After the Hail: What to Check on a Vehicle

Beyond the dents, hail affects glass, seals and sometimes the cooling stack. Here is what to inspect and document.

Hail is a routine part of spring on the South Plains, and the visible dents are only part of what a serious storm does to a vehicle.

Document before anything

Before any repair, before washing it, photograph everything: the vehicle from all angles, close-ups of damage, the glass, and any interior water intrusion. Note the date of the storm.

Insurance claims go more smoothly with a clear record made immediately, and after a regional hail event adjusters are working through a large backlog.

Beyond the dents

• Windshield and glass for chips and cracks, which spread with temperature swings and are cheaper to repair small
• Weatherstripping and seals around windows and the sunroof, which hail can damage and which then leak
• Sunroof drains, which if clogged or damaged send water into the headliner and eventually the interior
• Lights and lenses for cracks that let moisture into the housing
• Mirrors and trim
• Radiator and A/C condenser fins, which large hail can flatten — that reduces cooling capacity and is easy to overlook
• Interior for water intrusion, particularly the headliner and floor

That cooling stack point is worth attention. Flattened condenser fins reduce A/C performance in a way that shows up as weak cooling in traffic, and the connection to a hailstorm two months earlier is not obvious.

Water intrusion is the sleeper problem

If hail broke glass or damaged seals and the vehicle sat in rain, water gets into places that then grow mold and corrode electrical connectors. That damage surfaces months later as odd electrical faults and persistent odor.

Dry it thoroughly and quickly if that happened, and check under the carpet rather than just the visible surface.

Watch for storm chasers

After a regional hail event, out-of-area operators appear offering repairs. Some are legitimate. Some are not, and the situation — urgency, insurance money, a large number of damaged vehicles — is exactly what attracts the ones that are not.

Verify a physical local presence, get everything in writing, be cautious about signing anything that assigns your insurance claim, and be skeptical of promises to cover your deductible.

Prevention, realistically

Covered parking when you have it, and moving vehicles under cover when a warning is issued. Hail blankets and covers exist and help with moderate hail. None of it works if the vehicle is parked at work when the storm arrives, which is usually when it happens.

Where we fit

Elite Tire & Brake handles mechanical inspection after storm damage, including cooling system and A/C performance, across Lubbock and the South Plains. Call (806) 458-2709.