Paintless Dent Repair Guidelines

Explains the guidelines for drilling access holes to perform paintless dent repair (PDR).

Paintless dent repair (PDR) of certain areas of closure components (doors, hoods, and liftgates) and body components may be performed by drilling access holes to allow access for tools, removing the dent, then using a plug or a butyl foil patch to cover the access hole. This method allows the repair of the dent without having to disassemble the component.

The images below show the components that are suitable for paintless dent repair, and contain highlighted areas. Compare the damaged area of the component to the images below, then use the repair criteria corresponding to the color of the highlighted area to find the criteria to use to determine if the damaged area of the component can be repaired using the method described in this document.


Component	LH Component
Front Door
Rear Door
Hood (February 2012 through March 2016)
Hood (April 2016 through January 2021)
Liftgate
Wheelhouse
Wheelhouse Extension
Body Side Outer

Based on the colors used in the images above, the allowed repairs are as follows:

Table 1. Allowed Repairs
Area Color	Allowed Repairs
Green areas:	The drill and plug method of paintless dent repair can be used in these areas, subject to the following guidelines: Use existing openings if possible; do not drill if there are existing holes that can be used for access. Only drill holes in the allowable repair areas if there is no other way to access the dent. For doors and liftgates, up to 2 holes may be drilled in each repair area, and each hole is to be covered by a plug. For hoods, only 1 hole may be drilled in each repair area, and the hole is to be covered by a plug. For the Wheelhouse and Wheelhouse Extension, only 1 hole may be drilled in each repair area, and either a plug or a butyl foil patch may be used to cover the drilled hole. When drilling holes to be covered by a plug: Holes may be drilled only in flat areas of the component. Hole diameter is 19 mm. and there must be at least 6 mm. of clearance around all edges of the hole to provide space for the plug. When drilling holes to be covered by a butyl foil patch: The maximum size hole that may be covered by a butyl foil patch is 12 mm. Holes may be drilled only in flat areas of the component. Do not drill holes on fillets or close to any other feature. Apply corrosion protection before installing the plug or the butyl patch.
Red areas:	Do not drill in these areas. Note If holes are present from previous paintless dent repairs, refer to Body Structure Materials and Allowed Operations for further guidance.

Parts List


Quantity	Description	Image / Notes
1 per hole drilled	PLUG,ROUND,19MM,EPDM,BLK Tesla part number 1473566-00-A. Note For use only in 19 mm. diameter holes with a maximum total panel thickness of 0.6 to 1.6 mm.