Panel gap: Solved

GTthree50 said:

Disclaimer, this is purely my opinion that only applies to my own car. I can appreciate that Ford finally stepped up to offer a fix, but it is underwhelming. After reading through the installation of the new bracket I have to leave that as a last resort before leaving my car open to a potential butcher job. Clipping off tabs and drilling holes are definitely not what I expected to see. For a shade tree fix sure but not a factory endorsed repair that does not even give definitive guidelines for how much tab to cut nor a template to locate the holes that are drilled.

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I can't say I disagree with your assessment - the procedure is not very confidence inspiring. However, to be clear, a template for drilling the holes is provided.

Yeah, it does kinda sound like a last ditch effort, drilling, clipping tabs and compression wedges....

Zombo said:

I can't say I disagree with your assessment - the procedure is not very confidence inspiring. However, to be clear, a template for drilling the holes is provided.

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Thanks for pointing out the drill template, I may have glossed over that. What left me a little surprised was the ambiguous nature of the tab trimming. Not a confidence inspiring fix. It is going to be almost wholly dependent on the skill of the tech and less so on a genuine engineered solution.

GTthree50 said:

Thanjs for pointing out the drill template, I may have glossed over that. What left me a little surprised was the ambiguous nature of the tab trimming. Not a confidence inspiring fix. It is going to be almost wholly dependent on the skill of the tech and less so on a genuine engineered solution.

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Yeah - agree with you GTthree50 and will be discussing this with the tech once I get it done. I too was a little surprised to read through the steps and think they could've come up with a better solution!

The pics on the PDF are terrible, anybody got a better copy?

fpa1974 said:

Now experience tells me to wait for others to go before me so my car will not be the guinea pig for this TSB ;) I will give it 6 months or so and go and complain again

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The problem with this in my area is - how many gt350s will each dealer see for this tsb? Maybe a handful over a year’s time. Same guys that couldn’t figure out I had front and rear shipping spacers...

I’d rather the dealer give me the kit and I’ll take it to a body shop I trust with these instructions. I’d rather pay for quality work from a trusted shop than let the guys that couldn’t install the front spoiler correctly hack away at it.

I'm also concerned with all involved in the TSB of fixing the gap. It wouldn't take much for a body shop to really screw up the rear fascia with more problems then the gap. Looks like to me some one at Ford out in his/her garage came up with a cobbled up fix and said "there that will work I think" I have lots of time on warranty so I'll ride this one out awhile and see how it goes with others that have it done.

Just keep in mind this is a Ford approved fix and any problems caused by it would be on Ford and under warranty.

Zombo said:

I can't say I disagree with your assessment - the procedure is not very confidence inspiring. However, to be clear, a template for drilling the holes is provided.

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Still does not guarantee a fix,

"(1 ). If the panel gap between the bumper cover and body is still excessive, this may be caused by bent or
broken tabs/clips on the bumper cover and connecting brackets or mis-positioned brackets."

I get that people have reservations about having this done. I am also thankful that some time and effort was put into it, even though we still don't know how it will go. I am still surprised that a TSB was even done for it.

Well I'd like to have mine fixed. Its not much on drivers side but you can see the tab on the passenger side. I also am glad there is finally a TSB. But with as much as is involved and could get messed up (even though Ford is liable if fascia gets screwed up some how, then your talking new fascia and painted) I still think its going to come down to a reputable body shop to keep from having an additional situation. For instance our only body shop here in town Ford uses. Ford had me take it there to see if they could align my trunk lid better since I had a larger gap on one side. The guy kept saying " well maybe I can I don't know for sure" just kept up with the maybe, maybe. Well I had to fight with my dealership but I took it out of town to a reputable one and the guy said sure no problem. Wasn't about to let mister maybe, maybe touch it. And the trunk lid is perfect.

Briefly reading the TSB doesn't give me a lot of confidence either - cutting off tabs, applying self adhesive wedges - ughh. I hitched mine up from the underside and the gaps are holding fine so I think I'll leave well enough alone.

SVTinAR said:

Briefly reading the TSB doesn't give me a lot of confidence either - cutting off tabs, applying self adhesive wedges - ughh. I hitched mine up from the underside and the gaps are holding fine so I think I'll leave well enough alone.

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My bumper Gap isn't all that bad. But I'm more inclined to order the kit and do the job myself.

I agree on the do it yourself if person is good at body work with the clipping, drilling, rivet etc. involved with this. But if any thing should go wrong or it sags again some in the future its on you. Where as since its a TSB as long as your original warranty is in affect Ford has to pay to fix what ever went wrong till right. Thats why I say as complicated as it looks to me its either 1-leave it alone as some of have so long and live with it. 2-Insist you pick your own body shop and take the instructions to body shops with known good reputations and see what they say and pick the one you feel the most confident about and cross fingers and go for it.

Ok hears a twist FYI don't know if true but my service guy has always taken care of me. I took the TSB down and showed him and he said he was aware of it. BUT since its a TSB that it has to be done at the dealership not sent to a body shop. He looked at mine and said since mine had such a small gap on mainly right side (you can see the tab) that he wouldn't attempt doing it. That the procedure shows just to many things that could go wrong. One he mentioned more so was trimming the tab with scissors. He said possibly he could see where you could chip some paint. Then he went on about drilling and rivet etc. He said he was afraid other problems could develop in the process. So guess I'm back to as before just live with it and get over it.