Loose Bumperette left side rear

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

I have a 2003 996 and the left rear bumperette is loose. Is there a way to tighten it without taking the entire bumper cover off?

Rapewta · 06-09-2015, 01:13 PM

Sure. On a 99 anyway.
I took them off and painted them to match the car.
IIRC, there is a hole underneath the bumperette that the extension on your ratchet goes up and in. The mm size for the bolt that tightens the bumpertee, you will have to figure out but it is inside the bumperette and that is the only thing you need to get to.

Take them off, sand 'em, primer 'em, paint 'em and clearcoat them to match the color of your car.
Nice simple upgrade.

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Thanks for the reply. My '03 does not have those holes visible from the outside. The paint does match the body color but I just don't know how to tighten that left one up.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

First off you can't get the bumper cover off until the bumperettes are removed. On lower face is a rubber door that will pop off if you put a flat blade screw driver in the detent and gently pry. Then you'll need an allan (I believe it's a 8mm) on a 6" extension. You'll have to feel around to engage the socket head bolt. Best is to start out with just the allan on the extension. Once you've engaged the socket head then attach the socket wrench. You only have to loosen the allan before removing the bumperette. Same going back, be sure the allan is started into the mounting bracket, then install the bumperette.

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Mitch,
There is no door of any kind on my Bumperettes. Please see attached photo.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

I'm having a hard time seeing the bumperette, is this a side view or rear. Why don't you step back and take another picture that shows the entire bumperette. Is that dirt in the joint, nearly looks like a glue joint?

I'm wondering if you have a factory bumperette, otherwise I'm lost.

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Mitch, that's a shot from directly behind. I am almost certain they are factory. There is a bit of wax/dirt on the bottom edge because it is loose and moving around. Appears that you need to go in from behind somehow to tighten it up.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Zolo, look carefully for the flush doors. You have to be able to remove the bumperettes if you wanted to remove the bumper cover. The bumperettes are attached using a blind socket head bolt which is accessed through the bumperette door at the bottom rear face of the bumperette.

Let me know and I'll take a picture of the bumperette door if you still don't have one?

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Please do Mitch. My picture is of the bottom rear face of my bumperette and there is no door there. Sorry to be such a pain.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Zolo, for grins... remove your license plate and see if there's an aluminum bumper behind the cover. There should be a hole and behind that is the threaded hole for the tow eye in the bumper.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

Here's a pix of my bumperette with the mounting bolt access door. Let us know if there's a bumper behind your bumper cover.

You know that the bumper cover comes off in about 15 minutes. My thought is that the bumperettes are fasten to the bumper cover. It would be nice if you took another picture showing the bumperette and the surrounding bumper cover.

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Sorry Mitch, just home from work. You can see the aluminum bumper behind the lisc plate. Here is a better photo of the bumperette and surrounding area. Mine are definitely different than yours.

Mitch Leland · Mitch Leland's Garage

I'm lost... is the bumperette soft to touch, it nearly looks like it could be FiberGlass. Is that a stock bumper, or is it FiberGlass?

My car is a 2003 C4S, I don't know if the bumpers and bumperettes are different. Your bumperette looks like it's off of my old "84" 911 TurboLook... Maybe someone can shed some light on this?

Zolo47 · Zolo47's Garage

Stock bumper, the bumperette is not really soft, it feels like it is made out of the same thing as the bumper cover. Thanks anyway Mitch, I appreciate your time!

GromitInWA · 07-07-2015, 06:53 PM

Bumperettes changed with the 2002 model from black rubber like material to the same plastic and color as the bumper.

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GromitInWA · 07-07-2015, 07:04 PM

My right bumperette is also a little loose. I've looked at a guide that I have access to. For 2002+ the first step is to remove the bumper (which they refer to as a rear spoiler), then you can get to the bumperette (referred to as impact horns). The impact horns fasten using a lug mechanism. My guess is that the impact horn got stuck on something and the lug broke off so there will be no way to tighten it.