Bumper mounting brackets: common defects and their signs.

1. Mechanical damages.
   • One of the bumper sides sags.
   • Noise and bumper rattling are heard during driving.
   • The bumper may detach from the car body during driving on a rough road.
2. Deformation and thermal damages.
   • Gaps are visible in the area of junction between the bumper and the car body.
   • The bumper sags.

How to repair or replace bumper mounting brackets?

Manufacturers don’t indicate a specific service life limit for the bumper mounting bracket. Driving style and frequent driving on roads with uneven surface affect duration of components lifetime.

Repairability of car bumper mounting bracketsdepends on their production material and on the reason of their failure. The metal brackets can be repaired in case of insignificant deformation, however, special equipment and skills will be required, so it is recommended to perform this work at the service station only.

The plastic brackets are not repairable and require replacement. With availability of a standard tools set and car servicing experience, the component can be replaced by any car owner. Before starting the work, study car technical documentation, as the procedure may have some variations for different car models. The basic replacement algorithm for the bumper brackets for any car is the following:

1. Demount the radiator grill.
2. If the wheel arch cover is fastened to the bumper, unscrew its fasteners.
3. Demount the tail light, as the fastening clips of the bumper are located under it, you need to release them.
4. Undo the plastic screws of the bumper mounting brackets which weren’t damaged, and remove them.
5. If the gained gap is not sufficient to install a new mounting bracket, remove the bumper.
6. Install a new component and reassemble in the reversed order.