A pedestal for mounting an accessory onto a vehicle surface has a hollow core body with an oblong first slot at a top end for receiving a fastener therethrough and an oblong second slot within for holding a nut and engaging the fastener. The fastener and nut are linearly adjustable in a first direction along the slots for ease of aligning the accessory's mounting hole with the pedestal and fastener, so as to secure the accessory to the pedestal's top end with the fastener. The body may also have wider oblong slots and additional side body slits for fitting an elongate bar nut, to provide greater adjustability in a second direction within the pedestal for enhanced two dimensional alignment of the accessory with the pedestal and fastener. A skirt and adhesive pad at the bottom end of the body securely bond the pedestal, and hence the accessory, to the vehicle surface.

A vehicle air induction assembly includes an air guide, an air duct and a bracket member. The air guide is configured to be connected to a vehicle fascia. The air duct is configured to be connected to the air guide. The air duct is configured to supply air to an engine air filter. The bracket member is connected to the air guide. The bracket member has a front wall facing in a forward direction of a vehicle, a rear wall facing in a rearward direction of the vehicle, and an upper wall connecting the front wall and the rear wall. A first air inlet in fluid communication with the air duct is defined by a surface of the air guide and the front, rear and upper walls of the bracket member. The first air inlet faces in a lateral direction of the vehicle.

A vehicle component includes a colored translucent plastic component having a front side and a back side, and a metallic layer arranged on the back side of the plastic component.

A vehicle component includes a colored translucent plastic component having a front side and a back side, and a metallic layer arranged on the back side of the plastic component.

A system for controlling a function of a vehicle by activation of a vehicle button includes a vehicle component configured to receive a signal and to perform an electrical or mechanical function in response to receiving the signal. The system further includes a physical structure located on an exterior of the vehicle and having an integrated button such that at least one of manual actuation of or physical proximity to the physical structure initiates a button selection event. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the vehicle component and to the integrated button and configured to identify the button selection event and to transmit the signal to the vehicle component in response to identifying the button selection event to cause the vehicle component to perform the electrical or mechanical function.

A vehicle trim part having an injection molded, frontside protective covering is provided. The part includes a decorative layer having an outer surface which provides the appearance of a desirable material. An injection molded, light-transmissive protective layer is inter-bonded to the decorative layer and is integrally formed from a polymeric material which overlies and protects the decorative layer and provides a desired outer surface finish with little or no need for post-molding machining or polishing. The desired outer surface finish and the outer surface of the decorative layer at the interface between the layers form a reflected light pattern which is visible at the front of the part when lighting illuminates the outer surface finish and the outer surface of the decorative layer from the front of the part. The part may be a vehicle interior trim part.

A vehicle trim part having an injection molded, frontside protective covering is provided. The part includes a decorative layer having an outer surface which provides the appearance of a desirable material. An injection molded, light-transmissive protective layer is inter-bonded to the decorative layer and is integrally formed from a polymeric material which overlies and protects the decorative layer and provides a desired outer surface finish with little or no need for post-molding machining or polishing. The desired outer surface finish and the outer surface of the decorative layer at the interface between the layers form a reflected light pattern which is visible at the front of the part when lighting illuminates the outer surface finish and the outer surface of the decorative layer from the front of the part. The part may be a vehicle interior trim part.

The mounting bracket systems are used in pairs to support a banner on a vehicle. In a first embodiment, the system includes opposing masts having upper and lower extending tabs adapted for attaching a banner between the masts, an annular flange disposed around the mast, and a lower mast end inserted into a bushing attached to a vehicle by U-shaped mounting straps. In a second embodiment, the system includes opposing masts having upper and lower extending tabs adapted for attaching a banner between the masts. The bottom end of each mast is attached to a platform having an elongate U-shaped pocket insert having planar walls extending from the platform opposite the mast. The pocket inserts are adapted for insertion into stake pockets common to trucks and trailers that haul oversize loads. A clevis pin may be inserted through opposing walls of the pocket insert below the stake pocket.

A composite component includes a plastic substrate and a transfer foil adhered thereto. The plastic substrate and the foil are proud and define a peripheral edge with a tight outer radius. A thin first coating layer, such as a base coat or primer layer, is applied over the plastic substrate and foil and adheres the both the plastic substrate and foil. A thicker second coating layer, such as a clear coat, is applied over the first coating layer and adheres to the first coating layer. The first coating layer has a lower viscosity than the second coating layer. The second coating layer is more ductile than the first coating layer. The first coating layer acts a primer layer for applying the second coating layer. The second coating layer therefore protects the substrate and transfer foil and can withstand thermal shock and water immersion.

A method for producing a black plated resin part includes the steps of electroplating a resin substrate provided with an underlying plating layer in a trivalent chromium plating bath containing thiocyanic acid, to thereby form, on the underlying plating layer, a black chromium plating layer composed of trivalent chromium and having a thickness of 0.15 μm or more; and immersing the resin substrate provided with the black chromium plating layer in warm water at 30° C. or higher for a predetermined time. In the method, the amount of thiocyanic acid contained in the trivalent chromium plating bath, the temperature of the warm water, and the time of immersion of the resin substrate in the warm water are adjusted so that the black chromium plating layer exhibits a b* value of −1.7 or less based on the L*a*b* color system.