The damage on this car door is unusual, and that’s what makes it interesting. How did this happen? Strange Dent Damage Explained! Well, my customer couldn’t say for sure what caused it—only that something looked and felt off. At first glance, it seems like a dent, but it’s actually raised, not sunken. This type of outwards dent, or high spot, is typically caused when the outer door skin gets pressed against the reinforcement bar inside. The impact doesn’t push the panel in—it presses it out.
Assessing the High Spot Dent and Tap Down Strategy
So this job is going to be a tap down masterclass. The high spots are subtle but critical. I’ll be using two of my go-to knockdowns: a sharp fine metal tip from CarePoint for accuracy, and a wider, hard plastic knockdown for broader corrections. The goal is to knock down just the raised areas with control—without spreading force and creating new damage.
Getting Started: Targeting the Highest Point
I begin by tapping down the main high area with the fine metal tip. It’s giving me a bit of movement—this is a good sign. But it’s also tricky. The reinforcing bar is close to the surface, meaning there’s very little flexibility. I notice that as soon as I move slightly off that bar’s location, I create small lows. That’s how tight this panel is to the reinforcement underneath.
Working Through the Panel – Tapping and Observing
I continue tapping down the surrounding areas. Despite the odd shape, it’s responding better than expected. The dent initially looked awful—sharp creases and bumpy distortion—but it’s already beginning to settle. Just from tapping alone, I’ve transformed the damage from rough and messy to much more manageable. There are still some micro-lows left behind, but we’ll fix those in the next step.
Addressing the Micro Lows and Leftover Damage
Now, about those little low spots. Normally I’d push from behind—but with the reinforcement bar in the way, I’ve got two options: cut through the glue bonding or glue pull. Since I’ve already got my glue pulling gear set up, I’ll go that route. Quick tip: always have a backup battery on hand—mine saved the day.
Final Touches – Light Polish and Inspection
After pulling out the lows and giving the panel a gentle hand polish, the results are clear. Most of the high spots are gone. Some tiny paint chips remain, but overall, the shape is restored and the panel looks great again. The original damage looked rough, but 90% of the fix came from tap-down work alone, with a few glue pulls to handle the lows.
Wrap Up: Why Understanding Unusual Dent Damage Matters
Understanding how odd dents like this happen can make you a better tech. As you’ve seen here in this breakdown of How did this happen? Strange Dent Damage Explained!, recognising where the reinforcements sit and how the panel reacts under pressure is key. I hope this gave you a fresh perspective on tricky high spots—and the power of tap-down techniques.