Types of Auto Hail Damage and How They are Repaired

Tony Mers • September 1, 2021

Have you ever been driving down the highway when your vehicle is pelted by hail all of a sudden? It's not only frightening, but it can also cause significant damage to your car. Hail is so damaging because it's usually larger than most other types of precipitation, and the higher velocity with which it falls makes for an even stronger impact. When hail smashes into your windshield or body, cracks are often formed that will grow bigger over time. And if the cracks are big enough, they'll eventually lead to leakages that could potentially flood or otherwise ruin your interior.

You might think that any type of auto hail damage would be bad enough on its own, but there are different levels of severity in this regard. There are three categories that hail damage can fall under: minor damage, major damage, and the most serious - broken windshields.

Let's take a closer look at all of these types of auto hail damage so that you will be able to tell what your vehicle has sustained if this happens to you.

Minor Damage

This type of hail damage is the least severe in nature, and it often comes with cracks or chips in the surface glass of your vehicle. If you've been in an area where there was heavy hailstorm activity recently, then it's most likely that your car has some minor hail damage regardless of whether or not you saw any actual stones hitting your car on the road. Many people are hit by even smaller stones that cause very little damage if any at all.

If you have experienced this type of auto hail damage, then you don't need to worry. These small instances of hail dents and chips are usually only cosmetic. Since they're not compromising the structural integrity of your vehicle or its windows, you can easily have them taken care of at the local auto paint shop.

Major Damage

The next level up from minor damage is major auto hail damage. If you see a dent that's more than three inches long, then it definitely counts as major damage. This type of hail damage is usually seen with the larger stones that create a concave shape on the surface they impact. In general, the more dents, the worse it probably is. However, this is not always the case since some vehicles can sustain many small dents before you see major damage done to them and their paint finish.

If you have experienced major hail damage, you need to take your car to an auto body shop. The experts will recommend the best course of action depending on the extent and location of the hail damage. This may include auto glass repair and /or paintless dent removal, among other types of hail damage repair.

Broken Windshields

The third and most serious type of hail damage is the broken windshield. As you can probably guess, broken windshield results when a stone hits your car at very high speeds or with extremely strong force behind it. The direct impact can easily crack the glass pane in your windshield, but it may also go beyond this to include other portions on your vehicle, like side and rear windows. The danger posed by a cracked windshield should warrant immediate attention. Repairs include serious dent repair and windshield replacement.

If you've sustained any kind of auto hail damage, you need to get it taken care of quickly. You don't want to wait, even for a few days, because the longer you let this type of damage sit on your car's body without repairing it, the more you're going to end up paying in the long run.

At River North Collision Repair, we have skilled auto body experts who can work with you to smooth out any type of hail damage your car has incurred. We take pride in our fast and affordable services, which is why more and more people keep coming back to us for all their auto body needs. Contact us today to learn more about our services or make an appointment.

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Why Ignoring Small Dents Can Lead to Bigger Problems

January 30, 2026

It is an awful feeling when you walk out to your car after a long day and see a small dent on your passenger door. While it may appear to be just a cosmetic issue, you should still get it fixed, because ignoring small dents can lead to bigger problems for your vehicle. Don’t let small dents on your car go untreated; let's talk about why you need to tackle these issues ASAP. Rust Loves Chicago Winters We all know the drill here in the Windy City. We have beautiful summers, sure, but we also pay the price with brutal winters. And what comes with winter? Salt. Tons of it. Your car’s paint job acts as a suit of armor protecting the metal body underneath. Even a minor dent often comes with microscopic cracks in the paint—sometimes too small to see with the naked eye. Once that seal is broken, moisture and road salt sneak in. They settle against the bare metal and start a chemical party you definitely don’t want to host. Oxidation begins immediately. By the time you notice bubbling paint or that tell-tale orange stain a few months later, the rust has already been eating away at your door panel from the inside out. Resale Value Takes a Nosedive For many people, maintaining their car is a valuable part of purchasing a new vehicle. When that day comes, curb appeal is everything. Used car buyers (and dealership appraisers) will judge your car by its exterior appearance. If they see a vehicle riddled with door dings, bumper scrapes, and ignored scratches, they see a car that wasn't cared for. They assume that if you didn't care enough to fix the outside, you probably didn't care about the rest of it either. It lowers the perceived value instantly. Maintaining your car’s body and its paint is an investment in your future trade-in value. Paint Damage Spreads Like a Virus When a dent or scrape compromises the integrity of the paint, the surrounding paint loses its grip. High-pressure car washes, wind, and temperature fluctuations cause the paint to flake away from the initial injury site. A scratch the size of a quarter can grow into a patch the size of a softball over a couple of seasons. It’s Easier (and Cheaper) Than You Think Here is the good news: fixing these things early is surprisingly affordable. Modern body shop technology is amazing. For many small dings where the paint isn't cracked, we can use techniques that massage the metal back into place without spraying a drop of paint. River North Collision Repair offers paintless dent repair in Chicago to fix minor dents. Regardless of what nicked your door, we can help remove the dents and maintain a seamless look for your vehicle. Don’t Wait for Problems Don't let minor dents turn into a big nightmare. Save your future self the headache (and the cash). Swing by River North Collision Repair for your quick and easy repairs. Because driving a car you’re proud of? That’s a feeling you can’t put a price on.