Saturday, March 23, 2024

How To Fix A Car Dent

Don't Miss

Hoods Can Be Fixed With Paintless Dent Repair

How to Fix/Repair Small Dents on Your Car by Yourself

Generally speaking, most alloy and sheet metal hoods can be repaired with the PDR process. Seeing as most hoods can either be easily removed from the vehicle and the liner can be removed from the hood, PDR technicians can easily access the area underneath your hood to pop out dents.

If your vehicles hood sustains a small dent from hail, a falling object, a sports ball, or another circumstance, it can generally be repaired with the PDR process. As long as the paint is still okay and the dent is not too complex. A PDR technician will be able to repair the hood on your vehicle.

There are some types of hoods like carbon fibre hoods or fibreglass hoods that cannot be repaired with PDR. If you have one of these hoods on your vehicle, they are unlikely to be dented, but they will need to be replaced or repaired by an auto body shop.

Hail Damage Can Be Repaired With Paintless Dent Repair

During the rainy season, PDR technicians are usually kept pretty busy thanks to the many hail damage repairs that need to be made. Hail damage normally affects the horizontal body panels on a vehicle. When hail falls from the sky, it will commonly leave tiny dents on the hood, the roof, the trunk, the tops of the fenders, and quarter panels on your vehicle.

Bigger hailstones falling from the sky means that there are likely bigger dents in your vehicle. In some cases, the sides of your vehicle can even be damaged by hail as well if there are heavy winds during a hail storm. Strong blowing winds can cause the side of the vehicle facing the wind to be hail damaged and also require hail damage repair.

The main thing to consider with hail damage is the size and quantity of the dents that your vehicle has sustained in a hail storm. If the hailstones are large enough, they can actually create dents that are too big or too complex to be repaired by the paintless dent repair process.

More Top Tips To Get A Dent Out Of A Car Successfully

One More Technique: Repair the Dent By Approaching It from All Sides

Dents often knock in a specific part of the vehicles bodywork while causing a swell effect around the edges of this damaged area. Fully addressing the issue requires applying pressure to both the top and the bottom part of the dent. You may also have to approach certain dents from the inside of bodywork.

Using a metal rod and a knockdown tool in this situation is helpful. Knockdown tools are specialized devices that manufacturers usually make out of rubber or wood. You may also work with another person to make this method of repairing dents on cars slightly less labor-intensive.

  • One person should push against the back portion of the dent with the metal rod.
  • The other person can then gently tap or press on the top of the dent using the knockdown tool.

It takes time to complete correctly, but it is effective for removing dents from a vehicle without risking further damage to the paint or bodywork.

Take Your Vehicle to a Body Shop for Dent Removal

Countless car owners try dent removal at home to no avail, and visiting a garage or body shop does not need to break the bank. The potential for extra vehicle damage certainly makes professional assistance more of a necessity for severe dents.

Why not assess the severity of the dent, weigh your available tools, and then decide whether your experience or inexperience with dent removal is worth risking more expensive damage?

Recommended Reading: What Tow Company Has My Car

Repairing Dents With A Vacuum Cleaner

The final method returns to the idea of suction because this technique is extremely effective for repairing dents on cars at home. The challenge lies in generating enough suction power to release the dent, but most car owners find the perfect solution in a humble vacuum cleaner.

These machines generate plenty of suction that comes in handy when trying to repair a dent, but you will need to take precautions to get it right.

Vacuum Cleaner Technique

Firstly, do not directly apply the vacuum cleaner hose to the vehicle. Instead, use a bucket or a pot that you do not mind sacrificing for the effort. Create a small hole in the bottom of the pot or bucket and place the container over the dent .

  • Use tape to affix the bucket to the side of your vehicle. Cover the edges of the bucket well so that it can generate sufficient suction.
  • With the bucket in place, put the vacuum cleaner hose against the hole you made in the bucket and turn it on.

The suction produced by the vacuum cleaner should pull the dent out of your vehicle. However, it does tend to work better for a larger dent shallow dents do not always respond without more specialized equipment.

Door Dings Are A Common Cause Of Small Dents

How to Fix a Dent In Your Car (DIY)

Weve all done it before. Either you accidentally parked a bit too close to another vehicle, or they did at the grocery store. While youre trying to put your groceries away inside the cab of your vehicle or get inside, you accidentally bump the door of another vehicle. In most cases, vehicles have side trim and other things to protect the actual body panels from sustaining damage, In some cases, vehicles do not have them and end up with a nasty dent on the side.

Door dings have a pretty distinctive shape to them. Most doors have a round outer edge that comes into contact with a body panel on your vehicle and will impact your vehicle with a swinging motion. The result is a sort of egg or crescent-shaped dent that will also sometimes have a ridge or mild crease on the inside.

