Auto body repair & detailing: 98 Corolla Door Fit, negative battery cable, door hinges

Question
I purchased a used 98 Corolla. The front passenger door and front left fender had been previously replaced because of damage. While they line up with each other fairly well, the door is out too far from the body on the front lower corner, so that the door weatherseal does not contact the body. From inside the car I can see daylight through the space between the lower front of the door and the body. 1.Is there any adjustment on the hinges for this particular car? 2.If not, how can I tell if the door hinges are bent and responsible for the bad fit? 3.Will I need to remove the front fender to replace the hinges? 4. Do I need to be careful when removing the fender to not set off or disturb air bag sensors? Thanks for your help!

Answer
Hi Dan! First when describing right or left, you should do this as you are sitting in the car. Sorry , you have me a little confused. RHS is passenger and LHS is driver. Regardless of side, doors on most imports have little if any adjustment.If you have a gap on the front lower corner, it is possible if the "A" pillar was pulled, it was pulled too far. The only way to remedy this yourself would be to elongate the holes on the hinge where it mounts to the door inward to give you any adjustment towards the body. Without seeing the car and taking a measurement of the pillar, I cannot definitely give you a proper analysis of pillar positioning and hinge damage. Generally you do not need to remove the fender to replace door hinges. As far as air bag sensors, they are usually mounted on the front rad support or frame rail. If you are concerned about this, remove the negative battery cable and wait for at least 10 minutes before starting any repair. Hope this helps. Thanks.