Them little plastic things on back of rear wheel arch/bumper

[Sensibleboy]

I can't even describe them never mind work out what they actually do.

I'm referring to those small bits of trim that are fitted or sometimes moulded into the rear bumper at the wheel arch. They appear to be attempting to make the arch wider.

Is there some regulation that requires them to be fitted?

[mradam]

i'm not sure but I would guess:

1 - slightly extends arch to mildly reduce stone chips on lower rear bumper
2 - i think there's some regulation that no part of the wheel may extend outwards beyond the arch
3 - possibly reduce interior wind noise?

[anonymous-user]

Sensibleboy said:

I can't even describe them never mind work out what they actually do.

I'm referring to those small bits of trim that are fitted or sometimes moulded into the rear bumper at the wheel arch. They appear to be attempting to make the arch wider.

Is there some regulation that requires them to be fitted?

In the EU (and UK currently) the type approval legistlation requires "tyres to be covered" and it specifies an angular zone around which it must not be possible to see the tyre from the side. Often, when cars get put in for homologation, especially cars designed for rest-of-world markets (that dont' have this requirement, like the USA for example), and especially sporty models that have maybe been fitted with wider tyres than the rest of the model fanily, or more offset wheels to widen the trackm fall fowl of these rules. Given the large cost of re-styling and re-tooling that would be required for a completely new bumper cover, it's easier to simply add an extension to either the inner arch liner or the mud flap (if a seperate item), hence those add on sticky-out spats you see!

[Defcon5]

I think the latest civic has these randomly stuck halfway up the rear bumper

[Sensibleboy]

Excellent. I assume this must be a fairly recent requirement because I dont remember any car having them prior to maybe 10-15 years ago.

[stumpage]

Our reps all used to all have Passat Sports back in the day. One rep got lucky and got a dealer stock car that had a load of options on one being larger 18" dia wheels. His car had these on and the others didn't. That was back in 2006

[anonymous-user]

iirc, the rule was in place but not enforced, but was strictly applied after the 2001 re-ratification of road transport regulations by all EU member states

[Dr Interceptor]

As some have suggested above, its down to wheel and arch protrusion.

MINI's had them back in 2001 if they were specc'd with 17" wheels - cars with 15" and 16" wheels didn't have them.

[pulsar10]

One of these thingies had snapped off the car I have just bought so after about a day searching spats etc etc I eventually determined they must be related to the bumper and watching a youtube of rear bumper removal confirmed that they are a part of the BUMPER BRACKET REAR RIGHT O/S FOR FORD FIESTA 1798170 2008 ONWARDS, which you can search on ebay.