Q:We hit a concrete parking lot post with the bumper on our Toyota Sienna (2004). The corner of the bumper got pushed in. It's a round impression about 6 inches across. I am sure it would use up our deductible of $500 to fix it at a shop. Is there any way for us to repair this ourselves? - Evie A., Roseville

A:Unlike the big chrome bumpers of old, which were a solid piece of heavy steel, modern bumpers utilize soft and hard portions to provide some shock absorption, as well as structural protection. The typical construction is a heavy, flexible, synthetic shell covering a thick layer of styrofoam supporting and filling in the bumper's shape, with a heavier piece, either steel or fiberglass, providing a strong crosspiece below that. The crosspiece will be bolted to a chassis member.

Before you grow alarmed at the notion that one of the main layers standing between you and a potential impact from another vehicle is coffee-cup material, rest assured that styrofoam has incredible strength for its weight. It is often used to support roadways and is particularly helpful in muddy ground because it settles less readily than heavier fills. Huge blocks of high-density styrofoam lashed together can and do support the biggest, fully loaded trucks.

From your description, it sounds as though you have dimpled this outer shell, pushing it in far enough that it stuck there. If you picture a flexible plastic lid, as on a food container, these can often sit "out" or, if you push on them with your thumbs, they will pop "in" and stick there too. Your bumper corner has been pushed in far enough that the "extra" material protruding outward to form the corner has been inverted.

Sometimes you can pop out small impressions with a hair dryer. The heat expands the cover and it pops out. Your dent sounds a little big for that approach. Your best bet is to remove the bumper cover and pop out the dimple from the inside. You may still want to heat it up good with a hair dryer to get it to expand and relieve some of the tension in it so that it better accepts the shape to which you've restored it.

The plastic cover will be secured to the surrounding body panels by a combination of fasteners that you can access from the underside, the wheel wells and the hatchback opening. Remove these carefully to avoid breaking them and note their locations, orientations and quantity on a notepad. There will be many of them, so be patient. With the full weight of the cover hanging by any one fastener, it's possible to break little slots or tabs on the cover, which you'll then have to find a way to repair. Better to go slowly, troubleshoot in advance, and keep everything undamaged apart from the dimple you're going to push out. You should not need to remove the solid bumper portion bolted to the frame.

If you can't get the impression out to your satisfaction, you can try some wrecking yards. They may have a good used cover that will fit. Drive your vehicle there to see if the colors match to your satisfaction. Paint lot may differ slightly across vehicles. If you have to buy a cover and paint it you will probably surpass the cost of your deductible. A website like www.car-part.com can help you locate the closest suitable used parts.