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6 DIY Repair Dent In Car: Easy Steps

ByTsukasa Azuma-March 02, 2024

Accidents are an inevitable part of driving a vehicle. Even the most careful driver can have a bad day. However, minor blemishes can be a financial burden if you have to take the car to a body shop every time. There are many ways to DIY repair dent in car at home that will save a huge amount of money.

Cars With Dents: How It Happened?

When encountering dents in a car, most car owners immediately think of taking the car to a repair center. However, this condition can be completely remedied at home with small, shallow dents

Car dents are prone to happen due to many reasons such as collisions, and falling foreign objects. For small, shallow dents, 1-3 cm deep with a dented surface that is not too large, drivers can fix it at home with simple solutions but need to be careful.

Whether it is an objective or subjective factor, the car body will have some slight dents that cause a loss of aesthetics.

You can completely fix it yourself at home with simple items or take it to a garage with professional methods. However, depending on each specific vehicle, body type, curvature, bumper material, or tire material… different treatments will need to be applied.

6 DIY Repair Dent In Car You Could Apply

With basic knowledge about fixing and repairing minor auto problems and a few tools, you can apply these five ways to fix a dent in a car:

1. Repair with a plunger

This method will work for large, shallow pits on a flat surface such as the hood or door. Use a dent removing plunger for the best results. Moisten its suction surface with a bit of water and then press it onto the dent. Pull backward and repeat the process from various angles if the cavity is large.

2. Use dry ice

It is an effective way if the dimple is only medium-sized. Dry ice (also known as smoke ice) is solid carbon dioxide used in food preservation and medical pharmaceuticals. Few people know that this type of compound can effectively help repair car dents. First, the car owner should circle the dented area for more precise operation. After that, put a piece of dry ice with tongs on the area, and don’t keep it for more than a minute. Remove it, and the cavity is likely to pop out and level with the surface. You may have to try several times. Don’t forget to wear thick gloves and safety glasses because touching them with bare skin will cause injury similar to a burn.

3. Repair the dents from behind

It is especially useful for smaller depressions that are otherwise difficult to fix with other methods. You have to put pressure on the back of the damaged area from the inside of the vehicle. Use your hands for larger dents, but the ones with smaller diameters may need a hammer. Wrap a thick cloth around the head of a wood mallet and strike the tapped spot with it.

4. Pull with glue dent pullers

It is another way for easy dent removal. Choose a pulling tab that either matches or is larger than the size of the pit. Apply glue on the tab and place it quickly in the middle of the damaged area. Wait a while to let the glue to set. Now, affix a pulling tool to the tab and turn the knob until the dent pops out. You will need to wax the vehicle after applying this system because the glue is likely to create a small mess on the car’s body.

5. Pop dents back with a hair dryer

It will work if you want to fix a bulging spot. Use the dryer to apply heat on the raised area from five to seven inches away. Do it for two minutes and then check the flexibility of the metal. If it feels malleable, take a can of compressed air and spray on that area. Continue it until the bulge pops back into the original shape. Wipe the place with a soft piece of cloth. Using safety glasses and gloves is necessary during this process to ensure your safety.

6. Fix dents with boiling water

This method sounds quite strange but is an effective way to fix car dents in the following positions: front bumper, rear bumper, and underbody, especially parts made from plastic… The car owner poured boiling water to expand the dent, then put his hand inside and gently pushed the dent to return to its original shape. For dents in places that cannot be touched to push, after pouring boiling water, the driver immediately pours ice water to create a sudden temperature change to help restore the dent.

All the tools and ingredients required for these easy dent removal processes will be available at your local retail stores. Any do it yourself dent repair requires caution and a bit of skill because it will cost huge money if you damage the paint in the process.

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Tsukasa Azuma is an awesome car blogger of Car From Japan. He owns a car repair shop at downtown Osaka, and he put all that experience to good use in his sharing posts. Tsukasa’s blog is one of the best resources for information about keeping your favorite imported car running smoothly. Moreover, because of being passionate to learn about the recent happenings in auto industry, he doesn’t only provide great car maintenance tips, he also always updates latest trends in among car brands and share them in his own interesting viewpoint.

Comments

Justin21:24 January 07, 2018
Reply

Thanks

Justin21:24 January 07, 2018
Reply

I love it hope to have one soon

James Mutunga07:17 November 18, 2017
Reply

A good guideline to all drivers.