Does Slamming A Car Door Damage It? Find Out The Answer

I once had a friend who loved slamming my car door whenever I gave him a lift. This habit was annoying. At first, I thought that he was doing it intentionally.

Later on, I found out that it’s something that most people develop as they grow. Unfortunately, that habit cost us our friendship because I would always yell at him whenever he did that.

To sum it all up, 95% of car owners hate it when people slam their car doors. What goes through our minds is the damage that could occur because of that unnecessary force and collision that is applied to the door when it is slammed.

Unlike your house door which is made of wood, car doors are made of metal and plastic. There are also a bunch of things inside the door that can easily get damaged such as mirrors.

Slamming a car door can cause a lot of damage. Even though cars are designed to handle that extra force or collision, if this is done repeatedly, the door-latching mechanism will wear out faster.

And this is going to cost you hundreds of dollars worth of repairs. So, if your friend, family member, or colleague has the habit of slamming car doors, you should correct them right away. Not unless you are willing to risk the doors getting damaged.

does slamming a car door damage it

What Happens When You Slam a Car Door?

Car doors are meant to be closed gently. The door-latching mechanism features interlocking parts that allow the door to stay closed when closed with minimal force. This mechanism is tested extensively before cars are distributed for sale.

The interlocking parts are designed to last more than 100,000 miles before losing their ability to hold the door in place.

Ordinary closing of car doors will ensure the mechanism lasts for more than 10 years. However, slamming car doors reduces this period to 5 or 7 years.

To make it worse, slamming your car door can result in damage to parts such as mirrors, locks, and switches. The harder the slam, the more damage that can be inflicted on the door and its components.

So, don’t be afraid to give your passengers a mean stare when they decide not to be gentle with your fragile car door.

What I have come to realize with car doors is that they don’t break right away, the damage builds up with time. Your friend’s annoying behavior of slamming the door whenever they are getting off may not cause damage right away.

With time, you will realize some malfunctions, only for you to take it to the mechanic and pay a hefty amount of money.

Various car brands respond differently to hard door slams, however, the more lightweight your car door is, the more fragile it is.

The bottom line is, whether you are the owner of that car, or not, be gentle with that door. No matter how pissed off you are, slamming that door won’t make things easier.

You are worsening the situation. Even if the car isn’t yours, when you slam that door with all your might, the bang you hear is an indication that what you are doing is not right.

Let’s be considerate of other people’s properties and know that taking proper care of property such as cars contributes to its longevity and keeps things looking nice.

Is It Wrong to Yell at Someone for Slamming Your Car Door?

Other people may have a different opinion, but I don’t think that it’s inconsiderate to yell at someone for slamming your car door.

The best form of action you should take when someone slams your car door is to explain the damage that their actions can cause. And clarify that car doors are fragile, more so the components found inside.

But, not unless you are a laid-back kind of person who is very patient and tolerating, when someone slams your door, the first instinct will be to yell at them. Those who are silent will give you a mean stare to warn you that what you have done is wrong.

Unless you are trying to break someone’s door on purpose, you should avoid slamming it. If you get yelled after, then the car owner has a valid reason.

A car is an expensive investment. And all car owners want their cars to serve them for longer. Damages on car doors are expensive to fix and lower the vehicle’s resale value.

Why Do People Slam Car Doors?

There are several reasons why a person may slam a car door. It could be a sign of anger or frustration. For example, if you were arguing with your partner in the car, should they decide to walk out, they may slam the door because they are frustrated.

Secondly, some are used to boarding tracks that have heavy-duty doors. You can’t use the same amount of strength to close a Ford truck to close a Honda Civic door. This reason is more understandable than the rest.

A majority of car door slammers developed this habit in the early stages of their years. If you were never scolded for slamming someone’s car door in the past, then you may not know that it’s wrong.

If you have found your way to this article then you should know this is a bad habit. Unfortunately, should your car door latching mechanism break, then you will be forced to slam it so that it closes properly.

Can Car Doors Withstand Frequent Slamming?

When researching this article, I came across a strange comment on one of the popular car forums. There was this guy who said that slamming car doors can’t cause damage because these doors are designed to handle impact from colliding with another car that is at a speed of up to 70mph.

To some extent, he is right. Cars during manufacture, different brands design the vehicles to withstand rigorous daily use as well as impact in cases of accidents.

These manufacturers use pressure-indicating films and pressure mapping technology to identify how much force a certain car door can handle.

Here is the thing, all manufacturers want their cars to last for the longest time possible. As a result, the doors are customized to accommodate the occasional slamming.

Frequent slamming will damage your car door and some of its components. Even if the damage doesn’t occur right away, the effects of regular slamming will manifest one day and your bank account won’t be pleased with the results.

How Bad Is It to Slam Your Car Doors?

If you grew up with strict parents, then you may have been scolded severally for banging your dad’s or mum’s car doors. At the moment, you may have thought that your parents were being too harsh on you.

But, the truth of the matter is that they were teaching you how to be responsible and take care of the property. Car doors might appear sturdy or firm, but with numerous slams, they wear down very fast.

Slamming your car doors isn’t just a bad habit, but it abuses the locks, speakers, and mirrors found inside. The anti-locking system also wears out very fast.

To be on the safe side, close your doors gently. And if you often drive around with your kids, spouse, or friends, teach them the importance of closing car doors gently.

In return, your car door will serve you for longer, ensure safety by locking itself properly, and prevent leaks or damage to other components such as cracking of mirrors.

How to Prevent Car Doors from Being Slammed?

All car owners wish that they had mind control powers so that they would ensure their passengers adhere to car etiquette.

But because that is impossible and you can’t predict how your passengers will behave, here are some proven ways to prevent car doors from being slammed.

• Padding the doors with a rubber butyl gasket

Even though these are designed to weatherproof the car, they also add an extra layer of padding that will protect your car door when it is slammed.

Most cars come with this rubber butyl gasket, it however wears down with time. If this is the case with your car, then you should switch it to a newer one. That extra padding will absorb the extra force that is inflicted on your car when it is slammed.

• Invest in a smooth car door closer

I too was surprised when I found out that there is a tool that can make it physically impossible for you to slam your doors.

We have to agree that however coming up with smooth car door closers is a genius. For years we have had to endure this habit, finally here is a product that features a mechanism that prevents a door from slamming and shuts it gently.

This useful product is available for both regular and sliding doors. It’s easy to install and takes up very little space on the door and the frame of the car.

Though a bit expensive, this tool is very useful and it prolongs the life of your car door and its components.

By preventing slamming and closing the door automatically, you will never have to hear that annoying bang when a passenger disembarks from your car.

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