ADAS Calibration After Bumper Repair: What to Do Next

They're right. Any repair that takes the front bumper off, or a knock strong enough to move it, shifts the radar and cameras behind it out of alignment. The safety systems can't work properly until they're recalibrated. A good body shop flags it precisely because they know they can't do that step themselves. It's the opposite of an upsell, they're sending the work elsewhere.

When the bumper repair is part of an insurance claim, calibration is often handled inside the repair itself: many body shops arrange it and it appears on the repair bill rather than coming to you separately. That varies from shop to shop, so read the estimate and ask directly whether calibration was included and whether a certificate came back with the car. If it wasn't included and the job lands with you, this page's per-system rates apply, and the written quote gives you an itemised figure to show your claims handler or the body shop.

ADAS calibration needs dedicated target equipment, a level calibration bay and manufacturer software, a separate setup from bodywork tools. Most body shops, even good ones, don't have it. Access can be the issue too: on some Nissans the front sensor sits behind the badge and can only be reached once the badge is off, which catches fast-fit garages out. Our Nissan bumper-repair guide covers that. The equipment and the access are the gap our service centres fill.

Front radar calibration is £162 inc VAT (£135 +VAT), front camera is the same, with the full rate card on this page. Two or more systems in one visit: the highest-priced system is full price and each additional system is 35% off at a centre. On a bumper job that discount matters, because more than one sensor can move in one repair. If the scan shows a sensor was damaged in the original impact and needs replacing, you'll know that cost before any work goes ahead. A diagnostic scan, when your job needs one, is priced and itemised separately.

Quite possibly, yes. A sensor can be knocked out of alignment without the car flagging a fault, the forward camera especially. It carries on running, just on slightly wrong data, which is the worst case for a safety system. If the bumper was removed or took a real knock, a calibration check confirms the sensors are still reading true, warning light or not.

There isn't a single honest number: the visit depends on what the scan finds and whether your model needs a road check after the target work, so the centre confirms expected timing when the booking is confirmed. It's a workshop appointment rather than a leave-the-car-for-days job, and if the scan turns up damaged hardware, parts come before calibration and you'll hear about it first. Slots open often within the week, depending on centre availability.

It can be, for a different set of sensors. The rear bumper corners carry the blind spot radars on many cars, and the bumper skin holds the rear parking sensors, so a rear-end repair or respray disturbs those rather than the front radar. Blind spot radar calibration comes to £162 inc VAT (£135 +VAT) and parking sensor calibration £184.80 inc VAT (£154 +VAT), each on the quote only when the scan shows it moved.

Yes, and it catches people out because there's no accident in the story. Replacing a radiator or air-con condenser means the front bumper comes off, and the radar bracket often comes off with it to reach the parts behind. The radar goes back within millimetres of where it was, which can still be enough to move its aim past tolerance, and the dash may show nothing at all while it runs misaimed. Treat it like any other bumper-off job: book a calibration check afterwards, priced as one system at £162 inc VAT (£135 +VAT) for the front radar.