How to Repair a Dented Car Bumper?
2 Answers
Methods to repair a dented car bumper: 1. Use hot water. Most front and rear bumpers of household cars currently on the market are made of special plastic materials. Hot water can restore the dented body as the plastic softens when heated. Simply heat the dented area to pop it out; 2. Push from behind after relieving pressure. You can try removing one of the car's screws, reach inside the bumper from the back, and push forcefully to restore it; 3. Use dent repair tools. Although bumpers are highly malleable, sometimes the force from hot water expansion alone is insufficient to push out the dent. In such cases, external force is needed, and dent repair tools can perfectly meet this requirement.
Last time I reversed into a bollard, the bumper got a palm-sized dent. The mechanic told me that plastic bumpers can actually be restored to their original shape: first evenly heat the back of the dent with a heat gun to soften the material, then use a specialized suction cup tool to pull it out from the front. The key is to adjust the force while heating, and finally use cold water to quickly set the shape. The mechanic said if the dent covers more than 30% of the area or the plastic is torn, don’t force a repair—just replace it for safety. I’ve tried fixing small dents myself by heating them with a hairdryer and using a toilet plunger to pull them out, and it actually worked—but this only suits thin bumpers. If it doesn’t work, remember to seek professional repair promptly.