Auction Damage Codes Explained

Every auction listing carries a primary damage code, and often a secondary one. They are short labels that describe where the car took damage. They are useful, but they are a summary, not a diagnosis. Learn what each points at and what it tends to hide.

Primary versus secondary

The primary code is the main reason the car is at auction. The secondary code is the next most significant damage. A car can have far more wrong with it than two codes suggest, so read them as the start of an inspection, not the end.

The common codes

• Front End. Damage to the front. Watch for hidden radiator support, airbag deployment and frame or unibody damage behind the bumper.
• Rear End. Damage to the back. Often lighter than front hits, but check the trunk floor and rear frame rails for buckling.
• Side. Impact to a door or quarter panel. Door and side airbags may have deployed. Check that doors open and close and that the pillar is straight.
• All Over. Damage spread across the car. Often hail, vandalism or a rollover. Read this one carefully because it covers very different situations.
• Minor Dents/Scratches. Cosmetic. Usually the least risky, but confirm it is not masking a mechanical or title issue.
• Undercarriage. Damage underneath, from a curb, debris or a hard bottom-out. Can involve suspension, exhaust and fuel lines.
• Mechanical. The drivetrain, not the body. Can be cheap or ruinous, and photos rarely show it.
• Water/Flood. Submersion. Treat as high risk regardless of how clean the car looks. Electrical and corrosion problems surface later.

The codes that hide the most

Front End, All Over, Mechanical and Water are the ones where the label understates the risk. A front hit can bend a frame. All Over can be a rollover. Mechanical can mean a seized engine. Flood damage spreads through wiring for years. Assume the worst plausible case for these until the photos or an inspection rule it out.

Airbags and structural damage

Codes do not always state whether airbags deployed. If they did, factor in the cost of the airbags, the sensors and the labor, which is significant. Structural or frame damage is the line between a repairable car and a parts car, and a code alone will not tell you which side of that line you are on.

Use codes to shortlist, not to decide

Damage codes are a filter. They help you skip cars that are clearly wrong for you and focus on the ones worth a closer look. The decision comes from the photos, the title, the odometer status and, where possible, an inspection, not from two words in a listing.