2004 Solara rear bumper reinstall

[Showtime 95]

Hi everyone. Here is my first post here.

I was hoping someone might be able to help me. I purchased an 04 Solara SE Coupe last March and just recently noticed that the rear bumper isn't exactly installed correctly. When looking at, on the left hand side there is a gap. Upon further investigation I notice that the bumper was not clipped in here. It is actually under the clip. I was wondering if anyone could help by telling me the easiest way to fix this. I thought about removing the bumper but I don't now how to do that. If anyone can help that would be great!

Thanks!

[Zembonez]

If you can post a few pics of the problem, we probably can figure out how to help you. Hard to say without seeing.

[Showtime 95]

After going to the dealership for one of my free service checks I asked about my bumper problem and they said that there is no other way to fix it other then removing it and putting it back on.

Does anyone out there know how easy/hard it is to do this? I am trying to save as much money as possible so if it is easy enough to do it myself I would love to know.

Also, can anyone point me in the direction of where I can find out how to do this? Any help would be great!

[BigSherm]

I just installed a custom trailer hitch that is hidden behind my license plate, and had to remove/install the rear bumper cover a dozen times, and the tab you talk about is easy to get wrong.

You should(SHOULD!) be able to fix it without removing the bumper, but removing the bumper is an easy 20 minute job.

At the leading edge of the rear bumper cover, at the rear wheel opening, there is a bolt that secures the bumper cover. It's hard to see unless you remove the rear wheel, so I left the wheel on and used a handheld mirror to get my socket on the bolt.

Once that bolt is out, start peeling the top of the bumper cover off, from front to rear. The tabs will pop out and undo without pulling too hard. These will undo all the way to the tab that is misaligned. Make sure you lift the bumper cover up high enough to engage the problem tab, and assemble the cover in the reverse order you took it off. Use the mirror to get the bolt back in.

If you need to remove the whole cover, start with the panel inside the trunk (at the car's rear end, the end closest to the rear bumper). There are three tabs that secure it, pull it off toward the front of the car. That exposes 4 nuts that hold the top of the bumper cover on the car. Don't drop them as you take them off or you'll lose them forever!

Then there are 4 plastic fasteners, one at each bottom, leading edge of the bumper cover, and two under the bottom center of the bumper cover. These fasteners come out if you pull the center out (like the center of a plastic turkey timer pops out). Be careful when the bumper cover comes off, the license plate lights are still connected to the car. Assembly is in the reverse order.

Hope this helps,
Sherm