DIY Fixes for Car Dents

Damages to a car brought about by a car crash can be severe. People in a car accident are fortunate to have their car to gets only a few dents and scratches. While it is always advisable to take a damaged car to a (paint and bodywork) auto shop, do-it-yourself or DIY fixes can be attempted for minimal damages like dents, as discussed on WonderHowTo.com. This article is the first part of the two-part series on DIY fixes for car dents.

However, DIY fixes are not always effective. The success of a DIY fix for dents depends where the dent is located and what type of material the body panel, bumper or hood is made of, whether they are  aluminum, plastic, carbon fiber or steel. Aluminum, for example, has little memory properties, so it is more difficult to utilize paintless dent removal in repairing an aluminum material. For dents and other car damages a DIY repair can’t fix can be handled by expert (paint and bodywork) auto shops like 5 Star Autoplex. The company is voted #1 in auto body repair in Fort Worth, Texas.

Using a Plunger

A plunger is not only useful in removing a clog in a drain. It can also pop out a small- to medium-sized dent in DIY repair. To fix a car dent with a plunger, splash water on the plunger and the dent as well. Then, begin pumping the dent until it pops out. Make sure to use a  cup plunger, which is used for sinks, and not a flange plunger, which is used for toilets.

Using Boiling Water

An accident can leave a dent in a plastic  bumper. Removing the damaged bumper and trying to push the dent out from behind in (collision repair) may not fix the problem. Pouring boiling water on the dent may do the trick. Just pour boiling water on the dent and then immediately reach behind the bumper and try to push the dent out. The water’s heat softens the plastic and makes it easy to pop the plastic back in its place.

Using a Hair Dryer and Compressed Air

The two household products are useful in removing dents in plastic materials. To pop a dent back in place, heat it with a hair dryer that is at its highest temperature. Doing it expands the plastic material. When the material is already hot, quickly spray it with a can of compressed air that is held upside down. It will cause the plastic material to contract and make the dent pop out.

Using Dry Ice

The cooling agent can be effective in removing small dents in a car. The DIY fix with dry ice involves holding down a piece of dry ice on a dent while wearing protective gloves. To remove the dent, rub the dry ice around the surface until you hear a popping sound that indicates that the dent popped back into place. Rub dry ice on the dent as many times as necessary. It will easily remove the dent if the dent is not too deep. Heating the dent first with a hair dryer before applying dry ice is also advisable.