How To Remove Front Bumper 2002-05 VW Passat

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In this video, we're going to show you how to remove and reinstall the front bumper cover on this 2003 Volkswagen Passat. It's pretty much the same for both the wagon as well as the sedan models. Tools you'll need are flat blade screwdrivers (both medium and large size), T25 and T30 Torx drivers, and 10mm socket with a ratchet with socket extensions.

In order to remove your headlight, you're actually going to need to remove the bumper cover, and that's not actually that big of a project. It's just a few fasteners. You've got a T25 screw that's right up in here. On each side, you've got three screws right inside the wheel well: there, there, and there. Then, up underneath, you've got three flat blade screws. One there, one there, and there should be another one here, but it's missing on this vehicle.

Again, on this side, the three screws in the wheel well, and the one up top. I'm using a T25 Torx driver that's a socket with a ratchet. Fast-forward here as I remove the three screws that are in the wheel well and then the one that's up underneath. I used the extension to get to that one as well as remove them from the other side.

Now, using a flat blade screwdriver, I take the fasteners out from underneath. They're pretty simple. They actually only turn about half turn and then pull down and out. On each parking light, push the front in. Be careful to insert a screwdriver in the back here and if you pry, you want to push in on the front of the light and use the screwdriver to pry it forward. Then pull it out and disconnect it. Obviously, repeat for the other side.

Okay, as we open up the hood, then there are two more T30 screws right on the top on each side of the top of the grill. Fast-forward here as I remove those two screws or bolts at the top. Then you'll see I go to each side and just kind of pull on the bumper cover and unlock it on each side.

Next, you're going to want to remove this handle. Right in here, you'll see there's a little metal clip. Put a screwdriver down in there and pry that clip up. Then take your screwdriver, put it in, and pry the handle apart and pull it off. Okay, I just reached in with my screwdriver, pried off one side, pulled, pried off the other side, and pulled that right out.

Now, in the center, you'll see a little tab. Pry back on that tab and lift your grille straight up on each side. Should pop out. Sometimes, you'll get one of the clips, I'm just reaching down in here and prying this last clip out. These clips should just pull right up and out. This one kind of got hung up a little bit so I just had to go in there, in the back side, and pry like that.

With the grille off, there are four more T30 screws right underneath to remove. Okay, now with those removed, the bumper cover will slide forward and come out. You want to be careful. There are your fog lights. We have fog lights. Reach down in. The tab here, press firmly, disconnect, then do the other side.

To put the bumper cover back in place, you'll want to reconnect your fog lights first. Put your park light harnesses up and through. What you can do is lift the cover up, kind of up into place. There are slots here that go on the tabs here. You want to level it up in place. Slide each side on. Slide into place. Slide it over there.

Once you have it in place, then you want to put the four T30 bolts that are at the bottom of the grille back in place and tighten them up firmly. Now, at the grille, there are four spots on the bottom, and then these two tabs here and that tab at the top. You want to kind of put it into place. Line it up, make sure the tabs are going in. Pop them down in. Again, we'll fast-forward here as we put those two T30 bolts back in at the top.

Okay, to reinstall this, what you actually need to do is unbolt your latch mechanism, and there are three 10mm bolts: here, here, and here. This allows your latch mechanism to move back here. You take your handle, squeeze the forks just a little bit, and insert it. Then, you can kind of look back through here. You need to make sure that clip is up. You want a bit of a larger screwdriver and separate the forks. Separate those forks by twisting the screwdriver, and then work the handle on there. Then push the clip down and lock it into place. You can tell it's in place when this moves around.

We'll kick it into high gear as I re-bolt that latch mechanism back onto the radiator support. Okay, and kind of speed up through the rest of the video just in the interest of keeping it somewhat short. We put the fasteners on the bottom, and then tighten up the four screws that are in the wheel well for the inner fender and the bumper cover. Then, the parking lights go back in. Make sure you plug them back in. Then, kind of force them in further in front. Then, the back side goes in. Then slide the tabs back into place.

We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.