How to Get Dents Out of a Hood

Dents and dings in your car's body are a fact of life if you own a vehicle long enough. Whether you accidentally hit the neighbor's trash can, or a heavy hail storm strikes while your car is stuck outside, knowing how to repair light damage to your car can save you a lot of money. If you've got some shallow dents in the hood of your car, there is an easy and effective way to remove them yourself.

Instructions

1

Plug in the extension cord, then plug in the hair dryer and run it out to your car. Most utility-type extension cords should be more than long enough for this task, but make sure yours gives you enough slack to be able to reach the dented area on your car's hood.

2

Turn the hair dryer on, and apply heat to the dent on the hood of your car. Move the dryer in a slow circular motion so that it heats the entire area surrounding the dent. Continue this heat treatment for approximately one minute.

3

Spray the can of compressed carbon dioxide onto the area that you just finished warming up from about four to six inches away. Make sure to turn the can completely upside down while spraying. This will deliver an extremely cold blast of air to the heated metal, causing it to contract rapidly. Keep firing nonstop for between 10 and 15 seconds.

4

Watch as the contracting metal pops back into its proper place due to the thermal treatment you have just delivered. It will take a few moments for the ice from the carbon dioxide to clear from the hood, after which you may wipe it down with the cloth. There should be no damage to your paint, and your dent has now been repaired.