Why You Should Avoid Slamming Your Car Door (And The Damage It Can Do)

Even the most careful among us is probably guilty of slamming a car door every once in a while. It happens easily enough: you're running late to work and yank the door hard when you get out, your hands are full of groceries, and you give the door an extra hard push to make sure it closes, or maybe you're just frustrated after a long day and take it out on the door without thinking. Most of us know we should be careful when closing the door, but that doesn't always translate to our actions in the real world.

Slamming your car door shut every now and then most likely won't cause any serious damage to your car, but you don't want to make a habit out of it. If you're like a lot of drivers, you've also dealt with passengers who've slammed your doors shut without giving it a second thought. Lyft and Uber drivers might wonder if their work voids their warranty — and more than a few probably think about the damage a customer slamming their door could cause. But is slamming a car door really that bad? The short answer is yes, especially if it happens on a regular basis. Slamming your car door could cause structural damage to your vehicle, throw the door frame out of alignment, shorten the lifespan of its hinges, and even put extra strain on the windows. 

Most conscientious drivers try to avoid common driving habits that might damage their car, but they may not realize how much wear and tear slamming a car door shut can cause, both to the structure of the door and the components inside it. Slam your car door enough times, and you might end up damaging the frame. That could mean being stuck with a door frame that's bent and a car door that's loose, misaligned, and hard to close. Other potential consequences include the door becoming stuck or collapsing, especially if the damage to the door makes it possible for moisture to seep in, causing corrosion. 

If that's not enough to give you pause, you should know that the potential damage doesn't end there. Your car door's internal components — and even its hinges — can also suffer under the force of repeated slamming. Your hinges are what make it possible for you to open and close your doors. If you slam your car door regularly, the hinges could wear out faster, making it harder for the door to latch and stay closed. Windows are also vulnerable to slamming and could end up shattering or losing their alignment. As a result, you may find yourself dealing with windows that get stuck or won't open and close properly.

Your car's locking mechanism is another component that might not hold up well under constant slamming, which could lead to power door locks not working reliably. Speakers are often found in car doors, and these, too, can be affected, with repeated slamming causing sound quality to deteriorate or the speakers to stop working altogether. Given the damage it can do, along with keeping up with your car's maintenance schedule, you should make it a point to minimize the slamming of your car doors.