Does a slightly deformed fender need repair?

[SanSarah]

No. The methods for repairing a dented fender are as follows: 1. Pulling: First, preheat the glue gun by plugging it in, then start pulling from the edge of the dent. Choose an appropriate pull tab, apply hot melt glue, and stick it to the corner of the dent. Wait for the glue to dry before starting to pull—it doesn’t need to be completely dry, as it won’t be sticky if it dries too thoroughly. Then, use a pull hammer to pull the tab. The advantage of using pull tabs is that they can quickly create a rough shape and are relatively uniform, but the downside is that they aren’t as precise. So, once the rough shape of the dent is formed, use the pushing method to handle the details. 2. Pushing: First, use a thick tool to work on the larger surface—the larger the contact area, the better. Then, use the same method with a fine hook to handle the details.

[Julie]

A couple of days ago, I scraped against a roadside bollard while reversing, causing a small dent in the fender. The mechanic said it doesn’t need repair at this level—as long as the paint isn’t chipped and it’s not too noticeable from the outside, it’s fine to leave it. However, I should watch for leaks around the seams during rainy days and listen for increased wind noise when driving at high speeds. If it really affects functionality, then considering panel beating wouldn’t be too late.

[VonKatherine]

My neighbor in the community encountered a similar situation: the fender near the bumper was dented by an electric bicycle. He specifically drove to the 4S store to inquire, and the technician used a laser rangefinder to measure the gap width, saying that sheet metal repair would require painting and disassembly, which ended up costing over two thousand. For such minor deformations, you could actually try paintless dent repair, but you must find an experienced technician to do it, otherwise, it's easy to crack the paint surface.

[JordanAnn]

Last time I got my car repaired, an experienced driver shared some advice: minor deformation on steel fenders can be left unfixed, but aluminum body parts must be addressed immediately! My car has aluminum fenders, and during a car wash, I noticed deformation at the clip area. The high-pressure water jet from the car wash directly caused it to crack, costing over 4,000 to replace. When inspecting, tap the part to check for abnormal sounds—aluminum components become noticeably brittle after deformation.

[DeFelix]

As a car owner with 15 years of experience, here's a truth to share: You don't need to rush to repair fender damage as long as it doesn't affect the headlights, tires, or door operation. However, be aware of two potential risks: Deformed areas can accumulate mud and accelerate rusting; During accidents, insurance companies may refuse to cover damage to those areas by claiming they're pre-existing issues. I learned this the hard way when filing a claim - the adjuster pointed at the deformed spot calling it old damage, only covering the fresh scratches.