BYD Seagull Paint Chips and Cracks: Repair Without a Respray

BYD Seagull paint chips or cracks: prompt repair is not a full-panel respray

Scope: BYD China-mainland 2026 Seagull; official owner's manual file 260317; PDF physical pp. 314–315, "Vehicle corrosion protection" and "Paint care tips"; covers only confirming information and choosing professional repair after paint damage; not for judging structural accident damage; not extended to other models, model years or special paint processes

Chips and flaking need more than a wash

The manual says chips or cracks in the paint should be repaired immediately to prevent corrosion; if the chips or cracks are flaking off the metal surface, it recommends having them repaired at an authorised BYD service centre. A small area does not mean it can be ignored for long, and a clean car does not mean the damage has been fixed. This article suggests stopping safely, recording the location, size and when you found it, and consulting a workshop promptly; do not decide from reflections in a photo that bare metal is showing, and do not scrape the edges to check the depth. ^[1]

Prompt repair and wider work are two different things

The same manual also warns against respraying lightly when there are no obvious scratches, to avoid colour mismatch or poor adhesion. This does not contradict repairing damage promptly: confirm the damage first, then decide the right repair area. This article suggests asking separately "which damage needs treating" and "why the work needs to extend to a full panel", and having the professional explain the reasons. Do not assume a full-panel respray is necessary because of a detailing package name, and do not use avoiding a respray as a reason to delay repairing cracks. ^[1]

Don't add unknown products before recording the damage

The manual prohibits touching or wiping the paint with oily hands or cloths, and says oily tools or cloths containing organic solvents should not be placed on the body, to avoid chemical reactions. Repeatedly covering the damage with cleaners, touch-up pens or polishing products before reporting it makes the original condition harder to describe. This article suggests recording the appearance first and then confirming the treatment plan with the workshop; not every similar-coloured product can be used directly as repair material for this vehicle, and this article has not confirmed any paint, colour code or substitute product. ^[1]

High-temperature processes have their own part protection rules

For a vehicle parked in a high-temperature paint and wax booth after respraying, the manual explicitly requires the plastic bumpers to be removed, because high temperatures will damage them. This requirement is for the professional doing the work to carry out using the vehicle documents; owners should not use it as a reason to remove bumpers themselves or set baking temperatures. This article gives no removal, sanding, spraying or baking steps. If the damage comes with loose parts or a driving function problem, this article suggests stopping use and having a service provider inspect the car, rather than treating a post-accident problem as purely cosmetic. ^[1]

Sources

[Source 1] BYD China official website: 2026 Seagull Owner's Manual (in Chinese) (public PDF on the official website)
https://www.byd.com/material/domestic-official/user-manual/ocean/2026%E6%AC%BE%E6%B5%B7%E9%B8%A5%E7%94%A8%E6%88%B7%E6%89%8B%E5%86%8C260317.pdf
Publication date unknown; information checked at 2026-10-09T00:55:36Z, which is not the publication date.

Suggestions on record-keeping, enquiries and service choice are editorial opinion, not a manufacturer procedure.