What are auto emblems and where are they located?

Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves; others wear their hearts on their hoods. We get it. You’re not afraid to let everyone know where your loyalties lie. Your vehicle’s emblems, also referred to as badges, help you do that. All those little shiny pieces on your car or truck’s hood, trunk, and grille (and sometimes even on your trunk), tell everyone just what type of machine it is that you love to drive. While emblems tell onlookers a lot about you, they also tell a story about the brand that makes the automobile. An emblem incorporates what an automaker is all about—its history, principles, beliefs, etc.—and it acts as a symbol of its quality. Even people who don’t know much about cars or trucks will likely be able to recognize what company manufactured a particular automobile just by checking out the badges on it.

Since emblems provide instant recognition of a specific brand of automobile, you always want that classy blue oval, bold bowtie, or fierce ram looking its best. If you have special performance packages, or a big, tough engine, then you’re definitely going to want to show off to your friends with that special badge that lets them know there’s something special under the hood. 

How do I know if my automotive emblems need to be replaced?

You don’t want your automotive emblems to lose their luster, but over time, they can get scratched up or faded. They might also get loose, fall off, or even get stolen by street urchins. Well, have some pride, and get yourself a new emblem to replace that worn or missing one. 

You may also want to get a new badge to spruce up your vehicle’s appearance. You may want to trade out your boring old emblem for one that’s all-chrome, for example. That being said, putting a Z28 emblem on your Camaro won’t magically upgrade its specs, and putting a Hemi badge on your 2.4-liter Avenger isn’t going to make it go any faster. Believe us, we’ve tried. 

Can I replace auto badges myself?

Replacing automobile badges is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your vehicle’s appearance. Even if you don’t have much mechanical experience, you can probably put a new badge on your car or truck. There are a handful of tips, though, that will make the process go much more smoothly and make the final product look its best. After all, you want to communicate that you are a proud owner of whatever make and model you happen to drive, not a sloppy one. 

Emblems might use mounting hardware, or they might be installed with adhesive. Installation will, of course, be different for each one. Some hood emblems and grille emblems use mounting hardware. For hood emblems, you will have to raise the hood and remove the mounting hardware from the inside. Then you can pull of the old emblem, put the new emblem into place, and reinstall the hardware. For grille emblems, you’ll have to remove the grille, replace the emblem and reinstall the grille to the vehicle. Be sure to hold on to your original hardware; you may have to reuse it. 

For emblems that use adhesive, removing the old emblem might be the stickiest part. A heat gun, on its lowest setting, will be a big help in releasing the old adhesive. Once the emblem is loose enough, you can pry it off. Just be careful not to scrape the paint. You’ll want to clean the area with rubbing alcohol to get off any remnants of the old adhesive. You only get one chance to apply the new badge, so make sure you have it lined up correctly first. Use a level and masking tape to mark the spot. Once the emblem is on, the glue will need to set, so leave it in a clean, dry place. If you follow the above tips, you should get your car or truck looking great in no time.