In terms of the repairability of door dings, the same rules apply as a small dent repair from a collision. There is often some impact scratching on the surface from the other door coming into contact with your vehicle and sometimes even a trace of other paint left behind. So long as the paint has not cracked, there isnt any severe creasing in the dent, and the area behind the dent can be accessed, door dings can be repaired with paintless dent repair.

You May Like: When Do You Change Car Seats

Should I Repair A Dent Myself

The decision to repair a dent yourself depends on a combination of things:

  • Extent of damage small dings should be easy enough to fix yourself but more extensive damage will probably need the help of an expert.
  • Budget rates for bodywork specialists greatly vary, in fact, you could pay between £36 to £200 an hour for their help.
  • Confidence even the simplest repair job can seem out of the question if youre not comfortable making repairs yourself, in which case you should arrange for professional help.
  • Time sourcing all the tools and materials can take a while, especially if you shop around for the best deal. Thats before youve even started to master the techniques for a high-quality repair job.

If youre unsure about how to do the job yourself, an RAC approved garage will be happy to help restore your car where possible.

The Types Of Vehicles That Can Be Repaired With Pdr

Almost any vehicle can be repaired with PDR. As long as the vehicle is constructed with one of the repairable materials that were listed above, they can be repaired with the paintless dent repair process. The PDR technicians at Dented have repaired it all! When it comes to cars, we have worked on coupes, sedans, wagons, high end sports cars, and more. We love pulling dents out of beautiful cars and restoring them to their original condition.

We have worked on many different types of larger passenger vehicles to remove dents as well. We have used paintless dent repair to fix dents in trucks, SUVs, Jeeps, Crossovers, Vans, Mini Vans, Panel Vans, and more.

Whether your vehicle has a unibody construction or body on frame, we can remove dents from your vehicle and make it look as good as the day you first drove it home. Different vehicles come with different complexities, but they can all almost certainly be repaired with paintless dent repair so long as the damage is not too severe.

Recommended Reading: How To Bleed Car Brakes

Fix A Dented Bumper With Boiling Water

This method works for dents on plastic bumpers as well as on parts of your car made of plastic. Boil a pot of water and pour it over the dented area on your bumper.

Reach behind the bumper and pop the dent out. You might also need to take the bumper off if the dent cant be reached. Finally, pour a pot of cold water onto the bumper to cool and fix the plastic area.

Supplies Needed For The Job

How to Remove Car Dent Without Having to Repaint – DIY

When planning to fix a dent at home, its necessary to have the right materials. One of the most important tools for an at home dent fix is a plunger. The plungers grip helps you push out the dent from the inside. For additional help in loosening the dent, you may need a hammer. Along with those tools, you will want to have a cloth or foam on hand, to cover the dent while working. Lastly, a putty knife to fill the dent once it is in a good state. With smaller dents, you may just need a hairdryer.

You May Like: What Is The Value Of My Car

The Vacuum Cleaner Method

The Vacuum method also makes use of the same suction mechanism as the plunger method but makes for a larger force than the previous method.

For this method, you will need a pot and a vacuum cleaner, of course. You would also need some tape to affix the bottom of the bucket to the hose of the cleaner. To do so, make a hole underneath the bucket/pot, enough for the hose to find its way in it.

Next, tape the pot/bucket around the dent. Place the vacuum cleaner over the hole and switch it on. This will create a suction environment, which will allow the dent to pop right back.

Pretty easy and convenient, dont you think?

Most Doors Can Be Repaired With Pdr

Similar to hoods, most alloy and sheet metal doors on your vehicle can be repaired with the PDR process. Because most doors can either be easily removed from the vehicle or the door card, inner cover, or door skin can be removed, PDR technicians can easily access the area behind your doors to pop out dents and restore them to their original shape.

If your door has a small to medium-sized dent from a collision, a door ding, or something else coming into contact with it, the door can generally be repaired with the PDR process. As long as the paint is not cracked, doesnt have severe impact scratching, and the dent is not too complex, a PDR technician will be able to repair your door.

There are some instances where your door may not be able to be repaired with PDR. Some vehicles have plastic door skins and other things where dents may not pop out, like metal or alloy will. If this is the case, your vehicle will need to go to an auto body shop.

You May Like: How To Calculate Car Payment Formula

Can I Repair A Dent Myself

Yes, but youll need to make sure that the damage isnt too extensive first.

Measure the dent and check that its no bigger than three inches in diameter and that its shallow, too. If the mark appears on a curve or a contour in the bodywork, a DIY approach probably isnt the best idea. Youll also need to be confident about working on your car and accessing the back of panels.

