Body panels popping loose?

Goodtime · 07-20-2013, 01:58 PM

Just curious if anybody besides me is having trouble with their body panels staying together and any possible solutions. The attached pic is where the front fascia and the front fender meet. This is the right side. The left is fine. I can pop it back together but is just pops back out within minutes. Initially it would stay fastened until it was stressed like backing out a driveway. Supposedly the car has never been wrecked, it is a roadster. Other than taking it to a body shop all I can think of doing is shooting some epoxy glue in the joint and taping it together until it dries, but I am pretty sure it will just pop out again eventually. Anybody else have this going on?

wind.zero · 07-20-2013, 02:19 PM

Did you or someone remove the undertray and NOT reinstall it for some reason?

This is AK's picture showing the undertray

1325 · 07-20-2013, 02:34 PM

Looks like several screws missing from the underside where the fender meets the bumper. Not normal to pop out like that.

620 Front Bumper :: Body(Front,Roof & Floor) :: Genuine Nissan Parts :: 370Z Parts (Z34) 2009-2013 :: Nissan Parts, NISMO and Nissan Accessories - Courtesyparts.com

DIGItonium · 07-20-2013, 02:51 PM

Mine only pops out like that because of a hard bump that ripped the hole that is screwed to the fender or the bumper was improperly mounted.

Trips · 07-20-2013, 03:05 PM

I would go with making sure the bumper is installed properly from the bottom

Once the bumper snaps into the clips

The 10mm head screw on the inside of the fender liner? Should secure it from moving as that what its there for.

I honestly think the bumpers not installed right

DEpointfive0 · 07-20-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trips

I would go with making sure the bumper is installed properly from the bottom

Once the bumper snaps into the clips

The 10mm head screw on the inside of the fender liner? Should secure it from moving as that what its there for.

I honestly think the bumpers not installed right

99% chance your issue

Goodtime · 07-22-2013, 07:32 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. The under tray is all intact. Looks like if I take the wheel off and remove the fender wheelwell liner I would be able to see whats going on. Technically this is my wife's car and I don't wrench on it, she lets the dealership do all the work so I will probably just do all the "homework" on it and let the "pros" hadle it. I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.

fuct · 07-22-2013, 01:44 PM

mine did the same thing after i bottomed out and banged the bottom of my front end. damn university of houston parking lot!!!!!

just curious but that front bumper looks like its been repainted....no?

DEpointfive0 · 07-22-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuct

mine did the same thing after i bottomed out and banged the bottom of my front end. damn university of houston parking lot!!!!!

just curious but that front bumper looks like its been repainted....no?

I noticed that too

Liquid_G · 07-22-2013, 09:06 PM

that white plastic support has push tabs on it that is supposed to hold that part in. If you can take your bumper off and check it out, the plastic spring tabs may just be worn and not up to holding that in.. I've replaced mine once, its like a 10 dollar piece from Courtesyparts.

axmea? · 07-23-2013, 08:35 AM

If you are confident that the bumper is mounted properly to the undertray check the clips where these tabs are mounted to as well. The springs and tabs may be worn out. Bumper may have been taken or popped on and off so many times that it has just worn out.

kenchan · 07-23-2013, 11:24 AM

the fender looks like it was repaired.

Chuck33079 · 07-23-2013, 11:27 AM

Dealers are allowed to repair a certain amount of damage and still claim that the car has never been wrecked. That may be what happened here.

Alstann · 07-23-2013, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

the fender looks like it was repaired.

Agreed...that amount of orange peel is way too much for OEM paint.

kenchan · 07-23-2013, 12:52 PM

yah, plus the way it's rounded at the bottom of the fender piece where it meets the front bumper and headlamp looks bondo'ed.

07-20-2013, 01:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Goodtime Base Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: N AL Posts: 4 Drives: 10 370Z Rep Power: 13	Body panels popping loose? Just curious if anybody besides me is having trouble with their body panels staying together and any possible solutions. The attached pic is where the front fascia and the front fender meet. This is the right side. The left is fine. I can pop it back together but is just pops back out within minutes. Initially it would stay fastened until it was stressed like backing out a driveway. Supposedly the car has never been wrecked, it is a roadster. Other than taking it to a body shop all I can think of doing is shooting some epoxy glue in the joint and taping it together until it dries, but I am pretty sure it will just pop out again eventually. Anybody else have this going on?

