Rear bumperette off = need to remove bumper cover?

[GreggT]

Well the good thing is it didn't fall off while motoring down the road.

The right cover almost fell off while waxing the car in my garage tonight......wife's 02 C4 cab.

Correct me if I'm wrong, the 02-on ettes simply snap into a rectangular piece that sits on the inside of the main bumper....(unlike pre-02 that bolt like 986)......and that rectangular piece unfortunately is unattached (other than it's positioned on the other side of the bumper).

Appears the 02-on ettes are pushed into this piece 'before' the bumper is installed on the car........hence I'm in for rear bumper removal tomarrow.

Anyone that can tell me I'm wrong & save me the trouble...great....otherwise I see the drawing of rear bumper attach points Loren was good enough to post in a thread last July....will use that & go for it.

TIA

[Loren]

The bumperettes on MY02 and newer are held on by tabs on the backside of the bumper cover. The service manual says to remove them from the backside using a screwdriver. I wonder if someone hit your bumperette and broke some of the tabs off?

[GreggT]

The bumperettes on MY02 and newer are held on by tabs on the backside of the bumper cover. The service manual says to remove them from the backside using a screwdriver. I wonder if someone hit your bumperette and broke some of the tabs off?

Thanks for the follow Loren. Guess it's possible but not a scratch......there was bodu work back there last year, may have never been on perfectly correct, now just gave.

Those tabs are actually on the ette cover and push through slot holes in the bumper cover and then into slot holes in this free floating rectangle on the inside of the bumper cover (that does all the holding).

I'm taking the bumper off....will share a pic in the process.............thanks again.

[Vik]

I had some engine work done at the dealership last year just before winter. Everything went fine and I stored the car for the winter. Today I was doing a first wash of the car and noticed that my left bumperette is loose. The top of it can be pulled but not completely off. I am assuming the dealership didnt fully reinstall them when doing the work. Can I snap them back into place or do I have to take off the whole rear bumper? I am sure the dealership won't reinstall them for free because it has been several months since the work. Thanks for the help guys.

Vik