Now its time to choose your method. Our step-by-step guides below highlight some of the best ways to get the job done.

If you find the idea of a DIY fix too complicated, a body shop or RAC approved garage will be able to help.

Remember, damage to the paintwork will have to be repaired separately.

How To Repair A Dent With A Vacuum Cleaner

Fix Car Dents Yourself

This method relies on the power of suction and is best used on flat surfaces to help create an airtight vacuum.

Youll need

Start by repeating steps one and two from the hair dryer method above.

Step three Fix aluminium foil over the dent using masking tape to protect your paintwork.

Step four While wearing heavy-duty gloves, pick up a block of dry ice and rub it across the foil. You should hear the panel pop back into place in less than a minute.

Step five Remove the foil and marvel at your handywork.

You May Like: When Should You Refinance Your Car Loan

Use A Vacuum Cleaner And A Bucket

Make a small hole in the bottom of the bucket. Cover the dent by the upper part of the bucket. Put the vacuum cleaner tube over the hole on the bottom of the bucket, turn the vacuum cleaner on and wait until the dent pops out.

If none of the household methods work, it is time to invest in a dent removal kit. These kits are successful at popping most minor dents. You can purchase one at an auto parts store, and it will cost far less than hiring a professional. Plus, you can use these kits for future dents.

What Types Of Dents Are Worth Fixing Yourself

Not all dents are repairable, and not all that are repairable can be fixed with simple tricks. Sometimes, a panel needs to be worked extensively to hopefully return it to its original form. That can mean leaving the paint intact it can also mean removing the panel entirely for major cosmetic work. Professionals can easily identify the best approach by reading the dent and devising a specific plan.

Determining which kinds of dents are worth fixing on your own rests again on your comfort level and expectations. The processes listed below are tailored toward lighter dents that are typical to the daily beater, the kind that might appear from a light bump against the garage door or when Juniors bike randomly strikes the fender. If youre dealing with panels that look like a crushed pop can, you may want to consider alternatives or replace it altogether.

Recommended Reading: Why My Car Ac Is Not Cooling

Use Toothpaste To Remove A Car Scratch

You can buy scratch repair kits. But before you head to the shops, grab some toothpaste from the bathroom. If its a whitening toothpaste, even better. Give this a try:

  • Give the area of your car that has the scratch a good clean.
  • Using a 2p-sized amount of toothpaste on a damp cloth, and apply it to the scratch in a circular motion.
  • Clean the area with soapy water to remove any toothpaste residue, and dry with a clean cloth.
  • Repeat steps 2 and 3 twice more if needed. You could damage the paintwork if you do it too many times.

Use A Hair Dryer & Compressed Air

Fix a Car Dent YOURSELF

Another popular method for removing car dents out of plastic material involves using two popular household products: a hair dryer and compressed air.

Start off by heating the car dent with the hair dryer at its highest temperature, which will expand the plastic of the car. As soon as it’s hot enough, grab the can of compressed air, turn it upside down, and begin spraying that same area. Since the cold air will cause the plastic to contract, the dent will pop out.

Images by Yagelski/

You May Like: What Is The Cheapest Car Rental

Fix A Car Dent Using A Plunger

Grab a plunger thats smaller than the dent. For small dents you can always try the suction cup from an in-car mobile phone cradle.

Put a little water on both the plunger or suction cup and the car to create a seal. Push it all the way down to get the air out and pull hard.

With a bit of luck, the dent should simply pop out!

Body Panels That Can Be Repaired With Pdr

Many people want to know which body panels can be fixed with paintless dent repair on a vehicle. The answer to this question isnt completely straightforward. It depends on the material that the body panel has been made of, the shape of the panel, the severity of the dent, and the location of the panel on the vehicle and how it affects access to behind the panel. Weve gathered some information on the types of body panels that can be fixed with PDR.

Recommended Reading: How Many Watts Does An Electric Car Use

Experts In Car Dent Repair And Removal

Here at ChipsAway, we have developed a fantastic reputation for reliable and cost-effective minor car damage repair. With experts positioned all around the UK, we have developed and perfected car dent repair and removal techniques that not only leave your car in a fantastic condition but that are also economical. Our job is to make it as easy as possible for you to get dents removed from your car to get it back into fantastic condition.

At ChipsAway, we have designed our service for your convenience. Our mobile car repair experts are based all over the country, meaning that it doesnt matter where you are there is a ChipsAway specialist able to remove dents near you. Whether you are based in the north of Aberdeen, or on the southern coast of Cornwall, we have experts nearby to help repair dents. Our specialists are positioned in and around England, Scotland, and Wales, so no matter where you are, we have dent removal experts nearby.

More articles

Popular Articles