Lights don't sit flush with bumper.. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

paperbanjo · 08-01-2010, 01:43 AM

Back again with another question..

While in the process of trying to figure out my parking lamp situation (which I have now fixed!), I was checking out some of the parts that were replaced on my Camry after the accident I had in June. I noticed that the bumper has a sticker on it that says 00-01.. my Camry is a 99.

Normally I wouldn't care that much, but the lights don't fit flush with the bumper.. you can see that here.

Is this normal? Or is this something I should be taking back to the people that I am paying back for fixing it and telling them that I'm not paying the amount I did for a halfass fix? Or would it be possible (or any different for that matter) to have lights from an 00-01 Camry since that's the bumper I've got there?

Thanks.

dorifuto.boi · 08-01-2010, 12:49 PM

can we have a picture of where the front bumper meets the fender and parking lamp ?

Darchrow Enigma · 08-01-2010, 01:20 PM

according to a 2000 camry manual...the front bumper was changed from the 97-99................i don't think it'll sit flush.

clintj · 08-01-2010, 01:29 PM

Is your bumper a Toyota OEM or aftermarket?

paperbanjo · 08-01-2010, 01:35 PM

I'm pretty sure it's OEM but I will check when I get out of the shower.

dorifuto.boi · 08-01-2010, 01:43 PM

thats the right bumper. because the 01 bumpers dip down at the corner lights because the 01 corner lights are much taller.

my car has a gap but i don't think its as big as yours. so im not sure if its because they didn't fix it right or what.
both my camries have a gap..... but for me, i don't have a gap between the headlight and front bumper. only the corner lamp and the front bumper.

anyone else have any inputs on why theres such a big gap on paperbanjo's car ?

dorifuto.boi · 08-01-2010, 01:48 PM

***LynchburgCSI*** · 08-01-2010, 02:22 PM

Have you tried adjusting your headlights up or down? A little gappage is normal.

Darchrow Enigma · 08-01-2010, 02:29 PM

i have a 00...
behind the corner light, there's a bracket mounted to the chassis of the car. it's a black plastic. there's a metal knob at the top that's about the size of a Qtip, it holds the headlights it place. towards the center of the bracket, is a piece that connects the corner light...it kind of clips in...almost like a hook.

check for that. i'm certain that's the one thing that will keep the corner light "down" and remove the gap.

Chris Crash · 08-01-2010, 02:45 PM

That's definitely not an 01 bumper. Those had removable grills, and shit.

***LynchburgCSI*** · 08-01-2010, 02:47 PM

Slacking off on replacement parts FTW. Now beat the mechanic with a brick.

paperbanjo · 08-01-2010, 02:52 PM

I haven't tried adjusting them yet.. I just went and looked at everything and that thought crossed my mind.

I'm also thinking it's more like the headlights are sitting too far back? (Darch, it's not just the corner lamp, unfortunately.)

I tried to push the bumper upward a little to see if it made any difference and it doesn't. What I also found is it's not the bumper that's labeled 00-01, but the front rebar.

This also may or may not help.. but prior to the accident, this is how it looked..

I also agree on the grill thing. I was hoping to be able to remove that (easily) in the future.. but by now I've found out that it's not even an option!

Chris Crash · 08-01-2010, 03:23 PM

I mean, what yours looks like now is kinda how mine looks. there's a gap.

paperbanjo · 08-01-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Crash

I mean, what yours looks like now is kinda how mine looks. there's a gap.

Can you fit more than just a finger between the bumper and the headlight? =\ I mean, I remember there being a very slight gap before.. but this is kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

And considering there are things I want to do with it when it's no longer my DD and/or work car.. seems like something I should be questioning now so I don't run into problems later.

I'm completely new at pretty much all of this, so that's why I'm asking questions.

clintj · 08-01-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dorifuto.boi

thats the right bumper. because the 01 bumpers dip down at the corner lights because the 01 corner lights are much taller.

my car has a gap but i don't think its as big as yours. so im not sure if its because they didn't fix it right or what.
both my camries have a gap..... but for me, i don't have a gap between the headlight and front bumper. only the corner lamp and the front bumper.

anyone else have any inputs on why theres such a big gap on paperbanjo's car ?

It is probably an aftermarket bumper (or possibly an aftermarket light if it was replaced)

I would go back to the repair shop and tell them that is unacceptable. Unless you only paid for an aftermarket bumper (I work in a body shop and when someone wants to save money and go with aftermarket we always warn them that there may be poor fitment.)

Still it looks like the body man should have been able to shim out the headlights to give somewhat better fitment.