Quick Tesla model Y door ding fix
We got lucky on this Tesla door ding removal. Just like real-estate, Tesla dent repair is all about location, location, location. PDR technicians like myself fix dents with special hand tools, by slowing and methodically pushing the dents from the back side of the metal. Tesla door dent repair can be a challenge due to the multiple layers of reinforced metal behind the metal door skin, particularly on the Model 3 and Model Y. The complexity of the door limits the access and what kind of tools we can use to push the dents out. Plus the outer door panels are made of aluminum, which is a stiffer and more difficult alloy to perform paintless dent repair on.
The photo above shows the internal door structure of a Tesla Model 3. As you can see there is a lot of stuff going on here. You have two reinforced intrusion beams which are glued to the outer door skin. One running horizontal along the top of the door, and a second beam running diagonal. There is also a hard patch of sound proofing material in the center of the door, which is difficult to push through with PDR tools. All of these factors can make fixing dents in Tesla doors very difficult.
Most of the dents I see and fix on Tesla’s are along the upper accent body line, which has the upper intrusion beam behind it. Nine times out of ten, in order to fix these dents, I have to remove the interior door panel, carrier plate, and door glass. This is the only way to gain access to the back side of the dent. With the door taken apart, I am able to sneak behind the intrusion beam with a thin whale tail PDR tool.
Luckily on the Tesla Model Y in the video below, the dent on the front door was in the ideal location. It was not in front of a beam. There was also not a patch of sound proofing material behind the dent. I was able to access the back side of the dent through the window. I put the window down and used wedges and a metal window protector board to create a gap. I was then able to slide a PDR hook tool down the gap and get right on the backside of the door ding. This made for a must faster and less expensive repair (1 hour repair time vs. 3 hours).
written by Richard Routson, founder of Dent Hero. Richard has been fixing dents in the Washington, DC metro area since 2003.