Can Falling Acorns Damage a Car?

Acorns are nature’s way of saying: “Hey, don’t park here!” We have so many oak trees in our country that many of us don’t even notice them anymore. People often park their cars under an oak tree without even realizing it. And that’s when it happens.

When acorns fall on your car, they can cause different types of body damage. They can scratch paint, dent metal, and crack windshields.

Let’s talk about the different types of damage and teach you what to do to prevent it.

Will an Acorn Dent Your Car?

In most cases, acorns damage cars by causing dents. They fall from trees and dent your vehicle’s surface.

The severity of the dent will depend on factors such as the height of the tree, the wind speed, and even which acorn species fell on your car. It’s often not too serious, and a simple paintless dent repair will do it. However, in some situations, the dent can be more profound. In such cases, you will need the help of a professional.

Do Acorns Ruin the Car Paint?

Nowadays, the quality of the paint used in vehicles is vastly superior than what it was some years ago. Older cars are more susceptible to paint damage when objects hit them, such as acorns.

But that does not mean that new cars are safe from scratches and related paint issues. An acorn falling and colliding with the wrong angle, the pointed end, may cause a small scratch on a new car. With time, many tiny scratches will become very noticeable.

Acorns and Windshields

When hitting the windshield of a vehicle, an acorn may chip it or crack it. Again, the angle of the impact is important; the pointed end of the acorn poses a more significant threat to your windshield.

An acorn rarely gets stuck in a windshield after landing with the pointed end, but it does happen sometimes. If that ever happens to you, do not try to remove it. It would probably extend the crack. Instead, take it to a professional; they probably dealt with a similar situation before.

Are Acorns Capable of Damaging an RV Roof?

If you are an RV owner, your definition of damage differs from a car owner worried about his car’s paint job. 

Acorns can’t really damage an RV roof unless the roof’s condition is already bad enough for it to break off. The only thing that can damage an RV roof is heavy objects like a big pine cone or a rock.

Do Insurance Companies Cover Acorn Damage?

Acorn damage should be covered if you have comprehensive insurance. But without this type of insurance, you might have to pay out of pocket for the damages.

It is important to understand that you are still required to pay a deductible, even if you have comprehensive coverage.

Such a service depends on the company you choose, but keep in mind that this type of repair is probably cheaper than your deductible. In other words, the chances are that you will be responsible for the costs.

How to Prevent Acorns From Damaging Your Car

To avoid costly repair bills, here are some tips to help you keep your vehicle protected against acorns. Remember that these tips apply mainly during the fall, which is the season when acorns fall the most.

Don’t park under oak trees.

This one seems very obvious, but some people do not know what an oak tree looks like. Others don’t notice they’re parked under an oak until it’s too late. My advice is that you train your brain to always look up after parking to ensure there aren’t branches from an oak covering that area.

Park in a garage

This one is self-explanatory, and it’s one of the best solutions for this problem. Parking your vehicle in a garage will eliminate any chances of damage from falling acorns.

Use a car cover

Car covers protect your vehicle from damage when parked outside. They shield your car from scratches, dings, and dents caused by external elements, including acorns. They’re easy to use, cheap, and can last a long time.

Get solid protection against falling debris

Solutions such as car umbrellas, carports, and car canopies are designed to protect your vehicle from falling debris.

My favorite is a car umbrella because I can take it everywhere. I might need it somewhere other than the parkway. The best ones are made of durable material and fold up easily for easy storage. When you’re ready to leave, unfold the umbrella and place it inside the car. It’s a very simple and portable solution!

Cut the branches over your driveway

Changing the tree, instead of the car, is always an option. Pruning the tree will reduce the number of acorns falling on your vehicle. Just make sure you cut all the branches directly above your driveway.

I don’t see this as a great option, as there is quite some work involved and, as you can imagine, it’s not a permanent solution. Those branches will grow back.

Drive slower when crossing areas with oak trees

If the car is stopped when the acorn hits it, the severity of the damage won’t be as high compared to when the car is moving. In other words, the faster your car is when there is an impact with an acorn, the more damage you’ll likely have.

That way, try to drive slower if you realize there are many oak trees on the sides of the road. It will minimize the damage.

To eliminate that risk, you can even try to find an alternative route.

Conclusion

Falling acorns can cause minor dents or scratches to your vehicle. If you have a new car and care about its looks, then the damage from an acorn can hurt your peace of mind.

If there are a lot of oak trees in your area, you should consider taking the precautions we discussed above.