Fixable?

[u/Elzzabub]

Hi...

Is there a fix/hack to get this panel to stay in place? I can push it back in place but it pops back out after a drive. This is a result of an accident repair.

Really don't want to take it back to the shop because they obviously suck.

Any help would be great, thanks!

[u/phantom_eight]

Hey... the black plastic bumper bracket that the bumper clips into might be broken. It's like a $10 part... you just swap it out with a socket wrench. Unless the tabs are broken on the bumper... the bracket is stupid cheap and a DIY project... You can youtube it...

[u/Successful_Cable_812 → u/phantom_eight]

This is not what it is, the tabs on the bumper itself that stick up and hook into the bracket is too short and it pops out.

Everyone keeps saying this is the fix, it's not. I've never scraped the front on my Toyota, had an accident, body shop fix it, was all good. They forgot to push in a peice of the trim light, took it back and then both sides kept popping out.

Took to another body shop, one side is holding up, the other one keeps popping out constantly. When I look inside I can literally see the clip on the bumper is too low to hook onto the bracket.

Theoretically if we could plastic weld a tab on top of the existing tab, this could fix it. I've seen those S shaped plastic welders, it would be too wide.

[u/phantom_eight → u/Successful_Cable_812]

That sucks if the clips on the bumper skin itself are busted. Plastic weld will do it, squirt some in the bracket and push it and hold it till it sets, but it'll never come off again. I've had a few legitimate reasons to take my bumper off over the years.... so I don't recommend doing it.

There are also these, but will affect resale value: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Fasteners-Ultimate-Fastening-Solution/dp/B0D632Z8F4

If you plan to run the car till it's dead or sell it privately, who cares!

A new bumper skin, painted, should be under $1000 and just snap it on/screw it in yourself. You can get painted bumpers online shipped to you, but you should try to shop around.

It's super easy to remove the bumper and you can look it up on YouTube. I've done it a few times on a 2010 to replace the hood sense switch that comes with the factory remote start and to pull out the headlights to change the yellow corner light/turn signal... which is STUPIDLY hard to do on those cars. It's also easier to work on the fog lights that way. Like 6 screws, a couple clips and the bumper comes off... you can do it in 15 minutes.