David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
SOURCE: ALL DATA COLLISION
TITLE: PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR
SECTION: REFINISH BULLETIN #60
MODELS: ALL
Toyota’s Technical and Body Training Development has completed its evaluation of “paintless dent repair� procedures marketed to the collision repair industry. In general, the damage is “door ding� type where an obvious point of impact exists.
Toyota does not approve of this repair procedure based upon the following analysis:
1. The vehicle is not returned to a “pre-accident� condition in these areas:
*The paint film no longer has its original strength due to microcracking, the immediate appearance may not look acceptable, over time however, ultimately refinishing may be required. Microcracking of the paint film can range from fine cracking visible only by magnification to the very obvious (easily seen with the naked eye), depending upon the initial damaging impact.
*Potential exposure of the metal substrate to condensation accelerates rust penetration. The base coat may also be degraded by ultraviolet (UV) light penetration through the clear coat.
2. Mechanical manipulation disrupts the factory applied rust and corrosion protective coating, and in some cases removes it completely from the back of the panel. Repair technicians experience difficulty replacing this important component of longevity, potentially reducing the long-term value of the vehicle.
3. In some cases, gaining access to the backside of a door panel is accomplished by unacceptable procedures:
*Using blocks as a wedge between the window molding and the glass for a tool access damages the window rubber/molding and relieves the factory designed pressure on the window glass.
*Drilling holes in the end of a panel allows corrosion to begin at the site or a path to the back of the panel.
In the interest of customer satisfaction and safety, Toyota doe not approve of these methods. As new tools and technology come to market, Toyota will evaluate the process for appropriate application.
TITLE: PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR
SECTION: REFINISH BULLETIN #60
MODELS: ALL
Toyota’s Technical and Body Training Development has completed its evaluation of “paintless dent repair� procedures marketed to the collision repair industry. In general, the damage is “door ding� type where an obvious point of impact exists.
Toyota does not approve of this repair procedure based upon the following analysis:
1. The vehicle is not returned to a “pre-accident� condition in these areas:
*The paint film no longer has its original strength due to microcracking, the immediate appearance may not look acceptable, over time however, ultimately refinishing may be required. Microcracking of the paint film can range from fine cracking visible only by magnification to the very obvious (easily seen with the naked eye), depending upon the initial damaging impact.
*Potential exposure of the metal substrate to condensation accelerates rust penetration. The base coat may also be degraded by ultraviolet (UV) light penetration through the clear coat.
2. Mechanical manipulation disrupts the factory applied rust and corrosion protective coating, and in some cases removes it completely from the back of the panel. Repair technicians experience difficulty replacing this important component of longevity, potentially reducing the long-term value of the vehicle.
3. In some cases, gaining access to the backside of a door panel is accomplished by unacceptable procedures:
*Using blocks as a wedge between the window molding and the glass for a tool access damages the window rubber/molding and relieves the factory designed pressure on the window glass.
*Drilling holes in the end of a panel allows corrosion to begin at the site or a path to the back of the panel.
In the interest of customer satisfaction and safety, Toyota doe not approve of these methods. As new tools and technology come to market, Toyota will evaluate the process for appropriate application.