Things You Should Know About Car Bumper Reflector

There are many automotive lights on a vehicle like a headlight, taillight, fog light, side marker lights, parking lights, etc. and they serve two purposes – help driver, by providing better vision during the night and help the other motorists be aware of the vehicle. However these lights operate with electricity and in the event of their failure or in a parked car these lights do not function which can cause unwanted accidents, nevertheless, there is another line of defence - Rear Bumper Reflectors. These reflect the light from other vehicles and help detect the parked vehicle in darkness or low lighting situations. Modern cars have a built-in reflector in the light lens, this helps reduce redundant reflectors to be placed around the car.

The placement of reflectors on the vehicle, and whether they are built-in to the electric lamps or standalone devices, is determined by Federal motor vehicle regulations and vehicle design. Regulations may stipulate that reflectors have to be positioned so many inches from the ground, and be clearly visible from the sides of the vehicle. If a particular vehicle’s styling design doesn’t allow the vehicle to meet standards with reflectors incorporated into tail lights, parking lights, side marker lights, etc., then separate reflectors may be necessary. Reflectors at the front end of the vehicle are amber and those at the rear must be red. Whether they are part of a light or detached, carmakers generally try to integrate reflectors into the overall vehicle design.

There are two distinguishable reflectors on every car, they are:

1. Standalone Reflectors: These are separate pieces of plastic that are fixed on various vehicle sections like the front bumper and the rear bumper or sides.
   
2. Built-In Reflectors: These types of reflectors are integrated into the headlight or taillights in modern cars.

It helps determine other motorists on the road by reflecting light off their reflectors and helps the driver be aware of their existence thereby avoiding a potential accident.

As the name suggests, reflectors are designed to reflect light to the source - so your headlights can illuminate the car driven by that absent-minded driver who has neglected to turn his lights on, and you can avoid them. Automotive reflectors are prismatic reflectors, made of moulded plastic, and operate according to the principle of retro-reflection. The outside surface of a reflector is smooth and transparent, with numerous small prisms visible on the base. Light entering the reflector strikes the many small angled surfaces and is redirected back toward the source. Safety reflectors are especially useful where there are no streetlights.

Since these are made of plastic they can be easily damaged. If the bumper experiences an impact the reflectors may break on impact since they are pretty fragile. Also they are held on the bumper using tabs that are prone to breakage overtime or in case of a collision. Slow speed impacts can also damage these plastic prismatic reflectors. Some are stuck on using 3M tape which may wear off and allow the reflector to fall off.

It is said that a workman is only as good as his tools, and it is definitely true when it comes to the car bodywork. It is vital to have the right tools to repair your Rear Bumper Reflector or else a straightforward job would turn into constant headaches. So that’s why we have listed out some invaluable tools below which you will need while repairing your Rear Bumper Reflector.

To avoid scratching or grooving the bumper and its paint while removing the reflectors and to refit it make sure to use the following tools:

• Ratchet
• Socket Set
• Heat Gun
• Plastic Scraper
• Gloves
• Screwdriver

When it comes to vehicle owners choice, the brands really matter a lot. You might pay a premium for a specific car part brand, over time, as it has created a perception of quality, stability as well as trust. There are some leading car parts brands which are more than just products or services as they give rise to memories and emotions related with the quality. So have a look at some top brands for Rear Bumper Reflector.

Various Manufacturers Rear Bumper Reflector

The brighter you are, the more you have to learn! That’s why we are here to provide you more knowledge about the related parts of the car Rear Bumper Reflector. They are mentioned below as follows:- The reflectors are just one part of the elaborate automotive lights so make sure to get all the lighting needs here:

• Headlight
• Fog Light
• Taillight
• Side Marker Lights
• Parking Lights
• LED Bars

These plastic elements are prone to break after long use but are inexpensive to replace and require very little effort to restore the bumper of a car with new reflectors. They cost less than 35$ and come in many different configurations which solely depend on your vehicle model.

Grab the right tools and follow this step by step guide for removing and refitting the front bumper reflector:

• The first step is to locate the reflector which will be pretty obvious.
• Now to access it you may need to either remove the bumper or simply peel back the fender liner and gain access directly through the wheel well.
• If the reflector is held on via tabs then using a screwdriver or a plastic scraper unlatch the tabs and the reflector will come right off.
• Attach the new reflector the same way the old came off by placing the reflector on and snapping the tabs in.
• In case of taped reflectors, grab a heat gun and heat the surface of the reflector, making sure to continuously move the heat gun and avoiding heating in a single spot which may cause bubbling of the paint.
• The heated glue will allow the reflector to be removed by simply pushing it into the bumper.
• Now clean the surface of the gluing area and apply the tape along with the reflector and firmly press it in place.

NOTE: The location of the reflector varies for every car and hence gaining access to it may require removing the bumper cover or by peeling off the fender liner and accessing it that way.