Front Bumper Fit Issue

[Chris311]

Thank you all for the quick replies. I'll try and keep you all updated.

Hopefully I won't be needing your help Cory and the dealership handles everything correctly the first time. Although they havn't started off on the right foot after they sold the Explorer to my step dad with many of the dealership extras missing, even though they were listed on the window sticker and my step dad had paid for them.

 

[1995E]

XLT has two settings for the heated seats.

I am also having the lower plastic piece pop off while I'm driving. I went to the dealer and saw the newer 2011 Explorers have little tabs or screws on the plastic piece to keep it from popping out.

 

[FordService]

Thank you all for the quick replies. I'll try and keep you all updated.

Hopefully I won't be needing your help Cory and the dealership handles everything correctly the first time. Although they havn't started off on the right foot after they sold the Explorer to my step dad with many of the dealership extras missing, even though they were listed on the window sticker and my step dad had paid for them.

I also hope that everything goes smoothly, but it’s good to know you have options. Please keep us in the loop with the progress.

1995E, I would also like to reach out an offer to you if you’d like my assistance. Please feel free to message me the info I mentioned previously in this thread.

Cory

 

[Loganfilm]

Same issue on my fender panel. Took delivery about 3 weeks ago.

I'll add it to my list for my next drop-off to see the Ford Engineer on Wednesday.

 

[SWEET ST]

Corey please give me an attachment so i can send you an email plz thanks

 

[whsbuss]

Heading to the dealer body shop on Tuesday. Picked mine up this past Saturday and hopefully they can fix the bumper panel without too much trouble.

 

[FordService]

Same issue on my fender panel. Took delivery about 3 weeks ago.

I'll add it to my list for my next drop-off to see the Ford Engineer on Wednesday.

With your case escalated, feel free to keep me up me in the loop with what happens tomorrow with the dealer.

NEWPORTNJ, I saw that you had sent me a PM and I sent you a response back. Please check your inbox for my message.

whsbuss, please drop me a line if you have any issues you would like help with after your visit.

Cory

 

[uniquename]

Add me to the list. Noticed it this morning, and it was definitely not like that before. I scanned every body panel on delivery to make sure everything was perfect (or close).

 

[whsbuss]

Got scheduled with the dealer body shop for next week to include a rental under warranty. We'll see how it goes.

 

[krog77]

Same here

Mine had it too. I noticed it a week after picking it up. First noticed the driver's side and immediately checked the passenger side. Pushed it in and a popped right back in. Hopefully it doesn't pop out again.

 

[vfral1]

Body panel popping out...

...the seam between the drivers front quarter panel and the nose molding will not stay snapped into place right below the hood.

Anybody else have this?

 

[Eagles Fly]

Body Panel

I had the same experience ... one of my colleagues actually popped it back several months ago - and haven't had the panel pop out again.

I have my first "official" servicing this Saturday ... and I will be asking them to double check!

Best of luck ... outside a few frustrating experiences, I actually love driving my Explorer!

 

[WillClark]

Yes i do.... If I press hard enough it will pop back in... Have not checked it for a couple of weeks... Today driving with a heavy cross wind I was getting a vibration inside on every gust. I'm guessing it was coming from the windshield defogger vents.... Not sure I described that right

I have my first service approaching and will bring up both items...

Agree with above minus some small issues I'm still enjoying my Limited.
I hope they continue to update and fine tune our MFT/Sync and nav

 

[MikeFreas]

Yes i do.... If I press hard enough it will pop back in... Have not checked it for a couple of weeks... Today driving with a heavy cross wind I was getting a vibration inside on every gust. I'm guessing it was coming from the windshield defogger vents.... Not sure I described that right

I have my first service approaching and will bring up both items...

Agree with above minus some small issues I'm still enjoying my Limited.
I hope they continue to update and fine tune our MFT/Sync and nav

The noise you are hearing with the wind gusts sounds like the A pillar molding. I believe there is a TSB and a fix out for it.

 

[JDJones]

I have the issue on the drivers side. I can push it back into place but it continues to pop out. It is a minor detail (sticks out maybe 1/8-1/4") but I plan to have dealer look at it when take it in for my first service.

 

[JAZNY]

I fixed mine about amost 2 months ago, and it has not popped back out in 4,000 miles of driving (some on rutted gravel mountain roads).

1. Pull the bumper piece from the point just below the headlight away from the joint until 2 or 3 additional tabs release (open up the joint). There's a lot of tension on the piece, and you have to pull pretty hard. You will feel tabs release with successive pops. Look in and see the tabs that you have released are spaced every few inches resting on the front of a slot.
2. Here's the key (I think). Beginning with the point closest to the headlight, push in tightly until that first tab clicks in place. This leaves a raised dome-like wave of plastic with released tabs lined up with their slots waiting to be pushed back in.
3. Press hard with one hand on the point of the piece (that keeps popping out) to hold it into position. With the other hand, work the piece into position with firm pressure moving away from the point, smoothing out the wave until the remaining tabs click in place.

I think working away from the point is the key. I tried just pushing the single "point-tab" back in several times, but that method always resulted in the problem coming back.

Hope this helps.

 

[chimoman]

i fixed mine about amost 2 months ago, and it has not popped back out in 4,000 miles of driving (some on rutted gravel mountain roads).

1. Pull the bumper piece from the point just below the headlight away from the joint until 2 or 3 additional tabs release (open up the joint). There's a lot of tension on the piece, and you have to pull pretty hard. You will feel tabs release with successive pops. Look in and see the tabs that you have released are spaced every few inches resting on the front of a slot.
2. Here's the key (i think). Beginning with the point closest to the headlight, push in tightly until that first tab clicks in place. This leaves a raised dome-like wave of plastic with released tabs lined up with their slots waiting to be pushed back in.
3. Press hard with one hand on the point of the piece (that keeps popping out) to hold it into position. With the other hand, work the piece into position with firm pressure moving away from the point, smoothing out the wave until the remaining tabs click in place.

I think working away from the point is the key. I tried just pushing the single "point-tab" back in several times, but that method always resulted in the problem coming back.

Hope this helps.

stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What are you doing. Bring it to the dealer and have a professional fix it. You break it doing crap like that and bye bye warranty. Don't mess with a vehicle under warranty. Drive to a dealer and have them fix it. That way you have documentation of the problem.

 

[brick1554]

Its a defect with a mis aligned bracket that gets riveted to body. I had the issue the first week I had my explorer. The dealers body shop ordered a new bracket and riveted it on in about 10 minutes. No gap issues and looks like it should have. It was very annoying though at first. Living in Michigan the damn thing popped off after hitting a bump...so basically every time I took the car on the road.

 

[vfral1]

Yep, mine keeps popping back out, so defininately needs a dealer fix, but wondered what kind of push back I would get from them. Should be covered right?

 

[JAZNY]

Don't mess with a vehicle under warranty. Drive to a dealer and have them fix it. That way you have documentation of the problem.

Good point chimoman. I second your advice. I should have put out the discaimer.

Guess I should've PM'ed Cory instead, as this is a suggestion for the assembly/repair process, not for owners. Just thought some would be interested, that a procedural change (inexpensive) could fix an otherwise expensive dealer repair. It would be good to keep Ford's costs down.

So don't try this if you want to risk your warranty, but since I've already put it out there ... the concept behind my "fix" was that the tab closest to the headlight, likely the last tab to lock in on the assembly line, is probably angled toward the headlight to the point that it won't go all the way into the slot. By pushing that one in first, the other tabs still go in to their slots and the tension on the headlight side slot keeps that tab locked in and the point down where it belongs.