The Most Common Types of Auto Bumper Damage
Damage to a bumper is fairly common and occurs to most vehicles at some point; dents, scratches, and cracks all impact your car's look and functionality. Every piece of your vehicle serves a vital purpose and repairing all types of damage keeps your vehicle working the way it should. Read on to learn more about the most common types of auto bumper damage and tips for making repairs.
Why Does Your Bumper Matter?
Before diving into the types of damage and how to make repairs, let’s talk about why bumpers are essential. The bumper of your car acts as a shield to protect the hood, trunk, grill, and cooling system in the event of a crash. In addition, this part of the car helps absorb the impact at the rear and front end of your vehicle—it helps lessen the damage in a car accident.
Some damage to the bumper is an eyesore, but other types are a safety hazard. For example, some dents can lead to cracking along the bumper. As a result, the cracked and dented bumper will offer less protection to the rest of your vehicle. It’s better to act proactively and repair this type of damage right away to keep every part of your vehicle functioning properly.
Common Types of Bumper Damage
Now that we know why your bumper is important, it’s time to explore the most common types of auto bumper damage. This list includes:
- Scratches
- Dents
- Punctures
While some forms of damage such as scratches impact appearance, dents and cracks could leave other areas of the car open to further damage. Keep in mind that this damage covers the rear and front end bumper; both bumpers help create a sandwich of protection for your car.
Scratches
Scrapes and scratches are common types of damage to your bumper and the vehicle itself. The good news is bumpers are plastic or fiberglass nowadays, so the damage most often ends with a scratch. If they were metal like the rest of your car, scratches could lead to rusting and hefty repairs. Scratches are an eyesore, especially if you’re a vehicle enthusiast. Typically, you can repair minor scratches fairly easily, but fixing a deeper scratch may require some help from an expert at an autobody shop.
Tips for Repairing Scratches
To repair scratches on your bumper, begin by washing off the area to remove debris. Next, you’ll need to buff the area with sandpaper so you can apply a bit of touch-up paint to it. If you need a perfect color match to make this repair, contact the dealer you bought the car from.
Dents
Like scratches, dents on the front-end or rear-end bumper are relatively common and vary in severity depending on the cause. Sometimes, a trip to the grocery store could leave a small ding in the side of your rear bumper if a runaway cart collides with it. However, a fender bender could leave larger dents on the front or rear-end bumper. While this impacts aesthetics and could damage the paint, serious damage to your bumper, like cracking, could impair the way your bumper works.
Tips for Repairing Dents
Typically, small dents aren’t a cause for concern—they won’t impair the way your bumper protects the car. Of course, dents still look bad. In most cases, you can pop out minor dents. If you notice cracks around or near the dent, you’ll need to replace the bumper or prevent further damage to your car.
Punctures
Like dents, punctures impact cosmetics and functionality. This type of damage can also lead to cracking along the bumper. If the cracks spread or grow, your bumper becomes less durable so that it won’t protect those critical areas of your vehicle. For instance, a damaged front-end bumper may fail to protect the hood and cooling systems if you get into a fender bender. Rather than risk this situation, repair punctures as soon as you notice them on your bumper.
Tips for Repairing Punctures
When it comes to punctures, you’ll likely have to replace the entire bumper. You can paint and install the bumper on your own if you regularly work on your car and know what to do. On the other hand, if you only make little to no upgrades to your car, you should bring it into the body shop to let a pro handle the challenging task. This is no easy repair, and unless you’re an expert, it’s best to leave it to those trained in this type of repair.
Lessen Risk with the Right Upgrade
Plenty of gearheads make upgrades to their car to improve its functionality. Every type of add-on serves a different purpose—some make your car look sportier while other add-ons help protect your vehicle. Items like bumper guards create an extra layer of protection between your vehicle and outside factors such as fender benders. These are easy to install on your own, so you can purchase some online and then outfit your car with an additional layer of protection.
Reasons To Install Bumper Guards
An extra layer of protection gives you peace of mind. This add-on helps lessen the risk of scratches, dents, and punctures along this part of the car. This saves you time and money since you won’t have to worry about all those repairs.
Additionally, bumper guards can help protect your grill, taillights, tube door, or other important areas depending on the type you buy. While these often help lessen damage in a fender bender, bumper guards do not protect your car in a high-impact or major accident. You should always drive with caution no matter how well you protect your vehicle.
Shop for the Best
Buying quality bumper guards is the best way to add protection to your automobile. TYGER Auto sells trunk bumper guards you can add to your grill, taillights, or other vital areas. Shopping for quality parts helps ensure that you give your vehicle the protection it needs. Taking care of your car helps ensure it lasts as long as possible and keeps it looking amazing.
