They usually secure the floor mats through anchor points that are already located on the vehicle’s floor. In other words, you’ll be able to use them on all cars where the manufacturer originally intended to secure mats this way.

Their purpose is to secure car floor mats in place. You may see them as a way to keep the aesthetics of your car floor intact. However, they are also a safety measure since floor mats that are out of place can get in the way of pedals. You’ll see that retainer spikes usually have two parts. Unscrew the upper part and leave it aside. Place the spiky part underneath the hole in the mat. Then, put the upper part above it and screw it tightly. Depending on the type of the floor mat and the vehicle itself, retainer clips can have various shapes. Therefore, they will grip the mat in different ways. However, the anchor points can also be installed afterward. Furthermore, there are also means of using universal retention clips if you have some space between your vehicle’s carpeting and the floor. Retention Hooks You can install retention hooks in no time. All you have to do is line up the hooks with their respective holes and then push them into the floor.

Halfords Smart ForFour - Set of 4 Standard Car Mats 4 Clips (EE0857)

Car manufacturers like Toyota usually use retention hooks to secure floor mats in place. Therefore, these vehicles usually have predetermined holes where you should place hooks. How to Install Them Nowadays, you’ll find most mat retainers alongside mats that come with vehicles. However, it may happen that some retainers will wear off or break over time.

The problem with floor mats starts when they are not secured to the vehicle’s floor. Loose floor mats are especially the case with older vehicles. Finally, hit the retainers with a hammer or stomp them with your foot with enough force for the anchor spikes to penetrate the carpeting. Why You Need Car Mat Retainers You can often find retainer clips in vehicles like Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep. They secure floor mats by clipping the carpeting and hooking the mat. They are one of the most common ways to secure mats. However, sometimes they tend to be less durable, simply because the clip part can break if you step on it aggressively. How to Install Them

Nowadays, we can’t imagine a vehicle without car mats. They are easily removed; therefore we can change them if they wear off. What’s more, cleaning them isn’t as hard as cleaning the carpet. Another good piece of advice is to look for retainers that will fit your vehicle on used car sales, markets, and even junkyards. You will surely be able to bargain a good price. Hence, you should use retainer clips on all mats that don’t have small spikes on their underside to grip the carpeting.

Aside from bulging in certain places, a mat can bunch up near the pedals and jam them. Once that happens, you can lose control of your vehicle. You should never put yourself or your passengers in such danger just because you didn’t have retainer clips. Put the mat on a flat surface like the workbench. Then, proceed to cut the holes either with some sharp tool or by placing a small metal tube on the mat and hammering it down. Just make sure that the holes aren’t larger than the diameter of the hook’s head. Retainer TwistsManufacturers rarely use spike retainers to secure the mats. Spike retainers are basically universal retainers you can use on different vehicles that have carpeting inside. Therefore, they are quite useful if you can’t find the right retainer clips for your car. How to Install Them If your new mats don’t have predetermined holes, then you’ll have to make them. Put the mat in place over the hook, and mark where the hole should bed.

There are also hooks used by manufacturers like Lexus. You can install them with less hassle than the previously mentioned ones. All you have to do is to place them on anchor points in the floor and put the mat over them. Retainer ClipsOnce the clip is placed, take your mat and place the hole over the hook on the clip. Push the mat down until it falls into place. Be careful not to push too hard or the hook will break. Also, it’s a good piece of advice to avoid using your foot or a hammer for pushing. However, the damage can be even worse than that if the liquid gets on the metal underneath. If you don’t notice and tend to it soon, that part of the floor will probably corrode. Retainer clips are usually made out of plastic. Therefore, depending on their quality, some of them can break if you’re not too careful. Their durability also has to do a lot with retention methods. You can also use retention methods to differentiate between them. Retention Methods That Mat Anchors Use You are probably aware that the purpose of car mats isn’t just the aesthetics. Yes, they help the interior of your vehicle look nice and clean. However, they also protect the vehicle’s floor from dirt, wear, and salt corrosion. Car floor mat retainer clips are usually small pieces of plastic that either work as real clips or, on some occasions, as pins.