IS500 Bumper Separation - Please post your images/info for data collection
05-11-24, 02:09 PM
#436
Hello everyone,
As you know, a creative, non-TSB solution for the bumper separation issues has been developed by one of our forum members. I wanted to share an install video they provided. The video goes through the process of getting their support block into position and has enough information to prepare anyone to do the install themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Crh6Z4jqpo
Per our forum rules, solicitation and promotion of items for sale is not allowed except by approved vendors. As such, I kindly ask that we keep sales questions and discussion out of this thread. Let's keep it on topic of Q&A, feedback, and discussion of the bumper issue only. Thanks in advance for keeping the discussions on track.
As you know, a creative, non-TSB solution for the bumper separation issues has been developed by one of our forum members. I wanted to share an install video they provided. The video goes through the process of getting their support block into position and has enough information to prepare anyone to do the install themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Crh6Z4jqpo
Per our forum rules, solicitation and promotion of items for sale is not allowed except by approved vendors. As such, I kindly ask that we keep sales questions and discussion out of this thread. Let's keep it on topic of Q&A, feedback, and discussion of the bumper issue only. Thanks in advance for keeping the discussions on track.
The following 5 users liked this post by hotct:
cyfi66 (05-11-24),
DLPTony (05-12-24),
HydrantHunter (05-11-24),
MYIS500 (05-11-24),
wthrman2 (05-11-24)
The following 8 users liked this post by hotct:
arentz07 (05-14-24),
Benibiker1558 (05-12-24),
DLPTony (05-12-24),
FirstLexusIS500 (05-12-24),
ljerr2 (05-12-24),
and 3 others liked this post.
05-12-24, 02:02 PM
#439
Pole Position
NICE!! This makes me happy.
The following users liked this post:
Renault (05-12-24)
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wthrman2 (05-13-24)
05-13-24, 04:44 AM
#441
Lead Lap
^^ You must be so proud seeing the success that IS 500 owners are having with your creation!! We are all, so grateful and I would love some execs from Lexus at least send you a thank you message or even something as a token of appreciation for what you did. You saved them a whole lot of money and will make their vehicles look like its well-put together.
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DLPTony (05-13-24)
05-13-24, 04:55 AM
#442
It's hard to believe Lexus didn't come up with something like this. When you compare this option to the TSB, it just makes it even harder to believe. The TSB is a hack job that will cost Lexus in warranty hours, too, right?!?!?. I don't know how much time Lexus assigns to fully remove the bumper cover, add the glue, epoxy, zip tie, and reinstall the bumper cover but it has to be a lot longer than this 10 minute fix.
I like that the developer of this insert also demonstrated that the bumper cover can still be easily removed after part installation, althought it might require a plastic trim tool which is certainly acceptable in my opinion.
I hope long-term, durable success is achieved by this innovative part and I'll continue to follow this thread and look forward to future reports from users who have tried it.
I like that the developer of this insert also demonstrated that the bumper cover can still be easily removed after part installation, althought it might require a plastic trim tool which is certainly acceptable in my opinion.
I hope long-term, durable success is achieved by this innovative part and I'll continue to follow this thread and look forward to future reports from users who have tried it.
The following 4 users liked this post by ljerr2:
05-13-24, 04:59 AM
#443
It's hard to believe Lexus didn't come up with something like this. When you compare this option to the TSB, it just makes it even harder to believe. The TSB is a hack job that will cost Lexus in warranty hours, too, right?!?!?. I don't know how much time Lexus assigns to fully remove the bumper cover, add the glue, epoxy, zip tie, and reinstall the bumper cover but it has to be a lot longer than this 10 minute fix.
I like that the developer of this insert also demonstrated that the bumper cover can still be easily removed after part installation, althought it might require a plastic trim tool which is certainly acceptable in my opinion.
I hope long-term, durable success is achieved by this innovative part and I'll continue to follow this thread and look forward to future reports from users who have tried it.
I like that the developer of this insert also demonstrated that the bumper cover can still be easily removed after part installation, althought it might require a plastic trim tool which is certainly acceptable in my opinion.
I hope long-term, durable success is achieved by this innovative part and I'll continue to follow this thread and look forward to future reports from users who have tried it.
05-13-24, 05:03 AM
#444
05-13-24, 05:37 AM
#445
They already factored that in and decided this course of action was satisfactory, just like any other warranty repair or recall.
05-13-24, 05:57 AM
#446
Lead Lap
^^ Don't mean to take this tread off rails, but mods, please edit or remove at your discretion - What I think ljerr2 is saying (and I agree with him) is that this guy has saved Lexus some money and here is what I mean. If Lexus is authorizing, lets just say 1.5h to repair this bumper....If most of us now order these parts and do it ourselves, that is several hours that dealers across North America (and potentially for 300/350 owners too) will not be invoicing Lexus for repairs. In the event the TSB repair fails (and it did), and the customer returns and they try again or escalate it, think of the cost of the tech line, etc. In the end, sure, it is just peanuts in the whole scheme of things but I still feel Lexus should at least recognize what this guy has done. My 2 cents anyway 
Last edited by wthrman2; 05-13-24 at 06:34 AM.
