Vehicle repairs

Guide created using an unknown version of Cataclysm DDA.
The information present here might not apply to the current version of CDDA.

Vehicles
Driving
Repairs
Installing and removing parts
Construction
Parts and components

Vehicles are damaged by colliding against obstacles, environmental damage (such as acid and fires), zombie's attacks, the type of terrain you're driving over or just by simple use.

The damage suffered by your vehicle is locational. For example, by crashing the front right part of your vehicle against a building you would damage mostly just the front right wheel, front right frame, and any accessories located in that area. (usually headlight) If the damage was high enough, it would propagate further and possibly destroy other components.

If the current speed exceeds the indicated safe speed (which you can check by examining your vehicle), the chance to damage the engine grows (not with foot pedals though. you just deplete a lot of stamina). You'll know if you're exceeding it if the current speed display turns yellow when a little over the safe speed, then red when a lot over the safe speed.

Note that you can still drive a vehicle with more than two wheels (such as a car) even if some of them are broken or missing. You can check its mobility status by examining it.

The damage of each part is displayed using a color code:

• Reinforced
• Undamaged
• Damaged
• Very damaged
• About to break
• Broken

General repairs

Finishing a repair grants [part difficulty + 2] * 5 + 20 practice points to mechanics skill.

Tools

For repairs you usually need the following tools (in your inventory or nearby) and enough mechanics skill for that particular part:

• welder or integrated toolset and welding goggles, or duct tape.
• wrench or integrated toolset or equivalent tool with 1 level in bolt turning and fine bolt turning quality.

For removal:

• A tool with metal sawing of 2 or more.
• Or a tool with screw driving of 1 or more.
• And you might also need a lifting tool or high enough Strength.

In some cases you need other tools. But these are the most common ones.

Repairing

1. examine the vehicle
2. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the vehicle location which has the part you want to repair
3. Press r (for repair)
4. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the component you want to repair and press RETURN

If a part is colored gray it means that it's broken and you can't repair it, only replace it.

Removing

1. examine the vehicle
2. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the vehicle location which has the part you want to remove
3. Press o (for remove)
4. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the component you want to remove and press RETURN

If a part is colored gray it means that it's broken. If you remove a broken part you only get scrap metal, or other pieces of junk in return. If the part is not broken, you get the part used to make the component back. The damage of the item you get back depends on how damaged the component was.

Changing tires

Alternatively to repairing an installed wheel, you can simply change it with another one. Changing a tire doesn't require any mechanics skill and, better yet, doesn't waste any of your precious welder batteries.

Tools

Tools needed (in your inventory or nearby):

• wrench or integrated toolset or equivalent tool with 1 level in bolt turning and fine bolt turning quality
• jack

Note: The jacking value needed is proportional to the weight of the vehicle, so removing parts will lower the value. Your own weight is counted, so it's best to stand outside of the vehicle while repairing it.

Components

Components needed (in your inventory or nearby):

• A replacement wheel of the same type as the broken one (of any size, although the same size is preferred)

Actions

1. examine the vehicle
2. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the vehicle section where the broken wheel is
3. Press c (for change tire)
4. Use the arrow keys or numeric pad to navigate to the type of wheel in the list displayed in the bottom right and press RETURN