Hood Bumper - How to install

[jackal18]

On my 2012 Turbo Beetle, I knocked off one of the hood bumpers (P/N 5C5-823-433). This wasw done with a chamois while hood open and I was wiping off the edge of the hood. No problem, but it dropped into the motor area and disappeared. Moving the car back revealed the part on the driveway, so I tried to put it back on. I then noticed the other bumper was missing. I was unable to re-attach the bumper, so went to my dealer, who ordered a pair of bumpers.

With the new bumpers in hand, I tried to attach them, but no luck. Back to the dealer, where the Service Manager and a VW Tech also tried to attach the bumpers .... also with no luck. They are contating their body shop (a few miles away) but I am asking this group if anyone has the procedure for installing the bumpers. Each bumper is molded of some sort of plastic and has a screwdriver slot in the head. The bumper is actually a 2 piece item, with the two halves threaded, apparently for adjustment of the hood gap when closed.

This has us flummoxed. Any tips for installing these? There must be a secret to doing so. Maybe a BFH?

[Babie]

My bf knows how, he fixed mine. I have a post about this.

Do you have new ones yet. There's a trick to these.

First the ring closest to the slot snaps back, so the other ring meets. This is a lock ring. This allows you to screw the head in and out.

If they won't snap in, the square hole, you need to do a little metal work. Pull out the metal slightly so the square hole is semi-flush to the sides of the metal circle around it.

Notice the notches on the clip square, they hold the clip in, but need some metal lip to snap to.

[jackal18]

OK - pulled the ring back. Now what? The 3 tabs on the "business end" fit into the rectangular hole in the hood, but then just fall out. What is supposed to keep this in the hood?

[Babie]

With a flat head screwdriver pull out in the metal hood evenly on all 4 sides of the square hole, just enough to catch the tabs. We had the same issue. Sort of prying up on the metal.

The metal square hole is pushed in to far to catch to tabs.

Make sure the rubber bumper behind them are screwed out longer than the plastic ones.

[jackal18]

Makes sense. Seems the factory has a problem with the hood metal being pushed it too far, not allowing the bumpers to snap into place. That would explain why one of my bumpers was missing and the other popped out when I toucheed it. I'll try to pry the metal out to engage the tabs on the bumper.

Question: "Make sure the rubber bumper behind them are screwed out longer than the plastic ones". I presume this refers to the separate bumpers located further back on the hood. Right?

Many thanks for your assistance in this issue. This forum is a treasure of knowledge!

[Babie]

yes, the rubber one behind must be slighly longer so that the plastic front ones just barley touch, I have round automotive sponge rubber disc the size on silver dollars where they meet the bumper


NOTICE! , DO NOT DROP CLOSE YOUR HOOD, CLOSE BY HAND TO THE LATCH CATCHES, THEN PUSH DONE ON THE VW EMBLEM GENTLY TILL LOCKED.

DROP CLOSING THE HOOD ON THIS 12 B IS BIG NO NO.

THE PLASTIC FRONT ONES ARE MEANT TO STOP VIBRATION ONLY, NOT AS A CLOSING STOP. VW WILL PROBABLY CHANGE THIS, CAUSE MANY ARE BROKEN

[Babie]

All OK now

[jackal18]

All OK now. A little work with a screw driver to bring hood metal back to original flat shape and the bumper snapped right in.

Likely this was owner (me) inflicted by dropping hood to close. I now know better, and will so advise service manager at my VW dealer.

Many thanks in helping me resolve the only problem I have experienced with the Beetle.

[Babie]

Great.