Acorn and Walnut Dents: Fall Dent Tips for Central Illinois Drivers

Acorn and Walnut Dents: Fall Dent Tips for Central Illinois Drivers

Every fall we see the same thing: a roof or a hood with a handful of sharp little dents, and a car that has been parked under an oak or a walnut tree. Hail is not the only thing that falls on cars in central Illinois. Here is what to know about fall dents, and a few tips to get through the rest of the season.

Small sharp dent in the roof of a 2016 Cadillac ATS under a PDR inspection light, caused by a falling acorn
2016 Cadillac ATS: acorn dent in the roof under an inspection light, before repair.

Acorn dents are small but sharp

An acorn coming out of a tall oak hits hard for its size, and it leaves a sharp little dent instead of a soft round one. We took one out of the roof of a 2016 Cadillac ATS in Taylorville. On a 2010 Toyota Tundra, hood dents that may have been caused by walnuts or acorns came out without paint.

Dents on the red hood of a 2010 Toyota Tundra under a PDR light, possibly from falling walnuts or acorns
2010 Toyota Tundra: hood dents, possibly from falling nuts, under PDR lights.

We estimate them like hail

When we write up this kind of damage, we treat it like hail: same lights, same panel-by-panel look, same dent-by-dent count. Whether your policy covers a falling-object dent is between you and your insurance company, so call them and ask before you assume either way.

Fall and winter tips

  • Pick your parking spot. From September into November, park away from oaks and walnut trees when you can, at home and at work.
  • Check the roof after a windy night. Wind shakes loose a lot of nuts at once, and it is easy to go weeks without looking at your roof.
  • Bring it in clean. Snow, ice and road grime hide dents. If the car shows up covered, it has to be cleaned before we can see anything. Our estimating guidelines list snow, ice and dirt removal as prep.
  • Look at the paint. If a hit chipped the paint, touch it up or have it looked at soon. Exposed metal gets worse if it is left alone, and winter salt does not help. Paintless repair fixes the metal, not a chip.
  • Leave the screwdriver in the drawer. Small sharp dents are exactly the kind that get worse with a home attempt. See our do-it-yourself warning.
  • Classic parked for the winter? Get the dings taken care of before it goes under the cover. See our vintage PDR page.

Hail can still show up in the fall

Spring and summer get the attention, but a strong fall storm can still drop hail. If one catches your car, walk around it with our guide on how to check your car for hail damage.

Why not just live with a few dings?

It is your car and your call. We will say this much: factory paint is worth keeping, and a few small dents add up when it comes time to sell or trade. Paintless repair takes them out without filler or a respray, so the original finish stays original. There is value in original.

Get an estimate

Call 217-306-4175

Call 217-306-4175, or send us the details on our contact page. Estimates are free. If it’s an insurance job, your claim number and email are all we need to get started.

Scheduling: We’ll be back home from a massive hail storm. Taking appointments as early as October 16, 2026.

  • Springfield: 550 North Street, Suite 2, Springfield, IL 62704. Monday to Wednesday, 8:00 to 5:00.
  • Lincoln: 2009 N. Kickapoo St, Lincoln, IL 62656. Thursday to Saturday, 8:00 to 5:00.

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