DIY: Removing Front Grille
So i joined the cracked radiator cover club...but now i am stuck at the clips part. I dont want to break anything so i decide to stop and ask help. Ive been pushing the top clips (2) and the bottom clips (2) and nothing. Do i need to do all four at the same time? Cant i just do one side and then the other? Help plzzzz!!!
+1 for successful grille removal.
I did get stuck trying remove the cover, but i kept pulling & inching it out slowly until i could see what was holding it back, that metal bar in the middle...slowly but surely i got it. Sucky part is...i dont see much difference bt the stock grille and the midnight black. Maybe bc my g's moonlight white...kinda reflects and blends in like the other one...
I did get stuck trying remove the cover, but i kept pulling & inching it out slowly until i could see what was holding it back, that metal bar in the middle...slowly but surely i got it. Sucky part is...i dont see much difference bt the stock grille and the midnight black. Maybe bc my g's moonlight white...kinda reflects and blends in like the other one...
Successfully removed grill without cracking the radiator cover, plasti dipped my grill, and reinstalled everything. It all looked flush and back to normal, but now my hood won't latch on the passenger side. I don't see anything obviously wrong. Any ideas?
Nevermind, i got it figured out. If anyone else runs into this issue, when i put the radiator cover back on, the thin wire that is the linkage between the two hood release latches was getting pinched behind the metal bracket in the middle of the bumper that the radiator cover screws into. I was able to take the cover back off and move this wire, luckily it was not severed or cut. All is good now, just be careful when putting your cover back on that everything is clear!
Unbolting and moving the coolant tank is key. It also helps to have a second person there to push forward on the radiator cover while you pull the middle of the cover up and over those metal tabs. Once you get the hang of it, its not too bad.
I shall be attempting this tomorrow. Thanks for the write-up, and the photos.
/edit a very simple install. unbolting the radiator overflow reservoir made it a LOT simpler.
/edit a very simple install. unbolting the radiator overflow reservoir made it a LOT simpler.
Last edited by codeflux; Jun 4, 2012 at 10:56 PM.
Yes, a must! Will make the process much easier!






