I was cleaning some sap off the right front upper quarter panel (just below headlight seam) and accidentally pushed in the upper body panel where it joins the headlight and abutts the lower body panel by about a millimeter or so...

In other words the upper panel is pushed in towards the headlight housing so that it is flush with the housing and a millimeter inward and not lined up with the lower panel...i heard a click when it happened and i think the tolerances between the two panels were so tight that it just got caught (the upper panel)...

I would like to push the panel out again (driving over bumps didnt help!) and i need to get behind the right front wheel well but dont want to ruin the plastic wheel well cover that is above the tire....

anyone know how to just unclip the wheel well housing cover (it is fairly loose but i dont want to ruin the housing...)

I know this is a minor thing and i am OCD but as all other tolerances for body panel seams are so perfect on my G37S, I want perfection to be restored! that is untill some idiot hits me....

 

that plastic wheel well bends a pretty good bit, don't worry about breaking it.

just take off your wheel or jack the car up at least and you'll see the fasteners that hold it up

 

thanks...do i need a tool to take the clips off or do they just unclip by hand?

 

^ You should be able to use your hands. If anything, maybe a phillips heads screwdriver.

 

maybe a flathead if you can't get your finger under the middle part.... the middle piece pops up, then the whole thing just comes out

 

flathead is much easier on the fingers..

 

Well I got in alright...didnt have to remove screws...tried backing out the bolt that attaches upper qulater panel to lower plastic bumper piece...
that was ok but when i tried to push the upper body panel out to try and line it up with the lower plastic bumper, i just couldnt seem to get the two to line up...the upper panel just wont stay pushed out...

I suspect that the upper panel was going to move inward slightly (where it joins the headlight plastic housing) anyway and when I accidentally slightly pushed it in while cleaning the tree sap it was destined to happen...i just gave it the push it needed!

Anyway I am being too obsessive about this and decided to give up before i damage something....i am not a body repair guy and i think that only because the fit and finish is so good everyware else, this bothers be so much...with time i will hopefully forget about it...!!