What is fender dent repair?
The fender curves in several directions — around the wheel arch, along the top edge and into the door gap — which makes reading the reflection more demanding than on a flat door. Dents on the upper fender near the bonnet gap are reached from above; dents low near the arch are reached by pulling back the inner liner; dents on the pressed arch line are treated as bodyline work.
Fenders are bolted rather than welded on most cars, so in stubborn cases the panel can be loosened for access without any painting.
Dents suitable for this service
- Parking-lot dents on the fender face
- Handlebar and footpeg dents from motorcycles
- Dents on the wheel-arch style line
- Dents near the bonnet gap and the headlamp area
When PDR may not be suitable
- Dents with paint chips on the arch edge
- Buckled fenders from collisions with kinked top edges
- Fenders with previous filler
Benefits
- No repainting and no blending into the door or bonnet
- Original paint preserved on a panel that shows every colour difference
- Access through the liner — no need to remove the fender in most cases
- Quick, economical repair
How Dry Denter assesses the damage
Photograph the fender from the side and from the front at an angle, including the wheel-arch line if the dent is near it. We assess where the dent sits relative to the arch, the inner bracket and the top edge.
Repair process
- Photo assessment
- Wheel-arch liner released or bonnet-gap access used
- Dent mapped under the light
- Pushed from behind; arch line re-formed where needed
- High spots tapped down, reflection checked
- Liner refitted and panel cleaned
How long does it take?
Most fender dents take 45 minutes to 2 hours. Dents on the arch line or high on the fender near the bonnet edge take longer due to the sharper curves.
Common questions about fender dent repair
Do you need to remove the fender?
Rarely. Most fender dents are reached through the wheel-arch liner. Loosening the fender is only needed for dents in tight corners.