[vieravy]

Sigh... I knew this would happen eventually, but not the plastic popping out.

So, as you can see from the two pictures, a huge scratch has befallen on my 3 by the evil curbs of LA. I'm going to try using rubbing compound to get most of the scratches out ( /crossesfingers), but I noticed the bottom plastic has popped out, and I don't really see a way to close it. I don't know if it was attached to the bumper with some sort of glue, or was a one-piece sort of thing. I don't really have money to go to the dealer to fix it (since there's another problem I have that occurred at work.. the right backseat lever in the trunk broke off from the top and it's just hanging there for now), and the screws are still in place with nothing missing.

Is there something I can do about it? I'm worried about debris getting in there and messing with my wires.. :/

If anyone wants me to post pics of the trunk backseat lever to help me with a quick fix for now, that'll be cool. I was planning on doing an ugly duct tape solution for now..

 

[Dubois34]

Funny you posted this, I was going to post the same thing. Mine looks just like yours, I wasn't hit but just had an oil change I thought it was the oil change that caused it , but I think there is an access panel just for the oil change. Mine looks identical to yours, this should not happen!
I tried to get it to pop into place as well. It is on both sides with the passenger side more prominent.

 

[lowincash]

Can you push it and tuck it into the bumper?

 

[Dubois34]

Not on mine, I am not sure what to do. I guess when I get my tires rotated at the dealership I will have them look at it. Very weird...

 

[vieravy]

Yeah, same here. I tried pushing and tucking it under, but it just goes back to what you see in the pictures.

@Debois34, I checked my driver's side, and it seems fine, nothing popped out. I've already changed my oil and rotated tires, so I don't think it was the service that caused it either.

Maybe if I unscrew the bolts and try to tuck it in before screwing it back on? Would be cool if that worked and the plastic just bends itself back.

 

[D-Jack]

be careful with that bottom plastic. I hit a possum a few weeks ago and just shoved that bottom plastic back up in there for a temporary fix. Yeah going down the highway the wind ripped it back under my tire and yanked the entire inner fender plastic out.

 

[herBs]

Sigh... I knew this would happen eventually, but not the plastic popping out.

So, as you can see from the two pictures, a huge scratch has befallen on my 3 by the evil curbs of LA. I'm going to try using rubbing compound to get most of the scratches out ( /crossesfingers), but I noticed the bottom plastic has popped out, and I don't really see a way to close it. I don't know if it was attached to the bumper with some sort of glue, or was a one-piece sort of thing. I don't really have money to go to the dealer to fix it (since there's another problem I have that occurred at work.. the right backseat lever in the trunk broke off from the top and it's just hanging there for now), and the screws are still in place with nothing missing.

Is there something I can do about it? I'm worried about debris getting in there and messing with my wires.. :/

If anyone wants me to post pics of the trunk backseat lever to help me with a quick fix for now, that'll be cool. I was planning on doing an ugly duct tape solution for now..

Can you let us know how the rubbing compound went?

Thanks! I have similar deep scratches near the passenger side rear rocker panel.

 

[vieravy]

@D-Jack Oh shit, I wouldn't want that happening. Maybe I should put some sealing adhesives as a backup option.
@herBs Sure. I'll post pictures when I can get to it. Work is going to keep me up pretty damn tired for this whole week, but I'm gonna going to try to do it tonight or Wednesday.

 

[herBs]

@D-Jack Oh shit, I wouldn't want that happening. Maybe I should put some sealing adhesives as a backup option.
@herBs Sure. I'll post pictures when I can get to it. Work is going to keep me up pretty damn tired for this whole week, but I'm gonna going to try to do it tonight or Wednesday.

Thanks man really appreciate it.

 

[Dubois34]

Anyone have an idea of how to fix this problem? This seems to be some kind of design flaw.

 

[actuator]

Anyone have an idea of how to fix this problem? This seems to be some kind of design flaw.

 

[cjbigcog]

I don't think any compound will help here. The paint has been abraded down to the plastic. One way to fix would be to sand and then prime/paint with spray touch up paint.

 

[Dubois34]

How about fixing the bottom panel?

 

[tastic]

Get a front lip that will bother cover the damage AND the bent plastic! Just thinking outside the box...:cheesy:

 

[tylerr]

I'll chime in here and just say that this same thing happened to me, I hit a curb in a parking garage and ended up with a scuff very similar to the OP. Most of the scuff came out with a clay bar, but there was a spot in the very corner where I was down to the plastic of the bumper. Long story short, I took it to a body shop today and they repainted that section. It will be going back, though, because their match with the tri-coat white pearl paint is horrendous. That's a different story though.

That being said, I am still searching for a solution to the popped out plastic. I took my 3 in for an oil change and asked the dealer service manager to look at it. His response was "I pushed it back up, but it doesn't want to seem to stay" and that was it. I was late for work already at that point so I didn't push the issue. If anyone figures anything out, I'd appreciate knowing what to do to fix it.

 

[vieravy]

I don't think any compound will help here. The paint has been abraded down to the plastic. One way to fix would be to sand and then prime/paint with spray touch up paint.

Aw dangit. I wanted to see if I can just do it with a quick and easy way.

 

[vieravy]

Get a front lip that will bother cover the damage AND the bent plastic! Just thinking outside the box...:cheesy:

I would love to get a front lip if I had the cash, haha.

Still, there doesn't seem to be a proper fix yet, either. As mentioned above, the dealer didn't really fix the problem..but that was one dealer. Maybe I can call in tomorrow to see what mines says at Cerritos.

 

[Kurohouou]

I noticed the same issue when changing oil, I think Mazda needs to put a plastic push clip in the middle, nothing is there to hold it in place at all! If it gets bent out of shape your out of luck. The only thing that might work would be to heat it up a little and prop it up with a stick or something to bend it back upward so that it goes above the lip in front of it... poor design on Mazda's part for not securing it better.

 

[herBs]

@D-Jack Oh shit, I wouldn't want that happening. Maybe I should put some sealing adhesives as a backup option.
@herBs Sure. I'll post pictures when I can get to it. Work is going to keep me up pretty damn tired for this whole week, but I'm gonna going to try to do it tonight or Wednesday.

Any update?

 

[encip]

I had my bottom plastic sliced when I drove up to a concrete parking stop that had a piece of steel sticking out 3" above the top of it. (No scuffing because it was more or less a clean, straight puncture) I have serious beef with whoever installed it and didn't snip the steel to be level with the block.

Dealer wanted to replace the whole bumper for $700. I said forget it. I got a local body shop to immobilize it with some screws for the cost of 1hr labor. You wouldn't have any idea that it was damaged without raising the car and looking underneath.