Service Procedure

Service Procedure

Note
If the vehicle has already had the hood grille air panel replaced, this procedure will still need to be performed.

Tools/Materials Required
- Clean Shop Towel
- Masking Tape
- Glass Cleaner or Equivalent Cleaner
- Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol 99 Percent
- Brush Dauber(s) for Applying Primer
- Caulk Gun (Standard Manual or Electric)
- Tape Measure and Ruler
- Marker
- Protective Gloves

Caution
To avoid damaging the hood air grille panel or retention clips, carefully remove the hood louver (hood air grille panel) following Steps 1-1.4. Ensure that the vehicle parts and products used in this service repair are at a minimum of 15.5 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) and a maximum of 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Caution
Do NOT replace the hood air grille if ONLY a few retention clips are broken. The hood air grille panel can be reused and must be secured to the hood with a glass-bonding urethane adhesive.

Note
In the future, when servicing a hood air grille, ensure that it is secured to the hood of the vehicle as described in this service procedure. SI will be updated in the near future to include this procedure.

1. Remove the hood air grille panel.





1. Insert a plastic body trim tool between the hood and the hood air grille panel at the driver's side corner that is near the windshield. Initially pull the hood air grille panel upward at the corner edge until the hood grille edge separates from the hood.





2. Continue pulling upward on the hood air grille panel, separating the panel from the hood. Separate the hood air grille panel from the hood beginning on the driver's side corner of the hood air grille panel and finishing on the passenger's side corner of the hood air grille panel.





3. Complete the removal of the hood air grille panel by separating the hood air grille panel that is near the front edge of the hood. Separate the hood air grille from the hood, beginning on the passenger's side corner of the hood air grille panel and finishing on the driver's side corner of the hood air grille panel.
4. Examine the hood air grille panel retention clips. Ensure that 10 clips are present on the backside of the panel. Do not discard broken retention clips.

2. Place the hood air grille panel on a work bench.





3. Clean any dirt and debris from the hood in the area that the hood air grille panel resides using a clean and damp shop towel. Use a glass cleaner or equivalent cleaner to remove dirt and debris.
4. Wipe the surface area of the hood in the hood air grille panel location with a clean shop towel and isopropyl rubbing alcohol 99 percent solution.
5. Allow the surface of the hood to dry.





6. Using a tape measure and marker, measure and mark points from the top of the grille hole at 51 mm (2 in), 152 mm (6 in), and 305 mm (12 in). Use the outside top and bottom hood air grille retainer clip retainer slots (1) on the hood as the beginning and end point of the measurement. Refer to illustration.





Caution
Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer will permanently etch the paint surface of the hood. DO NOT apply primer outside the work area of the hood. Use the top and bottom hood air grille retainer clip slots as the work area border. If primer is accidently applied to paint outside of the work area, IMMEDIATELY clean the area with a shop towel and cleaning solvent such as isopropyl rubbing alcohol 99 percent.

7. Create a tape border (1) around the work area of the hood. Refer to illustration.

Note
Before applying Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer to the surface of the hood, vigorously shake the bottle of the primer for one minute. There is an 8 hour limit for open primer containers. Apply the primer with forward strokes from start to finish to maximize the filmbuild. Do NOT "scrub" back and forth with the dauber. The scrubbing action can push the primer as opposed to laying it down, creating thin or low filmbuild areas.

8. Using a dauber, apply a 51 mm (2 in) width path of Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer on the hood in the areas marked on the hood in Step 6. Refer to callout (3) in the illustration. When finished, there should be six 51 mm (2 in) paths of primer. Do NOT apply the Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer to the surface of the hood in the retainer clip slot 2 location. Refer to callouts (2) and (3) in the illustration. Ensure that a centered 51 mm (2 in) width area that spans the length of the retainer clip 2 location does not have primer. The retainer clip 2 location is for water drainage.
9. Discard the dauber.
10. While waiting for the primer on the hood to dry, proceed to Step 11. The hood air grille should be on a clean work bench.





