Anybody have gaps on their bumpers?

[steven88]

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/9135/dsc01805he9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

was wondering if anybody has a similar experience? It's only on the passenger side....I pulled my bumper for HID install...and when I re assembled everything I came up with this...I said no problem, pulled everything off again and made sure everything lines up and securely fit...still to no avail

Is this a common problem with Mazda 3's? Does anyone have a fix for it? Any input on this subject would be greatly appreciated!

[Eracer]

My front seems to be fine but the rear starts off fine (nice and even) and ends with a larger gap between quarter panel and bumper. I have looked at many 3's and no two are alike. The uniformity of the gap varies car to car. On my Mazdaspeed MX5 it was a royal pain to realign the bumper. There is not very much to hold it on or adjust. Seems to be the same case with the 3's.

[sl0wthe0ry]

mine was the same, over time it has gotten a little worse but not much.

[RelliMS3]

I've got that same misalignment in the same spot. I just deal with it.

[DaleNixon]

Mine's perfect but my wife's brand new Civic Si has a weird gap problem on the right side. Does this just happen sometimes?

[MikeHTally]

I find I have to thump the passenger side bumper end back in place every so often. Haven't figured what makes it go out of alignment. I suspect it's when I park and the chin spoiler contacts the curb, usually just a "brush".

[Kain]

I do what I do for everything else: blame it on Congress and the illegals.

[steven88]

is there any fix for this?

[Eracer]

I find I have to thump the passenger side bumper end back in place every so often. Haven't figured what makes it go out of alignment. I suspect it's when I park and the chin spoiler contacts the curb, usually just a "brush".

Correct! I have seen this happen on a regular 3 right in front of me. It does not take much contact to pop the edges of the bumper cover out of place.

[MidwestSpeed3]

I just notice mine last week. It had to have happened recently. Not sure if there is a fix or not.

[steven88]

someone on another forum suggested to me that I loosen my headlight bolts and lift UP on the headlight as far as it can go...then tighten the bolts down....it worked out for him so I will be giving it a shot....I hope this really fixes the problem because this all started after my HID install (removing headlights)

[steven88]

I tried this method and i still can't get this thing straight :(

[robin2660]

Mine looked like that recently since I let a friend drive the car, whereby he put it in 1st instead of R on a diagonal park. This resulted in him driving up onto the curb, then backing off, which pulled the bumper away and broke one of the clips where wheel liner meets bumper.

Check your clips?

[steven88]

Mine looked like that recently since I let a friend drive the car, whereby he put it in 1st instead of R on a diagonal park. This resulted in him driving up onto the curb, then backing off, which pulled the bumper away and broke one of the clips where wheel liner meets bumper.

Check your clips?

Yup everything is in tact...I guess it's just a common problem with mazda 3 bumpers

[stars.eg6]

i have gaps in the front and rear. i tried kicking the car on the gap area but it didnt fix the problem. :(

[steven88]

i have gaps in the front and rear. i tried kicking the car on the gap area but it didnt fix the problem. :(

LOL you kicked your own car?

[1BAD5DR]

there is 3 metal clips that need to sandwich between bumper and fender. If any of those clips are broken you will get that gap. I hit part of a driveway and my bumper came out the left side. After fixing most of it it looks like 1 tab/metal part broke off the little bracket behind the bumper and now I get theat gap. So I called Mazda and they can order the part in 2 days...I think its like 25 bucks

[stars.eg6]

LOL you kicked your own car?

yea ive done it a few times. i have a nice knuckle dent on one of my fenders now.

[CoolWhip]

I had that problem too after my first attempt at my HID install. I had to go back in there to fix a small problem and the second time around it was gone ...

Must have missed something

[steven88]

I had that problem too after my first attempt at my HID install. I had to go back in there to fix a small problem and the second time around it was gone ...

Must have missed something

do you know exactly what you fixed?

[J-Villa]

It's because it's a uni-body car.

I talked to a body shop guy about it once b/c a Si I was looking at had really mis-aligned pannels. He said that becuase it's a unibody, every car is slightly different and every pannel has to be hugn slightly different. If it's done by someone who is not really good at their work, or becomes mis-aligned b/c of impact or something; it's quite difficult to get them to line back up unless your really good at what u do.

I'm no body expert like this guy was, so I really don't have a 2 cents to add onto what he told me. I believe it's plausible enough to be true.

[mr_mazda329]

I bought mine brand new 10 aug and it has the same thing wrong with it, also paint chips on the hatch...Don't know how that happened either

[steven88]

wait so your MS3 is bone stock and still has that gap?

I do not know if mine came like that from the factory...I just know after my HID install it started to do it...or maybe I just NOTICED after I did the install...who knows :(

[Tiffers]

no gaps :D

[J-Villa]

wait so your MS3 is bone stock and still has that gap?

I do not know if mine came like that from the factory...I just know after my HID install it started to do it...or maybe I just NOTICED after I did the install...who knows :(

I did a litle search, and a lot of people have the gap problem after the headlights are messed with. Maybe one of the mounting locations for the headlights is also an alignment point for the body, and u have to re-align the panels after you mess w/ said mounting location.

that or I'm completely lost (spank)

[steven88]

I tried messing around with the headlight....taking it off and putting it back on and see if there was any "adjustment"...well theres really no way you can adjust it...