BMW F30 LCI bumper misaligned

tpoddar · 06-04-2020, 09:42 AM

Hello, My front bumper is misaligned to the hood of the car and I can't unsee the gap now. Is there a way to fix it at home? I've tried to remove the six screws on top of the bumper and align it but that didn't work. Any tips would be of highly appreciated. I do not wish to take my car to the dealer or a bodyshop and wish to do the fix myself. Note that the hood is correctly aligned with the front fenders thus the issue seems to be the bumper. Pics attached

FaRKle! · 06-04-2020, 10:16 AM

The screws along the top edge of the bumper under the hood control the panel gap. You can see in my video below at 2:49 how to adjust them.

MmmmmM2 · 06-04-2020, 11:24 AM

I can't see anything wrong.

:

apexmoti · 07-13-2020, 07:40 PM

tpoddar

Have you tried setting the mounting where the hood sits?
I tried that first and I got it to line up with the fenders, but I coudn't align it with the hood.

I also tried aligning the screws on top too, but my gap is much worse...

I can't even get all the torx screws to line up with the holes and the body shop just forced them into install something.

I don't even know how that alignment tab is supposed to align everything if the holes aren't aligned.

This is supposed to be an OEM bumper!!

I did notice that the bumper is higher a couple mm on the passenger side but otherwise it's flush...

njdangelo · 07-14-2020, 08:27 AM

Has this been an issue since you bought the car or did you recently need to replace the bumper?

njdangelo · 07-14-2020, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apexmoti

tpoddar

Have you tried setting the mounting where the hood sits?
I tried that first and I got it to line up with the fenders, but I coudn't align it with the hood.

I also tried aligning the screws on top too, but my gap is much worse...

I can't even get all the torx screws to line up with the holes and the body shop just forced them into install something.

I don't even know how that alignment tab is supposed to align everything if the holes aren't aligned.

This is supposed to be an OEM bumper!!

I did notice that the bumper is higher a couple mm on the passenger side but otherwise it's flush...

Why not bring it back to the body shop and tell them you are unhappy with their work and have them fix it?

apexmoti · 07-14-2020, 03:30 PM

I recently replaced the bumper and passenger headlight after being in a collision.
I'd love to take it back to the shop, but the I'd be out a car for a couple weeks while they "fix" it and it was battle just trying to get them to use OEM parts.

When I picked up the car, the GM at the shop kept showing me other repairs he made and how that gap was still normal, so my trust level for them to fix it properly isn't at the highest.

I'm thinking I'll take off the bumper completely and reinstall, maybe adjust the headlight.

Any tips?

How does everyone get everything to line up perfectly??

This wasn't there from factory.

njdangelo · 07-15-2020, 05:43 AM

This is more likely caused damage to the supports behind the bumper from the accident, not the bumper itself. Typically there is going to be some sort of bending or warping when an accident occurs. Body shops will put your car on a frame rack and pull everything back in place if it's structural. Most places get it really close to normal, some places do not.

upsidedownfunnel · 07-15-2020, 12:15 PM

Most fender benders don't require realignment of the frame rails.

Body panels just require alignment and some body shops are good at this while others are bad at this. It's a skill and it's not usually a matter of using OEM or not. Although cheap aftermarket parts can be much harder to align correctly.

apexmoti · 07-16-2020, 03:46 PM

How can I verify what I should do?

I didn't manage to take a picture of it when it was getting appraise at the shop so I'm not sure if the support rails were affected, but I know they didn't put it on a frame rack.

If it helps, I think was hit at 15-25mph at a full stop. The airbags didn't deploy though...

JackMikk · 07-16-2020, 04:13 PM

Maybe you have a little bent headlamp mounts.

apexmoti · 07-17-2020, 06:42 PM

how can I verify that?
which part is it on the schematic?

