When I installed the AEM CAE today, I also cut open the phony vents and added the Coastal Metals stainless steel covers. There are two u-shaped plastic mounting tabs behind the phony vents, centered top and bottom on each one. Anyone know why they're there? Could it be for some option that Honda never offered, say fog lights or brake ducts?

 

I wondered about that myself.

My guess is fog lights.

 

I wish it were for fog lights, I'd buy them in an instant! I noticed them also when I was doing the install for the PIAA's. It may be some sort of manufacturing residue. . .

 

On the rare occassional day when I take my car apart, I notice a variety of build details that make me wonder... "why?" There are so many intricate things involved with the assembly of a vehicle like manufacturing, storing of, and handling the individual parts as well as super-quick & precise assembly of parts. Many of the "strange" things we see in the finished assembled vehicle could have served Honda in the assembly process.

As for the front bumper... I assume it is an injection molded polyurethane piece... so those "clips" could serve in aiding the mold release or aid in holding during the paint process...

Makes you think though...

 

That makes very good sense, Shaner. I never thought of that.

 

Quite a few cars have these extra screw holes behind their panels, especially the front/rear bumpers. In our case, the most logical explanation is a set of foglights. Since Honda isn't changing the body shape, they may want to add in foglights on a new model year, and having these mounting points on the bumper prevents the necessity of changing the molds.

 

They are for the frog lights - have seen the same on other Hondas... The RSX has them too - though in Japan, they seem to be used to mount brake cooling ducts!

 

Very interesting.

 

So, will the optional driving lights of the Civic Si mount here easily?

 

Glad someone noticed that