How To Replace Your Malibu’s Front Bumper Cover

Does your Malibu’s front bumper cover need to be replaced? You don’t need to bring your car to a repair shop. You can do it yourself with this easy-to-follow tutorial.

Before You Get Started

When it comes to replacing your bumper cover, you shouldn’t just grab the first replacement bumper cover you see. Rather, you need to make sure your replacement bumper cover fits your Malibu.

Image Credit: Rand Bitter

If you want a high-quality bumper cover that’s a perfect fit, get an OEM cover that’s made specifically for your Malibu.

How To Save Money On An OEM Replacement Bumper Cover

If you order an OEM replacement bumper cover from a repair shop or a GM dealership, expect to pay a hefty markup. You can save a lot of money by ordering an OEM replacement bumper cover online and then installing it yourself. It’s much easier than it sounds, and you’ll save a lot on the replacement cost.

At GM Parts Center, we offer genuine OEM GM car parts, including Malibu bumper covers, at deeply discounted prices. This bumper cover, for instance, is made specifically for 2014-2016 Malibu models. It normally goes for $520 at repair shops and dealerships, but you can get it from us for only $352. We also accept core charges, so you can get an even bigger discount if you send us your broken bumper cover.

Look up your Malibu in our catalog to see how much money you can save on an OEM replacement Malibu bumper cover.

Once you have your replacement bumper cover, it’s time to start the project.

Note: the following list of steps is specifically for 2008-2012 Malibus. But it’s straightforward enough for you to be able to follow with an older or newer Malibu.

Removing Your Old Bumper Cover

1. Open the hood.
2. Look at the top of the bumper cover, which is covered by a plastic shield panel. There are two 10mm bolts on each side and four across the top. Remove all of them.
3. Unscrew the push clips across the front of the shield panel.
4. Remove the shield panel.
5. Go into the wheel well and you’ll see a few fasteners holding the bumper cover in place. Pry all of these fasteners off. Repeat on the other side.
6. There’s a 10mm bolt also holding the bumper cover in place. You can find it through a hole in the wheel well. Remove it. Repeat on the other side.
7. There’s a whole bunch of 7mm bolts underneath the bumper cover. Unfasten all of them.
8. Pull off the plastic retainers underneath the bumper cover. There’s one on the right side and another one on the left side.
9. Unplug your fog lights (if applicable).
10. Gently pull the bumper cover off on both sides of the car.
11. Go to the front of the car and then carefully pull the entire bumper cover off.

Installing Your New Bumper Cover

1. Carefully fit your new bumper cover over your car. Make sure the edges don’t scratch the paint on your fenders. This step is much easier if you have a friend helping you.
2. Plug in your fog lights (if applicable).
3. Fasten in all the 7mm bolts underneath the bumper cover.
4. Go into each wheel well and then refasten the 10mm bolt and all the fasteners.
5. Put the shield panel back on top of the bumper cover.
6. Put all the 10mm bolts and push clips back onto the shield panel.

That’s all! If you have any questions about the process, feel free to shoot us a message.