Front Bumper: Description and Operation

The front bumper is part of a fully integrated "soft front end" that satisfies bumper impact requirements. The bumper has a polyurethane cover color-matched to the body and moulded to form an elliptical air intake. The cover is secured to the body via fixings to the fenders and the BIW upper crossmember. The lower section of the cover is supported in the center by clips integral with the overrider covers. The cover lower extremities are attached to a GMT undertray fitted to assist air flow through the cooling pack.

Front Bumper:

A glass mat thermoplastic (GMT) bumper beam is secured by a single bolt and nut to each of two GMT mounting brackets, each of which is in turn attached to the BIW by three bolts and nuts. An aluminum bumper beam installed for certain markets is similarly mounted, but employs menasco energy absorbing struts instead of GMT mounting brackets.

A chromed splitter vane, located centrally in the air intake, is secured to the lower bumper beam face by three rivets. Two polycarbonate overrider covers that fit over the splitter vane and overriders are secured by scrivets to the upper face of the bumper beam.

A plastic air deflector is attached to the undertray in each wheelarch area to improve airflow in the front wheel area.

Left- and right-banded twin circular fog lamps installed in recesses in the lower section of the cover are accessed by removal of undertray. Side marker lamps fitted to the bumper cover for some markets, serve only as side reflectors for UK and Europe. Side marker lamps/reflectors are pressed in from outside and unclipped from inside.