I was washing and detailing our 2013 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2dr Cpe Hatchback (R56) today. I lifted the hood up and saw this piece of felt (I think) covering a clip for the headlight bezel. This one is falling apart and I don't think there are any others remaining on either headlight bezel. Is this an essential / necessary part that I need to replace? I tried looking at an online parts diagram for this thingy and couldn't find it.

I guess to ask the question differently - does this part have a name and a "special purpose" ?

Thanks for any help.

 

I haven't seen that on any car before in that location.......Is that clip broken or pops the headlight ring up
Could've been used to try and secure that particular clip section.....

 

Yep. they used it to hold the ring. Not a factory part. Might have been installed at a dealer as a fix. They do stuff like that.

 

I looked at this again....there is a piece of this material or thick tape (whatever it is is so degraded that I am not sure what it is exactly) on both headlight rings, on the same clip. Neither appear to be broken.

I looked at where the ring and this clip fit over the headlight itself when the hood is shut. When looking at the drivers-side headlight from in front of the car, (the one in the picture) the clip is at the 5 o'clock position and near some plastic clips for the headlight. On the passenger-side it's about at the 7 o'clock position and also near some plastic clips for the headlight.

Could this be some sort of insulating material that was put on to keep the ring clip from making contact with a part of the headlight?