[img]http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/albums/album01/LexusFrontBumper.thumb.jpg[/img]

Just noticed this on my front bumper, looks like stress or fracture marks. Car is only 10 days old!!
Any ideas what might cause this? Its going back to the dealer on Thursday.
In my cars short life its had an alloy replaced and a scratch touched up where dealer fluffed fitting Illuminated scuff plates

you are right it is a stress mark i.e car has hit something and paint has stretched and then gone back to shape .happens at very low impact .

do you have the TTE front bumper.......

if so


i know how this has happened, when fitting, the TTE front bumpers can be a bit of a pain to fit..and need persuading into possitin, especially around the headlight/grill

So its not the legendary LEXUS thin paint SSSTTTRREETTCCHHIINNGG
round corners

[quote]i know how this has happened, when fitting, the TTE front bumpers can be a bit of a pain to fit..and need persuading into possitin, especially around the headlight/grill[/quote]

Lexus styling kit fitted to car from new. From what you are saying it looks like they have forced it to fit, hence the marks

Poo rolls down hill and I live in a valley!!

[quote name='NeilW' date='May 20 2003, 10:58 PM'][quote]i know how this has happened, when fitting, the TTE front bumpers can be a bit of a pain to fit..and need persuading into possitin, especially around the headlight/grill[/quote]

Lexus styling kit fitted to car from new. From what you are saying it looks like they have forced it to fit, hence the marks

Poo rolls down hill and I live in a valley!![/quote]
Lexus styling kits (Front and Rear Bumper) are factory fitted options, I don't believe they force fit the front or rear bumbers in the factory. If this is the true, then mine will be rejected due poor quality fit and finish.

FYI Chaps - the Styling kit factory fit option IS the TTE kit Mat mentioned above.... just thought I'd mention that.

[quote name='Risky3301' date='May 20 2003, 11:08 PM']Lexus styling kits (Front and Rear Bumper) are factory fitted options, I don't believe they force fit the front or rear bumbers in the factory. If this is the true, then mine will be rejected due poor quality fit and finish.[/quote]
Not exactly 'factory fitted' ...

Lexus GB replace the standard parts with those of the styling kit.
So it's done in the UK rather than the Kanto factory.

Not that that's any kind of excuse

Bad luck indeed Neil.

I know I had to bend the bumper significantly in that area to fit my sports grille (as per the instructions).

I was concerned that I'd see a similar problem and so was very careful.

I'd say it's likely to be a fitting problem rather than a pre-delivery bump, which I know you've suffered from before :-(

Nige

no styling parts are factory fitted.

any UK specific parts are fitted at Portbury, The port of entry for all our cars, this is where then the kits are fitted

this may sound a little silly but is it possible someone hit the car when it was parked?

the stress marks wouldnt form lie this, these are caused by the section of bumper running under the lights being pulled away from them,

which is what happens when you try to strech on the bumper........

i know, ive seen it done

Took it to dealer so they could have a look, they claimed they had never seen this type of problem before and even checked another IS200 with styling kit. The same stress lines are appearing on the otherside as well but not as bad.

Dealer confirmed styling kit fitted at UK import centre, waiting for them to advise if front bumper can be replaced under warranty.

[quote]Dealer confirmed styling kit fitted at UK import centre, waiting for them to advise if front bumper can be replaced under warranty.[/quote]

No 'IF' about it mate....Lexus did it.....then they replace it, there's no excuse for that!

Hope it gets sorted soon matey!

Car returned from dealer yesterday (they had it for two days), not very impressed with the long wait to get this sorted!
Anyhow they have not replaced front bumper but just resprayed it.
At the moment it looks "as new" but im a bit concerned this wont be a permanent fix, any thoughts?

Do you think I should have insisted on a full replacement bumper?

According to dealer this problem has happened before and they blame manufacturer, apparently there are two companies that supply styling kit and they have had problems with one of them.

there is only one supplier for the TTE front bumper....

if they admit that this is possibly a manufacturing defect then this should be replaced under warrenty

to the best of my knowledge there is no issue with the quality of any tte supplied parts as most are colour coded in the uk and have to pass very tight quality control any problems with any kits are picked up before they get to the dealer network,would appear ur dealer is fitting incorrectly and as such it is their problem

I tend to agree I think bad fitment caused problem!

Dealer must have been quoting from their standard excuse list!!

[quote name='NeilW' date='Jul 4 2003, 11:45 AM']Anyhow they have not replaced front bumper but just resprayed it.
At the moment it looks "as new" but im a bit concerned this wont be a permanent fix, any thoughts?

Do you think I should have insisted on a full replacement bumper?

According to dealer this problem has happened before and they blame manufacturer, apparently there are two companies that supply styling kit and they have had problems with one of them.[/quote]
My advice would have been to reject the bumper re-spray and ask for a new bumper. If the dealer refuses then reject the car and ask for a replacement. I would not have accepted a re-spray. The main reason is the paints are very hard to match especially dark colours. With the car being new it should not be as much of a problem. As you have accpeted the re-spray (in the eyes of the dealer) then it is harder to get thebumber replaced. However if the stress marks re-apear then you can reject the bumper.
did the dealer tell you he / she was doing a re-spry ? if so you might have a good chance of having a new bumper fitted