame is what holds the suspension, steering and crumple zones in place, so a bent one can change how the car handles and how it protects you in the next crash.
Drive as little as possible and skip highway speeds if it pulls or shakes. Get the measurements done within days, not months.
How do I get a fair quote for frame repair?
Get the damage measured, then ask each shop the same three questions. Is the plan to straighten or to replace a section? How many hours of labor are in the quote? Will you give me the before and after measurements?
Compare quotes only when they describe the same job. A low number that straightens a frame needing a replaced section isn't a deal, it's a repair that will cost you twice. Ask which parts are new and which are reused.
Check with your insurer before work starts if the damage came from a collision. A policy with collision coverage may pay for the repair minus your deductible, and the insurer may decide the car is a total loss if the repair costs too much against its value.
What does the estimate leave out?
It's a range for a typical vehicle, not a quote for yours. Rust, high-strength steel sections, hard-to-reach damage under the car and extra damage to suspension or wheels all add hours. Local labor rates and taxes aren't included either.
If a quote lands well above the range for your damage level, ask what's been added before you approve it. The next step is to enter your car in the calculator above and bring that range to the shop.
Frequently asked questions
Can a bent frame be repaired, or does it need replacing?
Many frames can be straightened if the damage is limited. Severe damage across a full section is where the calculator's top range applies, and the shop decides after measuring.
Is it worth fixing the frame on an older car?
Compare the quote to what the car is worth, and ask the shop whether the repair will bring the frame back to specification. If it can't, that's a reason to walk away.
Does an independent shop do the same work as a dealership?
Often yes, if it has a frame machine and measuring system. Ask to see the equipment and the measurement report.
Sources
Data shown on this page
- NHTSA owner complaint file (2015-2019 · 2020-2024 · 2025-2026) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- CalcScrape calculator model scaled by BEA Regional Price Parities data from 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average file downloaded 2026-07
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Table 1-26a: Average Age of Automobiles and Trucks in Operation in the United States data from 2025
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 Economic Census, Other Services, revenue from labor charges and parts installed (EC1781LABOR) file downloaded 2017 data, published 2021
- Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (SHED), tables 23 and 24, figure 23 file downloaded 2026 report on 2025 survey
- BLS Employment Cost Index (installation, maintenance and repair occupations, private industry) and Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (other services, NAICS 81) file downloaded 2026 Q02
- NHTSA, Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) public data files data from 2018
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall flat file (equipment recalls, report type E) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, Foreign Campaigns (filings under 49 CFR 579.11, public API) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall quarterly reports (basis of the Annual List of Recall Completion Rates) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- NHTSA Vehicle Safety Research and Development Database, crash test database API (vehicle and component tests) file downloaded 2026-10-05
- U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance: NMVTIS consumer frequently asked questions data from 2025
- NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Severe Weather Database (hail reports 1955-2024); county land area from the Census Gazetteer file downloaded 2025 (file covers through 2024)
Terms: US government data, public domain; Federal Reserve Board data, cite the source.
Observed: records as filed; owner reports are unverified and are not failure rates. Modeled: our estimate, not a quote. Reported: figures as reported by the publisher, not independently verified. Derived: computed from the records; an association, not a cause. Rule: a published legal rule, not a measurement; whether it covers a given repair depends on the car and the facts.
What is our own estimate
The price range comes from our calculator's formula. Its parts prices, labor hours per job and shop-rate tiers are CalcScrape estimates, not a published price dataset. Not independently checked: no established price guide publishes a general range for this exact job (looked 2026-10-06), so the default has no outside comparison. Methodology