Wondering how those new Dents to your vehicle occurred? You’re not alone. No matter how cautious you are on the road, your car will always be susceptible to sudden dents. From falling branches to mechanical failure, accidents can happen anytime and anywhere.
While some dents are minor paint scratches that can be easily fixed, others are bigger and require touching up by professionals. So, what are the Common causes of dents to your vehicle? Here are six of the most common ones car owners should be aware of.
6 Common Causes of Dents to Your Vehicle
1. Door Dings
Door dings refer to accidental impacts on your car’s door. Scraped edges at the car’s door are the most typical type of Damage sustained by this force.
They’re most common in crowded areas like parking garages or city streets but can happen anywhere where two cars are close to one another.
While other cars are the most common culprits of door dings, grocery carts, bicycles, and other large objects can lead to the same type of damage.
One misconception is that a ding is exactly like a dent. This is false. A ding is usually only about 1/2 inch in diameter. While they cause relatively minor damage, they’re still unsightly to any car owner who’s gunning for a sleek vehicle.
The best way to prevent door dings is to park away from other cars whenever possible. This gives you a buffer zone and makes it less likely that someone will accidentally hit your car with their door.
2. Hail Damage
Another common cause of dents is hail. If you live in an area that has frequent hailstorms, keep an eye out for weather forecasts to take proper preventative action for your car.
The hailstones that hit your car can cause dents, chips, and cracks in your paint job. They can even cause dents all over your frame. Windshields may also sustain major damage by hail storms. All of these can be costly to repair, so don’t take the risk of leaving your car exposed during volatile weather.
If you don’t have a garage or carport, try to park your car under a tree or any large object that can block hailstones. That said, hail can fall at unexpected times, so it’s best to always be prepared.
If you’re in dire need of dent removal services, vehicle repair services like DingGo can help restore your car to its original condition.
3. Rock Chips
Rock chips are small, superficial cracks in your paint that happen when small rocks or pebbles hit your car while you’re driving. They’re most common on freeway stretches where there’s a lot of truck traffic.
The best way to prevent rock chips is to keep your distance from trucks whenever possible and drive slowly when in bumpy terrain. You may also consider applying a paint protection film to your car to minimise damage. This film is best applied to vulnerable areas like the hood, bumper, and fenders.
4. Falling Tree Branches
It’s common for car owners to park their vehicles below trees to shade them from the sun. However, this also means that your car is susceptible to falling branches and leaves.
While bigger branches can cause heavy damage to your car, smaller ones can create scratches and dents. These may not be as severe as other types of damage, but they’ll still affect your car’s appearance.
To avoid this, try to park in designated indoor parking spots. If that’s not an option, choose a tree that has sturdy branches that are unlikely to fall.
5. Tight Squeezes
When you’re manoeuvring your car in and out of tight spots—like a narrow alley or an available parking space—there’s always a risk of damaging your side panels. This usually happens when you misjudge the distance between your car and the wall.
As much as possible, avoid tight squeezes at all. You can always find another parking spot around the block. There may be other routes to your destination too.
That said, you might have no other choice but to push through the squeeze head-on.
If you have to go through a narrow section of the road, take extra care when manoeuvring your car and be as patient as possible. A few seconds of patience can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs, so don’t worry about being late for your destination.
6. Bumper Damage
Bumper damage is another common type of damage that happens to car owners.
It’s often the result of an object rolling with too much force onto the front end of your car, from another car backing into yours to a shopping cart hitting your vehicle as it rolls through a parking lot.
The worst thing about bumper damage is that it’s caused by external factors that are out of your control. You can’t always avoid other drivers who aren’t paying attention, and you can’t stop a runaway shopping cart from hitting your parked vehicle.
However, you can use accessories like a bumper guard to act as a barrier between your bumper and any external object. This car upgrade will minimise the severity of the damage if an impact does occur
We hope you have found this article helpful with common causes of dents to your vehicle and the best ways to try and avoid them. Happy driving!
