[jrm000kc]

My OCD struck back fiercely today in the form of a broken bottom grill trim piece. It was loose to start with (top right/driver clip broken) and I should have left it alone but NOOO....I had to fiddle with it. The outside cold didn't help matters. I thought I'd use some Plastibond epoxy and use it to re-anchor, but the stuff hardened way too fast and the plastic ended up finally breaking when I pushed the trim down into it. SNAP! Followed by several seconds of swearing. I went ahead and ordered another bottom trim piece.

My question is what holds it? Does it 'snap' into place or did they actually use a screw of some kind on the backside? If there is hardware I'm assuming the radiator bonnet has to come off, and do those round tabs just pull up? I have the forked interior trim removal tool. My '05 TSX looks really good for it's age and I'd really like to keep it that way. I'm frustrated I messed with that trim to begin with-should have just let it be. Thanks for reading...in the future I'm not going to mess with plastic pieces in the cold.

 

[evil804]

there's a dozen or so small screws holding it in. you can get away with one or two broken, it's pretty common since it's plastic baking in the sun for the last 15 years. a little double sided tape or adhesive like silicone + a few hours in a clamp should do the trick. You have to take it off to do it properly though.

 

[jrm000kc]

there's a dozen or so small screws holding it in. you can get away with one or two broken, it's pretty common since it's plastic baking in the sun for the last 15 years. a little double sided tape or adhesive like silicone + a few hours in a clamp should do the trick. You have to take it off to do it properly though.

Thanks evil804! This is my first 'luxury' car and with the low mileage and very low price I paid for it I'm absolutely loving it because it's SO comfortable and the handling and zippiness of the 2.4l is amazing. I did go aftermarket for the bottom trim piece. I'm assuming the screws are fairly accessible after removing the radiator bonnet right? I religiously use 303 Protectant Formula on plastic, trim, rubber, etc. as it's supposed to protect against UV which is what breaks everything down. I also put a thin coat of Vaseline on the sunroof seal as well as the door seals.

 

[jrm000kc]

I was able to order a replacement bottom grill trim piece online (carparts.com) and it wasn't too bad getting at. Those plastic pop rivet things popped out fairly easy, except for a couple that refused to budge without breaking. I need to replace a few of them. Once I got the radiator bonnet off, I used an socket/open combo wrench wrench to take those two bottom grill screws out that go into the bumper cover. After removing the grill I went ahead and gave it a good rub down with Protectant 303, inside and out along with the new trim piece after removing what I call the 'Japanese Phillips' screws. Getting those two bottom grill screws started was the hardest part in putting it back together but I was able to finagle them. Anxiously waiting on warmer weather to service it and probably go ahead and give it a tune up. Right now it's COLD with highs in the single digits. Please don't laugh any Northerners because we get the nice 110 degree high humidity during summer to 'balance' out our horrendous climate that's obviously bipolar. (No pun intended...yes that was terrible.)