The following 4 users liked this post by wthrman2:
05-13-24, 06:44 AM
#447
^^ Don't mean to take this tread off rails, but mods, please edit or remove at your discretion - What I think ljerr2 is saying (and I agree with him) is that this guy has saved Lexus some money and here is what I mean. If Lexus is authorizing, lets just say 1.5h to repair this bumper....If most of us now order these parts and do it ourselves, that is several hours that dealers across North America (and potentially for 300/350 owners too) will not be invoicing Lexus for repairs. In the event the TSB repair fails (and it did), and the customer returns and they try again or escalate it, think of the cost of the tech line, etc. In the end, sure, it is just peanuts in the whole scheme of things but I still feel Lexus should at least recognize what this guy has done. My 2 cents anyway
Don't get me wrong, I'm going to be ordering these brackets when I get the chance, but sadly, I doubt Lexus will do anything to acknowledge the effort. However, I feel better with my Dollars going to someone who cares
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wthrman2 (05-13-24)
05-13-24, 09:27 AM
#448
Pole Position
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05-13-24, 01:03 PM
#450
So I bought and installed these as well; originally I was picking them up for safe keeping, but on my car the fender/bumper gap on both driver and passenger (!!) had slowly opened up a couple of mm or so, so I decided to install them anyway, half for further prevention and half because tiny stuff like that bothers me to no end 
Driver’s side block went in fine and looked great. Passenger was where I discovered something strange. I didn’t notice it at first when popping the bumper clips out, but after putting the block in, I couldn’t really get the bumper tab to click into place. Took the block back out and tried pushing it into place without it and it still wouldn’t click. I even tried the medium and loose blocks, same issue. Shined a light in the panel gap with the bumper fully installed and the tab on the bumper was not engaging the tab on the bracket, but sitting underneath it and pushing against it such that the top of the bracket was bowing upwards toward the fender. It didn’t seem to matter how hard I pushed on the bumper, it would not engage. Upon further inspection, I found that both the bracket and bumper tabs were a little deformed (the bracket moreso, looking squished, the bumper tab had a slight lip on it that the tab closer to the wheelwell does not have). I am not sure if it was not installed correctly at the factory and the 8000 miles I have on the car gave the bracket tab time to become deformed (it was squished slightly) or if it simply released like the driver’s side does for many people and sat in that spot long enough to deform it; guess we’ll never know. I tried to fix the tabs a little bit but ultimately I ended up sticking a credit card in between the fender and the bracket to put some pressure on the bracket to keep it from bowing toward the fender when reinstalling the bumper, and with some extra but reasonable force I was finally able to get the tabs to engage each other such that the top of the bracket no longer bowed upward, however there was not much of an audible click I suppose due to the bracket tab being a bit deformed. It looks perfect now, but I guess time will tell whether I need to buy a new bracket or not. Hopefully the extra support and tension of the support block makes that moot.
Driver’s side block went in fine and looked great. Passenger was where I discovered something strange. I didn’t notice it at first when popping the bumper clips out, but after putting the block in, I couldn’t really get the bumper tab to click into place. Took the block back out and tried pushing it into place without it and it still wouldn’t click. I even tried the medium and loose blocks, same issue. Shined a light in the panel gap with the bumper fully installed and the tab on the bumper was not engaging the tab on the bracket, but sitting underneath it and pushing against it such that the top of the bracket was bowing upwards toward the fender. It didn’t seem to matter how hard I pushed on the bumper, it would not engage. Upon further inspection, I found that both the bracket and bumper tabs were a little deformed (the bracket moreso, looking squished, the bumper tab had a slight lip on it that the tab closer to the wheelwell does not have). I am not sure if it was not installed correctly at the factory and the 8000 miles I have on the car gave the bracket tab time to become deformed (it was squished slightly) or if it simply released like the driver’s side does for many people and sat in that spot long enough to deform it; guess we’ll never know. I tried to fix the tabs a little bit but ultimately I ended up sticking a credit card in between the fender and the bracket to put some pressure on the bracket to keep it from bowing toward the fender when reinstalling the bumper, and with some extra but reasonable force I was finally able to get the tabs to engage each other such that the top of the bracket no longer bowed upward, however there was not much of an audible click I suppose due to the bracket tab being a bit deformed. It looks perfect now, but I guess time will tell whether I need to buy a new bracket or not. Hopefully the extra support and tension of the support block makes that moot.