At first sight, the bumper’s mission appears to be purely aesthetic. However, this part is essential to ensure the safety of your car. Responsible for absorbing collision impacts, it protects the passengers and the entire bodywork.

With this article, you will discover the bumper’s functions, both rear and front. But, we go further and explain how you can change the rear bumper to help you understand this process better.

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What are the bumper’s functions?

The bumper is not in the vehicles only for aesthetic purposes. Sure, this part composes the car’s visual by completing the painting or distinguishing from the bodywork with a different colour tone.

But the rear is much more than that. It’s a crucial part of the safety of passengers and other car components. Its key function is to absorb the impact and limit the effects of a collision, protecting passengers and reducing the consequences on the bodywork.

In other words, the bumper is the first barrier in an accident. Nevertheless, this protection is short in high-speed collisions. Thus, it also acts as an initial shock absorber that gives the airbags time to deploy to protect the vehicle’s occupants.

Besides, this part also reduces the consequences for pedestrians. The bumper’s angle, especially the front, as its
flexibility and rigidity lower the effects of a possible collision with walkers.

And lastly, the front bumper is also beneficial for sports cars. Its curved and bend shape contributes to the car’s aerodynamics because it helps overcome air resistance easily.

Read also: 10 Myths about cars: Part 1

Guidelines to change the rear bumper

We explained before that the main function of the bumper is to absorb the effects of collisions and protect the vehicle bodywork and passengers. Therefore, the bumper is one of the parts that suffer the most impact and needs the most repairs.

However, today it is easier and cheaper to restore this part. In the past, the bumpers were rigid and metallic. They endangered pedestrians and other vehicles in case of a collision and, once cracked, were impossible to restore.

Bumpers are now made of malleable plastic materials, which gives them greater flexibility and safety to absorb impacts. It also makes it easier to repair this part, depending, of course, on the extent of the damage.

If the bumper is scratched or has a slight dent, the repair is quick and can be done by any mechanic. In cases of scratches, you can even do it at home with the help of the WV40 multipurpose spray.

In the event of a strong impact, it is recommended to change the bumper. If it’s cracked, it will compromise its function of protecting the passengers and the rest of the bodywork. So, be aware of possible breaks that are difficult to locate and, if necessary, replace the bumper.

And don’t worry, changing the bumper is more straightforward than it sounds! Don’t believe it?

So, as an example, we explain, step by step, how you can change the bumper of a Volvo XC60. And for that, all you need is a screwdriver.

Follow the instructions below:

1. Open the boot and unscrew the screws on the top of the bumper.
2. On the rear wheels, already without the inner protective padding, undo the screws that attach the rear bumper to the body.
3. Carefully pull the bumper by releasing the catches.
4. Start pulling on one side of the wheel and go around the boot as you remove it.
5. Release the springs from the fitting.
6. Place the new bumper in the same position as the old one and carefully push it from one side of the wheel to fit the part into the bracket springs.
7. Tighten the bolts on the sides of the wheel.
8. Fix the screws on top of the rear bumper.
9. Close the case and check if the bumper was well installed.

If you prefer, you can watch our video tutorial.

In case of doubt, we recommend that you visit a registered workshop.

If you are looking for a rear bumper for your car, you can find more than 20,000 on our website for more than 60 brands.