Car dents are an unsightly blemish on the exterior of a vehicle. The dents and dings are usually a minor issue and don't need immediate attention. While most car owners usually fix minor dents to keep their vehicle looking its best, there are times when dents can trigger significant structural problems and should be corrected.
Identification
A car dent is any indentation or depression in the metal exterior of the vehicle. They can be any shape and size depending on the type of object that caused them. They can also cause damage to the vehicle's frame. Car dents can also be scratches, which, for example, can be caused by when the vehicle is hit by an opening door of another vehicle. Scratches usually cause little or no damage of the structure of the vehicle's exterior and damage the paint only
Significance
Most car dents and dings are relatively minor problems and not something that require immediate attention. Most vehicle owners will have small dents fixed for aesthetic reasons and because they want to keep their vehicle looking as new as possible. Most dents have no impact on a vehicle's performance or driving capability and are corrected only because they are unsightly. Larger dents or those that result in underlying damage to the vehicle's frame are serious because they could impact the structural integrity of the vehicle and should be immediately corrected.
Prevention/Solution
Major dents should be fixed by a garage that specializes in body repair. An auto body can assess the dent as well as any underlying structural or frame damage and determine the best way to repair the dent. Car dents are usually corrected by hammering the dent out of the metal, sanding, buffering and painting. Repairs to the frame are then made as needed. Minor dents can sometimes be repaired by the vehicle owner by drilling a hole in the center of the hole and using a dent removal hook to pull the dent out. Touch up paint can then be applied. At home repairs should only be attempted when there is no frame damage.
Effects
Once a car dent is fixed there is no effect on the vehicle. The biggest impact might be a slight difference in appearance from the rest of the vehicle, but auto body shops can generally do a good job in buffering the dent and painting it the same shade as the vehicle's color. At-home repairs typically can leave a noticeable effect, but the slight defect in appearance might not be enough to warrant a costly repair bill. Provided there is no frame damage or the damage is repaired by an auto body specialists, a car dent will have no lasting effect on the safety or operation of the vehicle.
Warning
Any dent near the passenger compartment of a vehicle or near the gas tank should be immediately looked at by an auto body specialist to ensure there is no structural stress or damage. These areas are of particular concern because they are sensitive areas in the event of an automobile crash, and minor damage or stress caused by a dent can result in major structural failures in the event of a collision.
Considerations
If you are thinking about fixing a dent yourself, there are several products on the market that claim they can pull dents out of a vehicle. These devices have varying results and when used can place additional stress on the metal surrounding the dent, leading to additional problems. If you attempt to fix a dent with one of these devices, it is imperative to check for frame and body damage before and after using it.
Tags: auto body, because they, frame damage, damage vehicle, damage vehicle frame, dents dings, exterior vehicle