[saturnk1]

Has anyone experienced this? The front and rear bumpers are kind of bowed out from their normal location. Its like the retaining clips are missing or something.......i have an appt to take it in for warranty work, are they just going to laugh at me or has anyone else had this issue?

 

[pbmaniac2000]

Nope had the same issue. I know of one other guy on here chris who had the same thing happen to his. My local dealership is covering it under warranty. They are sending it to a local body shop to get fixed.

 

[oldgoat]

For Saturnk1, Do You Have The Sap Grill/package? Sometimes This Will Loosen The Bumpers.

 

[saturnk1]

No I do not, I havent touched the front bumper. Though I did buy it used, so who knows who had it the first 14k miles

 

[Cottonfarmer]

Has anyone experienced this? The front and rear bumpers are kind of bowed out from their normal location. Its like the retaining clips are missing or something.......i have an appt to take it in for warranty work, are they just going to laugh at me or has anyone else had this issue?

Yep, happened to me. Mine was the front bumper. Dealer had to replace the entire front bumper and get it painted to match rest of car. They did a good job as the paint difference can't be seen.

Problem with the front bumper was the plastic retaining clip right in front of the wheel well had broken. Could not be repaired, only replaced.

 

[chrisGTO]

yup, mine does the same thing, i have the sap grills, i bet it started sagging after that, but mine is no way as bad as yours. sorry, that sucks man.

 

[pbmaniac2000]

Yeah i think they will have to replace mine as well. Don't know for sure yet, just when you look inside the bumper you can see something that looks like broken plastic.

I also have the SAP package.

 

[roadracer]

I think there is a TSB out on that problem. I had the same problem, but not to that extent. To get the proper fit my body shop manager had to break off the alignement pins and fab new ones. The fit is perfect now and has been for the past 16 or so months. I had a big fight with GM about it. I also had noticed the beginning of that same problem on new GTO's on the lot.

 

[BostonF4$]

Well this is both good and bad news for me. My '04 has some slight separation w/ the front bumper as well, not nearly as bad as yours, but enough that I noticed. I say it's kinda good news to me because I bought my car used and although I did a carfax that came back clean, I was skeptical because of the slight bumper separation and thought it may have been in an accident. Well I guess I won't really bother with it until or if it gets bad...then I'll flip at the dealer...I have a 75,000 mile warranty!!!!!!!!

 

[GTOJon]

Yep. I have that too, drives me nuts. I only have it on the front driver's side of the bumper. It's been that way since I bought the car in April of 2005. It sucks when you can't trust a dealer/service department...I never want to leave the car with them for anything (including the clanking that I've also had for over a year coming from the rear driver's side - posted on another thread).

 

[J.E.T.]

You've prolly done what a lot of us have and pulled your front bumper out when you parked over a concrete stop. My whole front bumper was pulled completely off by one of these things. Dealer replaced the whole thing and the fasteners used now are MUCH better than stock. Obviously there have been problems that have now been addressed. Restaurant owner's insurance paid for my repair........$900.

JET

 

[bemeyer]

Yep....my GTO developed a gap on one side shortly after I bought it last year. I did point it out to the service tech one time I was in for another problem and they didn't touch it. I think they simply forgot as it's not that bad yet.

This is good to know as I figured it was just a loosening hangar....not a broken irreplacable part. I may bring this up next time I'm in or before my warranty expires.

 

[Kanding]

On the right side, you have a broken or detached clip just under the headlight. On the left side, it looks like the two side clips are not engaged. Both are easy to fix yourself, however. There is a thread that I posted in the Exterior Discussions forum titled "Simple Bumper Gap Fix" that addresses this.

Good luck!

 

[GotYurGoat]

I've got the same thing as does everyone else...I installed the SAP grilles myself and the two clips that are molded to the bumper itself snapped. I found the pieces, no way to fix. Glue wouldn't have held it for long. Mine dont do it as much as those pics though. I would say I can push mine in a little less than a half inch and it is where it should be. Doesnt bother me much, atleast I did it and not someone else. I just tell people that I am going so fast that the clips cant hold on...lol. later peeps

 

[pab13]

This is a common problem back home in Aust. The seperation is an issue that GM would of known before launching the car here. Don't back down on the issue if it is a concern, because there excuses are just that, excuses. Excuses do not solve the problem and they need to be remineded of that.

 

[The_Goat]

Whew... I might have to take mine to the dealer then if this is being covered under warranty. My front bumper has just started to do this on the passenger side. I had thought someone may have bumped into the front bumper.. but there were no marks. I'll keep this in mind next time I go in for maintenance.

Update: I was checking out underneat the car and I think the retaining clip broke as well. Looks like I'm paying a visit to the dealer.

 

[GTO JUDGE]

My front facia mating to the fenders under the headlights was not right from day 1. There is a gap there and on both sides it was protruding outward and when washing the car I was always catching the mit or chamois on the edges. Last summer I took it in and the dealer put different clips in and although the problem was not totally corrected it was improved.

Well just a month ago I took it back in after the problem resurfaced. I could pull it out from under the headlights. I believe the heat has something to do with it. Told them I want it right, and either you get it right or get me a new front end. Well, now it's right. Although there is still a slight gap (wide enough to get a playing card between) the protrusion has been corrected. Apparently the clips that hold the front end in place there could use some improvement. As I stated before, I have seen some where there is no gap and it looks like a weld, and I have seen some with gaps.

My rear facia behind the rear wheels was also popping out at times, and I could pop it back in place. Again, new clips were installed and it is now tight. I do think the heat is affecting this. I don't live in a constant high heat area, but that's the only explanation I can come up with.

I took a look at the pics in a previous thread, and the gap behind the rear wheels from the rear facia to the fenders (quarter panel) appears to be normal. Where the rear facia meets at the wheel is tight but as you follow the seam around to the rear there is maybe a 1/16" space until the facia begins its wrap around to the rear. I think this is just the nature of it, at least for the SAP facia. I see no way to eliminate the slight gap. The gap is barely noticible, and the facia to quarter panel is tight the whole way around except for a small area on both sides.

I do wish that when you order a package, or options it would be done at factory in the assembly environment like it used to be instead of it being a dealer installed option. The Q.C. process is monitored more...well, it's supposed to be anyway.

 

[b_a_betterperson]

I found the pieces, no way to fix.

Contact cement will work if you have a clean break. You can also encase the clip in aluminum tape for additional strength.

 

[Kanding]

Contact cement will work if you have a clean break. You can also encase the clip in aluminum tape for additional strength.

What specific adhesive did you use? I first tried epoxy (for plastic) and it didn't harden at all. I ended up fixing the gap another way, but still curious about the glue.

 

[b_a_betterperson]

What specific adhesive did you use?

Just went and double checked in the garage. You're not going to believe this, but I used "The Original Super Glue Brand High-Performance Future Glue." Went through the same epoxy gyrations as you -- and decided to give this a shot -- and it worked beautifully. Comes in a tiny bottle -- and applies with a brush. Think I bought this stuff at the grocery store, of all places.