06-04-2020, 09:42 AM	#1
tpoddar Private First Class 51 Rep 183 Posts Drives: BMW 320i B48 Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: India iTrader: (0)	BMW F30 LCI bumper misaligned Hello, My front bumper is misaligned to the hood of the car and I can't unsee the gap now. Is there a way to fix it at home? I've tried to remove the six screws on top of the bumper and align it but that didn't work. Any tips would be of highly appreciated. I do not wish to take my car to the dealer or a bodyshop and wish to do the fix myself. Note that the hood is correctly aligned with the front fenders thus the issue seems to be the bumper. Pics attached Attached Images
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06-04-2020, 10:16 AM	#2
FaRKle! Brigadier General 4016 Rep 3,539 Posts Drives: 328d Wagon, M2 Comp, i4 eD35 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (4) Garage List 2023 BMW i4 eDrive 35 [0.00] 2017 BMW 328dx Wagon [0.00] 2021 BMW M2 Competi ... [0.00]	The screws along the top edge of the bumper under the hood control the panel gap. You can see in my video below at 2:49 how to adjust them. __________________ -328d Wagon Build Log (with helpful reference links) -My YouTube Channel for some of the best DIYs and in depth information Please don't PM me for suspension recommendations unless interested in paid private consultations.
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06-04-2020, 11:24 AM	#3
MmmmmM2 Colonel 2589 Rep 2,432 Posts Drives: 2021 M2C Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Claremont, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 Mazda CX-5 [0.00] 2021 BMW M2C [0.00]	I can't see anything wrong. :
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07-13-2020, 07:40 PM	#4
apexmoti Operator 6 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2017 Alpine White 340i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	Same but worse tpoddar Have you tried setting the mounting where the hood sits? I tried that first and I got it to line up with the fenders, but I coudn't align it with the hood. I also tried aligning the screws on top too, but my gap is much worse... I can't even get all the torx screws to line up with the holes and the body shop just forced them into install something. I don't even know how that alignment tab is supposed to align everything if the holes aren't aligned. This is supposed to be an OEM bumper!! I did notice that the bumper is higher a couple mm on the passenger side but otherwise it's flush... Attached Images
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07-14-2020, 08:27 AM	#5
njdangelo Captain 436 Rep 844 Posts Drives: 2019 x5 50i Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: CT iTrader: (1)	Has this been an issue since you bought the car or did you recently need to replace the bumper? __________________ 2019 x5 50i - current 2016 340i THP stage 2 - gone but not forgotten.
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07-14-2020, 03:30 PM	#7
apexmoti Operator 6 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2017 Alpine White 340i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	I recently replaced the bumper and passenger headlight after being in a collision. I'd love to take it back to the shop, but the I'd be out a car for a couple weeks while they "fix" it and it was battle just trying to get them to use OEM parts. When I picked up the car, the GM at the shop kept showing me other repairs he made and how that gap was still normal, so my trust level for them to fix it properly isn't at the highest. I'm thinking I'll take off the bumper completely and reinstall, maybe adjust the headlight. Any tips? How does everyone get everything to line up perfectly?? This wasn't there from factory. Attached Images
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-15-2020, 05:43 AM	#8
njdangelo Captain 436 Rep 844 Posts Drives: 2019 x5 50i Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: CT iTrader: (1)	This is more likely caused damage to the supports behind the bumper from the accident, not the bumper itself. Typically there is going to be some sort of bending or warping when an accident occurs. Body shops will put your car on a frame rack and pull everything back in place if it's structural. Most places get it really close to normal, some places do not. __________________ 2019 x5 50i - current 2016 340i THP stage 2 - gone but not forgotten.
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07-15-2020, 12:15 PM	#9
upsidedownfunnel Colonel 1996 Rep 2,499 Posts Drives: 2014 335i Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: SoCal iTrader: (4) Garage List 2014 BMW 335i [0.00]	Most fender benders don't require realignment of the frame rails. Body panels just require alignment and some body shops are good at this while others are bad at this. It's a skill and it's not usually a matter of using OEM or not. Although cheap aftermarket parts can be much harder to align correctly.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-16-2020, 03:46 PM	#10
apexmoti Operator 6 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2017 Alpine White 340i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	How can I verify what I should do? I didn't manage to take a picture of it when it was getting appraise at the shop so I'm not sure if the support rails were affected, but I know they didn't put it on a frame rack. If it helps, I think was hit at 15-25mph at a full stop. The airbags didn't deploy though... Attached Images
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07-16-2020, 04:13 PM	#11
JackMikk New Member 5 Rep 9 Posts Drives: BMW 7 and 5\ Camaro SS 19 Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Australia iTrader: (0)	Maybe you have a little bent headlamp mounts.
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07-17-2020, 06:42 PM	#12
apexmoti Operator 6 Rep 40 Posts Drives: 2017 Alpine White 340i Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (0)	how can I verify that? which part is it on the schematic?
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