11. Remove and discard square foam piece (1) from the backside of the hood air grille panel.





12. Clean the backside of the hood air grille panel with a clean and damp cloth. Use glass cleaner, if required, and a cleaning solvent such as isopropyl rubbing alcohol 99 percent.
13. Allow the hood air grille panel to dry.
14. Using a tape measure and marker, measure and mark points from the top of the grille tab at 51 mm (2 in), 152 mm (6 in) and 305 mm (12 in). Use the outside top and bottom hood air grille retainer clips on the hood as the beginning and end point of the measurement.





Caution
Vehicles equipped with a chrome hood air grille panel require two coats of Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer. To avoid primer contamination, pour some of the primer in a clean container. A new dauber is REQUIRED for each primer application. Two daubers must be used to apply the two coats of primer. There are three primer paths (A, B and C). After the first coat of primer has been applied, wait a minimum of 5 minutes BEFORE applying the second coat of primer. After the second coat of primer has been applied, WAIT a minimum of 5 minutes before applying the urethane adhesive. Vehicles equipped with the standard hood air grille panel (non-chrome) do NOT require two coats of primer. Only one dauber is required for the application of primer on standard hood air grille panels.

Note
Before applying Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer to the surface of the grille vigorously shake the bottle of the primer for one minute. There is an 8 hour limit for open primer containers. Apply the primer with forward strokes from start to finish to maximize the filmbuild. Do NOT "scrub" back and forth with the dauber. The scrubbing action can push the primer as opposed to laying it down, creating thin or low filmbuild areas.

15. Apply a 51 mm (2 in) width path of Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer on the backside of the hood air grille panel in locations (A), (B), and (C) using a new dauber. The primer path should span the length of the panel and end at inside edge of the outside top and bottom hood air grille retainer clips. Do NOT apply the primer in the retainer clip 3 location. Ensure that a centered 51 mm (2 in) width area that spans the length of the retainer clip 3 location does not have primer applied to it. The retainer clip 3 location is for water drainage. Use the removed foam square area as a visual reference. Refer to the illustration.
16. Allow the primer on the hood air grille panel to dry. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes BEFORE applying the urethane adhesive.





17. Cut approximately 12.5 mm (1/2 in) (1) from the tip nozzle.
18. Cut an 8 mm (5/16 in) base x 14 mm (9/16 in) height triangle shape (2) on one side of the nozzle tip.
19. Remove the bottom cover from the Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 tube.
20. Pierce the nozzle end of the Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 tube. Ensure that the opening is wide enough to permit a steady flow of adhesive.
21. Attach the modified nozzle to the Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 tube.
22. Place the Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 tube in a caulk gun.
23. Test adhesive application by applying a 152 mm (6 in") bead of adhesive on a piece of cardboard or paper. Repeat the process until the desired bead is achieved.





24. Apply Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 (or equivalent glass-bonding urethane adhesive) to locations (A), (B), and (C) of the hood air grille panel. Six beads of urethane are required.





25. Ensure that the six beads of Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 (or equivalent glass-bonding urethane adhesive) measure a minimum of 8 mm (5/16 in) base x 14 mm (9/16 in) height.





Note
If the broken clip is missing, apply Dow BetaPrime 5404A or 5404 primer over the retention clip slot. Allow the primer to dry and then apply Dow Urethane Adhesive U-418 (or equivalent glass-bonding urethane adhesive) over the retention clip slot in the hood.

26. Insert the broken retention clips in the correct retention clips slots on the hood, if required.
27. Remove tape from hood.
28. Remove the hood air grille panel from the work bench and install it onto the vehicle.

1. Align the hood air grille panel retention clips with the retention clip slots on the hood.
2. Insert the retention clips into the slots on the hood.





3. Apply firm and even pressure over the surface of the hood air grille panel.

Warning

Read the instructions below carefully. Failure to allow the proper cure time may result in the hood air grille panel separating from the hood. To avoid personal injury or damage the vehicle, do not return a vehicle to a customer until the proper cure time has elapsed.

- A repair with a new hood air grille panel or a hood air grille panel with all retention clips intact may be released immediately because the retention clips will secure the hood air grille panel to the hood while the urethane adhesive is curing.
- The initial cure time for a hood air grille panel with broken fasteners is a minimum of two (2) hours. After performing the repair, ensure that the vehicle is parked in the dealership service area. Do not park the vehicle outdoors during the initial two-hour cure time. Do not return the vehicle to the customer until the initial cure time has elapsed.