how can I get rid of front and rear side bumper gaps!

even my body shoppe can't get the clips to hold.

 

Somewhere along your bumper there is a break or loose plastic clips. If you are willing to take out the bumper you can try to reinforce the break area to make it stronger. Maybe melt some plastic around the area that broke. I'm planning to examine my V just to get familiar with where all the clips are located. If I find vulnerable spots I can try to reinforce it. There should be lots of youtube how to's on this. Sometime you need to replace a clip completely if it broke off. You can get them on ebay.

The problem is, just trying to take out your bumper after so many fixes in the past, can wear out or even break more clips.

 

Not necessary to reinforce anything. And not possible to repair. The clips are pretty cheap.

Both front and rear have one clip on each side that hold the bumper corners up. Black plastic clips that usually break every time you pop the bumper off. They have little plastic teeth that fit into the slots of the bumper corner to hold the bumper corner on. If you have a gap that means all of the teeth are missing on that clip. Clips must be replaced. Been there many times.

OR the bumper hold up slots are ripped. That's pretty common too. Caused by someone not pulling the bumper corner off properly or removing an after market bumper which is an extremely thin and crappy Chinese version of the oem bumper.

 

Prius clips are different than I thought. This youtube guy took out only the side that needed replacement. Interesting that the entire bumper did not need to come off.

I'm thinking of silicone lubing the clips and the bumper holes to create less friction and reduce the chances of something breaking.

The most expensive part is the bumper which can cost 300-400 new and painted. If the bumper holes break, that would be difficult to fix. Melting plastics may be required or some custom work.

As a precaution if possible I would try to safely press on the locking plastic clips to see if it will release easier. And when ready to lock back in, make sure everything is properly aligned.

 

What I mean? I mean to me $20 is cheap. It’s an oem body part.

 

I’m confused. Are you talking about your 2017 car and why?

 

Just referring to the gen 2 in the video. My gen 3 is starting to show a gap just from hitting steep driveway curbs.