07-20-2013, 02:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
DIGItonium A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 3,800 Drives: 09 Z34-TT 6MT Rep Power: 42	Mine only pops out like that because of a hard bump that ripped the hole that is screwed to the fender or the bumper was improperly mounted. __________________

07-20-2013, 03:05 PM	#5 (permalink)
Trips Administrator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Disneyland, Ca Posts: 8,728 Drives: 🔰 Rep Power: 10	I would go with making sure the bumper is installed properly from the bottom Once the bumper snaps into the clips The 10mm head screw on the inside of the fender liner? Should secure it from moving as that what its there for. I honestly think the bumpers not installed right __________________ Last edited by Trips; 07-20-2013 at 03:08 PM.

07-22-2013, 01:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
fuct A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Sugar Land Posts: 3,692 Drives: 97' Ranger :) Rep Power: 23	mine did the same thing after i bottomed out and banged the bottom of my front end. damn university of houston parking lot!!!!! just curious but that front bumper looks like its been repainted....no? DIGItonium likes this.

07-22-2013, 09:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
Liquid_G A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago Burbs Posts: 1,439 Drives: 09 370z Supercharged Rep Power: 43	that white plastic support has push tabs on it that is supposed to hold that part in. If you can take your bumper off and check it out, the plastic spring tabs may just be worn and not up to holding that in.. I've replaced mine once, its like a 10 dollar piece from Courtesyparts. __________________

07-20-2013, 02:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
wind.zero Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: The 49th State Posts: 296 Drives: NISMOSIS Rep Power: 14	Did you or someone remove the undertray and NOT reinstall it for some reason? This is AK's picture showing the undertray

07-20-2013, 02:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
1325 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Florida Posts: 287 Drives: 10 370Z BLK 6M Rep Power: 14	Looks like several screws missing from the underside where the fender meets the bumper. Not normal to pop out like that. 620 Front Bumper :: Body(Front,Roof & Floor) :: Genuine Nissan Parts :: 370Z Parts (Z34) 2009-2013 :: Nissan Parts, NISMO and Nissan Accessories - Courtesyparts.com

07-22-2013, 07:32 AM	#7 (permalink)
Goodtime Base Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: N AL Posts: 4 Drives: 10 370Z Rep Power: 13	Thanks for the suggestions. The under tray is all intact. Looks like if I take the wheel off and remove the fender wheelwell liner I would be able to see whats going on. Technically this is my wife's car and I don't wrench on it, she lets the dealership do all the work so I will probably just do all the "homework" on it and let the "pros" hadle it. I'll keep you all posted on the outcome.

07-23-2013, 08:35 AM	#11 (permalink)
axmea? A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,233 Drives: WELL ZED PW 6MT Rep Power: 53241	If you are confident that the bumper is mounted properly to the undertray check the clips where these tabs are mounted to as well. The springs and tabs may be worn out. Bumper may have been taken or popped on and off so many times that it has just worn out. __________________ >MyZ's Album< NISMO Convert/ECUTEK/Takeda CAI/F.I. HFC NR CB Carbon/F.I. 34 Row Oil Cooler/4.08 Final Drive /Powertrix+Swifts/Hotchkis/SPL/Whiteline/TWM/Zoom Engineering/EVO-R/AeroJacket Vented CF Fenders + CF Spoiler/Avant Garde-WORK/NST/Morimoto Halo/STi Clear Lenses/Carbon Signal Automotive/RJM Performance/ZSpeed Clutch Flywheel CSC delete

07-23-2013, 11:24 AM	#12 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	the fender looks like it was repaired. Alstann likes this.

07-23-2013, 11:27 AM	#13 (permalink)
Chuck33079 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 12,265 Drives: 2011 370ztt Rep Power: 29538	Dealers are allowed to repair a certain amount of damage and still claim that the car has never been wrecked. That may be what happened here. Alstann likes this. __________________ 2011 MB Touring-Sport-6sp-Nav/GTM TT/FI TT TDX/JTran/Kosmic/Eibach/Hotchkis/SPC/CSF/RPS/SoThatsWhereAllMyMoneyWent

07-23-2013, 12:52 PM	#15 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	yah, plus the way it's rounded at the bottom of the fender piece where it meets the front bumper and headlamp looks bondo'ed.

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