Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [bumper]

A bumper is a part of a car designed to reduce damage to the car in the event of a minor collision.

A bumper is a part of a car designed to reduce damage to the car in the event of a minor collision. Front and rear bumpers are required by law for on-road vehicles.

They were invented in 1901 by the British inventor Frederick Richard Simms. They were originally made of metal, then plastic and modern cars use PC/ABS (PolyCarbonate and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene).

You can read the Wikipedia article on bumpers here.

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What is the large metal bar that sits behind the bumper?

I've seen a few vehicles with their plastic bumpers off recently. They all seem to have a large metal crossbar sitting in front of the radiator. What is this called? Update: And a sideview of the metal crossbar to impact absorber to chassis rail on…
timbo
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What are some good options for bumper pushing

What is a good way to push with your bumper without ruining the body of the car you are pushing (paint scratches do not matter.
user36537
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What is the term for describing the maximum ramp inclination that a vehicle can clear?

Ground Clearance is used to describe the maximum height of an obstacle the automobile can driver over without scratching the underneath (Figure below). Another problem with cars is that they may not be able clear a ramp if the ramp has too much…
Kang Min Yoo
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BMW 1 Series (2016) Bumper Repair

I recently got a new BMW 1 Series 116D (2016) on a 4 year PCP deal. A week in, I've managed to scratch the bumper. Although it's a minor dink, I don't want there to be any risk of it devaluing the car for when I eventually trade it in. Would you…
Sam
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Why do trucks have a plastic flap under the front bumper?

I've noticed today's trucks have this 3-4" plastic guard that runs along the bottom of the front bumper. It strikes me as something that would hinder ground clearance or otherwise brush into things. What purpose do these serve? Why have they…
Trevor D
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How to remove the clips of the Honda Emblem. Safely

Can someone suggest me how to remove the clips/pins behind the emblem of the front grille of a Honda Civic 2014 EX Sedan. I wanna replace the grille because it's cracked. I saw many tutorials in youtube where people break these pins to replace it by…
Maximus Decimus
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Should I be worried about bumper reinforcement condition after being rear ended?

Recently a car rear ended me at about 10 mph. Cosmetic damage to my rear bumper is not that bad and because of that I am considering to let the other person get away without making claims to his insurance. However, after a visit to body-shop the…
Jonny
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Mounting front license plate?

Recently moved to a state that requires front and back license plates. I have a '96 Honda civic (old but good), it did not have a front plate when I bought it. There are four pre-made holes in the front bumper, but no screws. I bought the correct…
Struggling
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What would you estimate needs to be repaired in a bent fender/bumper?

Hit a garage gate pole. Seems that the metal fender is bent quite well, and the bumper clamp area is also broken, hence its dislodged. What would you estimate would need to be repaired/replaced in this 2012 VW Passat?
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Lincoln MKX 2013 Front Bumper Mystery

I purchased a certified 2013 Lincoln MKX on 9/14/15. I noticed cracks in the front bumper 2 weeks after purchasing this car. The front bumper has been replaced 4 times since and is still cracking/melting in the same area. The dealership attempted to…
Lisa Tubbs
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How to repair a cracked plastic bumper

My wife's brand new bumper cracked from some road debris (image): Body shop quoted her something ridiculous like $1100 (a $280 part plus a ton of labor, to replace the whole thing). I know there are adhesive patch kits out there. I'm guessing most…
The111
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Do I need to paint my bumper?

I am replacing a rear bumper cover on my 2004 Subaru Impreza, and the cheapest deal I can find is a brand new, unpainted unit. My question is whether it is important to paint it, they way it would be important to paint unfinished metal parts. It's…
tef2128
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Straighten Metal & Fiberglass Bumper

I clipped a concrete block at dead slow speed. It bent my rear bumper. This is the view of the full bumper now. You can see the "knee" I put in it. The bumper itself has a piece of angle iron running through the center to give it support. It is…
Scottie H
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What type of crimping pliers do I need for these connectors

I have to run some cables in the bumper and I want to use waterproof connectors housing. The problem is that I don't have any crimping pliers and I don't know what type should I buy for this type of pins/connectors. Thank you.
Da3m0na
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Scratch front bumper white car

I have scratched my car tonight reversing in the garage, when I turned the wheel I scratched the front to a concrete column. My car is a Subaru Impreza Wagon 2007, white This is a link to a photo. Should I fix it with WD40 ? The car is white and…
Kiwimoisi
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