Just recieved '06 reflectors and I want the best install route to take. By now someone has to have an easy way to accomplish this. It's friggin hot down here in New Orleans right now so speed is nessesary. Any help will be appeciated.. The instructions are in japanese and it shows taking the bumper cover off..uh no there has to be a better way.

 

when i did mine i got underneath the car and removed the underside panel. Its a little difficult getting to the 2 screws holding each one on aspecially the passenger side...but i think you can get it with a little work. I dont think you should have to take off your front bumper.

 

I recently installed these too. The Japanese instructions threw me for a loop, but I thought the pictures were decent enough. I was able to locate all of the necessary screws and got the bumper off in about 20 minutes or so. At that point the reflector swap takes only a couple minutes, then figure another 20-30 minutes to reinstall the bumper and make sure it is lined up correctly. Mine didn't go back on exactly how it was before, but that can happen with flexible urethane body panels. Sometimes it helps to have a second set of hands when re-fitting the bumper so that both sides line up evenly.

The way I looked at it was that removing the bumper made the subject job (reflector swap) easier, by giving simple access to the inner bumper to do the work. However if you can manage to pull back the bumper under-lining and reach the reflector fasteners through the bottom of the bumper (it would probably help to have the front of the car raised on ramps), then the job might be quicker. I would suggest, though, that you use a magnetic screw driver so that you can reach in there with only one hand for removing/reinstalling the fasteners.

The one benfit to removing the front bumper is that it gives you an opportunity to check out all of the stuff that is under there and get to know your car a little better. For me, this was the first opportunity I had to remove the bumper so I took advantage of it. But if you aren't interested in that, I would try accessing through the bottom.

 

I took my bumper off too...it's a PITA to replace them with the bumper on, especially on the '06 because of the way the reflectors snap into place. I've done this a few times and definitly recommend removing the bumper. If you need some help with this feel free to ask.

 

Okay don't totally remove the front bumper. the driver side reflector is an easy swap out just remove the underbody compostie engine cover ( like when you are changing your oil), and you should be able to access the refelctors screws. Now the passenger side will be tough because of the windsheild washer fuild container. I would recommend to take off the passenger wheel and remove the few nesseccary bolts from that side (around the wheel).... and you should be able to bend the bumper far enough away to slip in a small screwdriver in to unlosen the screw and take off the factory reflector. Good Luck. take your time and place your screws in place where you will remember to put them back in their respective spots.

 

Those of you responding with the method of not removing the bumper appear to own pre-06 models where it was a tad easier. The first time I did this mod was on an '04 and I did not remove the bumper, the pass. side was a huge PITA. After that I started removing the bumper and it is sooo much easier(plus you can clean back there). On the '06 the reflectors not only screw in but snap in very tightly, it is WORLDS easier if you just take the bumper off.

 

Do i have to take out the headlights to take off the front bumper.

 

Do a search, there was a post about changing the 06 clear reflectors.

Here are some notes after I did mine.

- You do not need to remove the front bumper or headlights even though the instructions tells you to remove the front bumper

- DO THE DRIVER SIDE FIRST, it's easier because there is more space.

- Basically you need to turn your front wheel all the way to one side, then jack up the car with the jack in the trunk (Make sure you car is parked on a flat surface), then revmove a few screws and few clips inside the fender, then you will have access to change the driver side reflector.

- For the passenger side, because the washer tank is in the way, you need to do the same as you did to the driver side, plus remove 3 more screws holding the front bumper underneath the headlight, 3 more screws at the bottom of the bumper, and 3 black clips on the surface beside the headlights.
After that, you will need another person to help you pull the passenger side of the bumper out (if flex pretty good), then you will have just enough access to change the reflector from the top between the headlight and front bumper.

Good luck.