Anyone have the cowl on the driver's side pop loose? Seems like the cold weather contracted the cowl a little and it popped loose on the driver side. It's a 2 piece unit that snaps together in the middle. I can't seem to push it together enough to snap it back together all the way. I'd like to avoid a trip to the dealer for something so trivial. If someone had this happen adn you figured out how to get it back together, let me know what you did. Like I said, it just seems like the plastic shrunk a little and I can't get it pushe far enough to the center for the tabs to go under and snap into the passenger side.

 

Thats what hapened to me when they replaced my windshield, i got in my engine bay, looks at it and started beating it around, after a little in just popped right back into place

 

been fidgeting around with mine since day 2. crappy design. I'm a couple hundred bucks away from getting the aftermarket smooth fiberglass cowl...

 

lariatf150,

The same thing happened to mine after I had my windshield replaced last November. The drivers side was loose and I couldn't get it to snap firmly together with the other piece.
I finally removed the cowl and saw that one of the hooks that fits under the windshield was broken off and the part where the two cowl pieces connect was damaged. It seems like the dealer/window guy must have just yanked it off and broke it instead of carefully removing it. It is another example of a service letdown.

I ended up buying a replacement cowl (just the driver's side) from fordpartsnetwork and installed it myself. It's been fine since.

 

Where did you find that part on the web site you mentioned? I don't see but only a few items listed. If it's not very much, I'd rather do it myself (if mine turns out to be broke). I don't want to wait around at the dealer or possibly have them ding or scratch it. They already scratched the hood once

 

Those were my feelings exactly.
I puchased it from Ford Parts Network .
The part number for the driver side cowl is:
4L3Z-15022A69-AA. The cost was $57.29+7.99 shipping.
It was well worth the cost, because the fact that is was loose was very annoying.
If you end up buying this, be aware you'll need to re-use the original plastic pin that is at the outside end of the cowl.

Good luck,
John

 

Thanks. Mine just looks too short now (lengthwise). Like it never was long enough to reach over far enough...but of coure it was at some point before this. I'll check the hook you mentioned, but I think my problem is slightly different. No repairs or anything to the truck recently. It just popped up on it's own, where it meets in the middle. Maybe the water froze in there an pushed it up? I washed it the night before.

 

Ahhh, another score for the ice cube trays

 

Mine came loose and I live in FL so it can't be the cold weather. I have never had my windshield replaced either. I took it in a few weeks back and they supposedly fixed it. I noticed the other day when I took it back for the "vibe" that it was popped up again. The truck is still in the shop so I don't know if it's been fixed yet - just a bad design.....

 

Mine was loose when I got it. I tryed just snapping it back together a few times and it never stayed, so I pulled it up to see what the problem was. Its not the snap that hold the two together...its a snap further down on the front of the cowl thats become unsnapped. Look about 6in down from the "cut" that seperated the two pieces and see if that snap is snapped in.

 

Mine came apart when I leaned on it the first time I washed the truck, dealer said they fixed it, came apart about 5 minutes after I left the parking lot (6:00 PM on a Friday).

RAMSS/T - You have any more detail on the location of the snap you fixed (right or left side, what it connects to?) I just looked at mine and couldn't see anything in that area (2004 Screw XLT)

Thanks!

 

Standing in front of the truck its on the leading edge of the cowl to the right of the "cut" where the two pieces are put together. It seems like you have to pull back the wheather stripping that seals the rear of the hood to see it. I will go out side in a little while and try to get a pic of the clip location.

I can't say for sure thats what wrong with all of these but it sure fixed mine.

 

RAMSS/T - Thanks for the additional info - I see a series of clips that hold the front edge to the metal frame - mine are all in place. I just can't get the two pieces close enough together to get the three little plastic taps across the "cut" to grab. The drivers side looks like everything is in place, I need to pull the wipers to get the passenger side loose to inspect it, not sure I want to try that yet. Thanks again!

 

My situation seems the same as SurfHawk

 

'04 Screw Lariat 4X4 and I had the same problem. Started during the first month. At first I was able to snap it back together but it always seemed to come loose again. Finally figured out that it seemed to be popping loose the day or day after I had the hood open on it for some reason. Mentioned it to the dealer at my 5K maint. appt., they ordered the part and fixed it (no questions asked). Been fine every since (about 3K mi. now).

Guess it was a bad part to start with as the snaps/hooks did seem to ever want to hold. Talk to the dealer. If it is a bum part, they should fix it under warranty.