Painted reflectors are among the first additions made by any owner of a modern BMW. The unsightly orange reflectors installed in cars bound for North America instantly break the smooth lines of BMW bumpers.
IND provides painted reflectors as a cost effective solution relative to the purchase of a OEM European bumper. We start the process using the OE BMW reflectors for a factory fit, and the same paint process we would use to spray an entire car. Each reflector is sanded, prepped for paint, primed, then painted. We ensure that all lettering on the face of the reflector is completely removed providing the same finish as your factory bumper.
Many enthusiasts enjoy installing their own painted reflectors, so we’ve created this installation DIY to help.
Tools needed:
• 8mm socket and ratchet
• Adhesive remover or cleaning solvent
• Nylon prybar (optional)
Step 1:
First, turn the steering wheel to full lock, in any direction. This will expose the fender liner.
Step 2:
With the fender liner exposed, begin removing the 8mm screw closest to the ground near the reflector.
Step 3:
Once the fender liner screw is removed you will have full access to the back of the bumper cover. Using your hands or a nylon prybar pull the edge of the reflector from the bumper cover. This may take some work to remove, but the leverage applied by a nylon prybar makes the job much easier.
Step 4:
After the reflector is removed from the bumper cover take a cloth and some adhesive remover or solvent and remove the excess adhesive.
Step 5:
Now that the surface is clean remove the adhesive cover on the painted reflector and push reflector in place. Make sure to apply even pressure around all edges.
Step 6:
With the reflector installed it is time to put everything back together. Place the fender liner back into position and secure it to the bumper with the 8mm screw.
We've depicted the procedure in the images below. The images mirror the order of the steps above.
