Bottle Inside Driver's Side Front Bumper - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

lemieux · 05-10-2011, 12:07 AM

Hi everyone

Recently my parked car was hit while it was parked in front of my place. The front bumper was knocked off a little and the grill was slightly cracked. I found a bottle inside the Driver's Side front Bumper broken. It was plastic bottle located below the battery. I am wondering if any of you know what the bottle is called. I have checked my Haynes Repair Manual but there's no section (or at least I haven't found it) that talks about this.

Further more, if my bumper cover and the styrofoam bumper cushion is damaged, do I have to worry too much about the airbags going off when I change the front bumpers? My manual says I have to disconnect the batteries, but I fear that doing so will cause my car alarm to set off and that I may have to reset my wireless remote key entry. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Yuko · 05-10-2011, 12:23 AM

The white bottle is a type of air intake resonator, suppose to cancel out noise but I took my out. I noticed a slightly deep intake noise w/o the "milk jug" but I like that. As for the bumper cover, the impact sensors are located further back from the bumper beam (between the headlights and radiator) so the chance of setting off the airbags are low.

adalex · 05-10-2011, 07:21 PM

If you have ever taken off your headlights assuming you have a gen 4 since you dont specify which gen on the fram theres a little box mounted to it, thats your sensor

lemieux · 05-10-2011, 07:37 PM

I am sorry for the lack of information. The car is:

a 4-cylinder 2000 Camry LE. I have not taken the headlights before. I will need to change the turn signal (I have got one already for $80). It seems easy enough to change the turn signal, but I hope I won't bump into a sensor while I do that. There is no damage to the headlight so I don't think I will be taking it off. What is the possibility of the airbag going off while changing the turn signal? I know this might be a silly question to you experts, but I am doing this for the first time. The car has served me well. I have not gotten in a major accident in the 9 years that I have owned it (got it second hand back in 2002).

Yuko · 05-10-2011, 07:50 PM

I have a 2001 Camry LE 4-cly and had been in one light frontal accident but didn't set off the airbags. I have removed the bumper cover countless times, remove the headlight units and turn signal countless time, used a welder (did disconnect battery that time), slide hammer, and mallet on the radiator support and bumper beam a few times. I done all of this with the key out of the car and haven't set off the airbags. The sensors are located between the headlight units and grill so unless you swing a hammer at it, it shouldn't go off.

The possibility of setting off the airbags is very, very low when you're just changing the driver side turn signal. Just one plastic screw, pops out, replace, and pop back in with the screw. Just don't poke at any yellow wiring loom (SRS system) and you're good.

***fenixus*** · 05-10-2011, 07:56 PM

don't worry about SRS sensor, you won't be getting near that with tools.

to remove bumper you first need to remove the grille (3 bolts on top on my car and a few clips holding it to bumper at bottom) then lights.

to remove headlights you need to remove the corner lamps first, there is just one tiny screw on top, it bolts it to head lamp, once removed (wear a rubber glove, it helps) pull with your palm on the corner lamp towards front of car and it will get unclipped from fender, no need to pry on anything.

once there the bolts will be exposed.

bumper is also held by a few one time use plastic clips from bottom and top (below headlamps).

there is also 2 hidden nuts holding bumper to fenders, you will need to unscrew and peel off the plastic fender liners to get to them.
at least that's how it is on my solaras, camry might be a tad different... but it gives you the idea. nothing hard about it, just a little time consuming

don't forget to unplug fog lights (if any) before dropping the bumper

adalex · 05-10-2011, 08:30 PM

if i get a chance assuming u don't do everything before i get a chance to do it. but ill see if i can get a pic of the sensors so you can get a feel of where they are. but yea if you don't move the headlight and u just mess with the turn signal assemblys u don't even see the air bag sensors