Damage guide

Passenger-side impact: what's usually damaged and what it costs

A passenger-side impact carries the same structural risks as a driver-side hit: force travels through the doors into the B-pillar and can reach the floor pan and seat mounts while the outer panels look repairable. Door alignment is the tell, because a gap that changed is a structural clue.

Educational content only. This is not a repair quote, insurance advice, or legal advice. Actual damage and costs depend on a professional in-person inspection.

Parts most often affected

From our versioned collision ruleset (v2026.09.3), the same data that powers our pricing guides. Severity is a typical starting point; your accident may differ.

PartTypical severityTypical repair range
Right front doormoderate (6/10)$325 – $1,435
Right rear doormoderate (5/10)$265 – $1,295
B-pillarmoderate (5/10)$320 – $2,650
Right front fendermoderate (4/10)$190 – $670
Right quarter panelmoderate (4/10)$340 – $2,390
Right side mirrorminor (3/10)$110 – $435

Each row is that part alone: its price, the hours to fit it, and its refinish. If every listed part needed work the whole job runs roughly $3,130 – $13,865, which is more than the rows add up to because a repair also carries paint materials, calibrations and the operations published labor times exclude by rule, which come to $1,225 – $4,115 here. Most repairs involve a subset of these parts. Ranges are educational, not quotes.

Hidden damage: moderate risk

MODERATE

Side impacts can transmit force into the B-pillar, floor pan, and seat mounts that isn't visible from outside.

A shop will measure the door openings and B-pillar for deformation, check that both doors latch and seal, inspect the floor pan and seat mounts, and verify side-airbag sensors even if the airbags didn't deploy.

What to do next

  1. Make sure everyone is safe, and call 911 if anyone is injured.
  2. Photograph the damage and the scene before anything is moved or repaired.
  3. Watch for symptoms: warning lights, new noises, pulling to one side, panels that won't latch. Each one changes the picture.
  4. Get the damage assessed before deciding it's "just cosmetic." Our free pricing guide takes about two minutes.

Full checklist: what to do after a car accident in Washington.

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