How to Remove a Dent in Your Plastic Bumper

You'll learn how to remove a typical bumper dent using only a hair dryer and a rubber or plastic hammer

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1500 watt hairdryer or so
• plastic or rubber hammer

1. Wash and thoroughly clean the area of the bumper you will be working on.
   If the area is dirty you may scratch the paint even more if you need to tap on it with the hammer

2. Gather your hairdryer, plastic or rubber hammer, an extension cord to plug in the hairdryer. Plug in the hairdryer and sit down in front of the area you will be working on. This process can take up to 10 minutes so get comfortable.

3. Turn your hairdryer on high heat. Slowly start heating the dented area in a circular pattern. Move the hairdryer slowly over the entire dent. DO NOT
   HOLD IT IN ONE PLACE FOR MORE THAN A SECOND OR TWO...as it might burn the paint and melt the plastic! Start heating the dented area.

4. After a few minutes if you feel the entire area is very warm and nothing has popped out yet...take the hammer and GENTLY tap on the bumper around the sides and edges of the dent. Continue heating while tapping. The hammer is for VIBRATION purposes only, not for pounding anything back into place.

5. Most dents the size of a small soccer ball or less will pop back out on their own after 5 to 10 minutes...and sometimes with the help of tapping. If it doesn't work after this time period...there is probably too much bending damage and nothing but pulling the plastic covering off for additional work or a body shop is next. When it does pop out use some scratch remover and then some car wax. It's amazing when this works! Sometimes you can't even tell the bumper was smashed in! Good luck, jim

Tips & Warnings

• This tip is for plastic bumpers only. The best results are obtained on CONCAVE type dents.
• Remember to keep the source of heat moving slowly. Concentration on one area too long could damage the bumper.

[trvlarrngr]

on 11/6/2009 Great article. thanks for sharing. 5 stars

[davidkenmuir]

on 2/4/2009 I hit a snow drift and pushed a basketball sized dent into the front right bumper of my '04 cavalier. I laid on the ground and pushed part out, but now there is a soccer ball sized dent. I will try heating it and see if it comes back on its own, if not, then she is coming off and getting pushed back manually

[Wasatch]

on 11/19/2008 Good tips. I have not done this with plastic but pounded out a lot of old school dents. Good stuff to know.