How to Fix a Dent on the Lower Rear Bumper of a 2007 Camry

The Toyota Camry is a medium-sized Japanese vehicle originally produced in compact form. It continues to be one of the biggest-selling cars in the United States and enjoys a strong influence in the Australian market. The 2007 model has a two-piece rear bumper consisting of a large upper section and lower bumper that clips into the top one. The lower bumper is easy to remove for repair purposes.

Instructions

1

Position the car jack onto the rear jacking point beneath the sill and pump the handle to lift upward. Keep the rear of the vehicle in the air by placing an axle stand underneath it and lower the jack to secure it into position. Repeat the process on the other side so the weight of the vehicle distributes evenly on two stands.

2

Climb underneath the rear bumper with a torch and a flat screwdriver. Locate the holding clips of the lower bumper section and push downward on the snag point to release them. Work around each clip individually and release them all. Climb out from underneath the car and pull the lower rear bumper away from the top section.

3

Place the lower bumper section on a flat working surface and locate the dent. Turn the lower section over so that the dent is visible from the other side. Take a heat gun and put it onto a medium setting. Turn the heat gun on and move it around the circumference of the dent from the rear of the lower bumper. Keep the gun moving to prevent the plastic burning through.

4

Take a block of wood and position it against the rear of the dent as soon as the plastic is warm enough. Apply light pressure and slowly ease out the dent by pushing on the wood. Start at the outside of the dent and work inward, applying additional heat with the gun if cooling occurs. Continue until the entire dent protrudes just beyond the surface of the lower rear bumper on the other side.

5

Leave the bumper to cool. Attach a P80-grit sanding disc to a random orbital sander and activate the lever to commence rotation. Sand down the high spots on the outside of the lower rear bumper until they are flush with the rest of the surface.

6

Change over to a P180-grit sanding disc and repeat the process to remove the coarse scratches left behind by the P80-grit disc. Wipe away excess dust to complete the dent repair before paint preparation work begins