Un-flexing the soft plastic in my Vue's front bumper

It was bound to happen - my 16 year old son managed to run into the
back of another vehicle with my Vue. No significant damage was done,
but the center of the front bumper (or more correctly the front panel
above the real bumper and below the hood) now has a "dent." This is a
soft plastic area and it is not really a dent so much as a deformation.
The paint is not damaged. I am thinking that I can heat the area with a
hair drier and restore it to the original contour. WIll this work?

Ed

 

Probably won't work for you, but here goes. Had a "vertical crease" in
the front bumper of my Toyota. I sorta squeezed from the top and bottom
with both and it "popped out."

You can still see it if you look closely, but mostly invisible.

 

Had a similar problem with a new Commodore (Australian)
Took it to a smash repairer and he removed the part, warmed it and
pushed it out.
Put it back with no damage other than the original to the paint.
I think I paid mostly for the experience that he had to know how hot and
where to push.
Much cheaper than a replacement.

 

just a suggestion, but depending on how deep it is pushed in, you may be
able to remove the front facia and pop the "dent" back out? Im sure someone
has directions on removing and reinstalling the front bumper facia.

marx404

 

i use the big end of a softball bat to pop out bumper dents.

 

which way do you swing the bat ?

Laz

 

If you want to be very safe, swing it away from the car. Otherwise:

Use the bat to take advantage of the inherent springiness of the
plastic bumper guard. Standing in front of the bumper swing the bat as
hard as possible directly at the indentation. Go for a home run. While
the initial impact will severly deform the plastic inward if you strike
it hard the force should set up a more than equal reaction in the
opposite direction that will pop the dent right out.

 

http://www.swedishbricks.net/700900FAQ/Body-Paint1.html#Paint Scratch Repair