Close-up of the front bumper of a BMW M4 sport blue car, with a small, four-sided panel below the headlight circled in redEver notice a little square panel on the front of your car and wonder what it’s there for? If you’ve never had a car towed, there’s a chance that the square plastic cover on your front bumper has never been removed. That’s because the plastic panel is hiding what’s known as a tow eye. Without it, getting your car towed would be much riskier and less safe. Here’s how tow eyes work and why it’s important for car owners to know about them. How Tow Eyes Work If you drive a truck or a similarly heavy-duty vehicle, there’s a good chance your front grille has a large metal hook (or two) meant for attaching the truck to a tow strap. Smaller cars, though, can’t have large hooks just dangling from their front bumper. That’s where the tow eye comes in. Just pop off that little plastic cover and you’ll find a small grooved slot. By screwing a tow hook into that slot, you’re giving yourself a rock-solid point from which you can pull and tow the car. Trying to attach a tow cable to any other part of your bumper is a recipe for disaster and could result in major damage to your vehicle. Are There Tow Eyes On the Back Bumper? But what if your car is stuck in a position where you can’t even access the front? Good news: there’s almost always a tow eye or two on the back bumper as well. Next time you go to get into your car, take a second to locate all of your tow eyes. Knowing their exact locations could be a big help if (knock on wood) you find yourself in a stressful situation in need of a tow. When you’re trying to tow a car to a safe location, the last thing you want to do is damage the vehicle further. Make sure you know what you’re doing before attempting a tow, and contact a professional towing service if you feel at all out of your depth.
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