Front grill not attached properly

[ianoliver57]

A few questions about the front grill on an X358. Pics attached at the end.
I assume the chrome (plastic) grill should in some way be clipped to the surrounding bezel? Mine seems to be attached at the centre bottom, but loose all round.
How do you remove the grill assembly to re attach the bezel to the grill?
Would this assembly be removed for access when changing the belts? If so, then that may explain why it’s loose, and may point to the belts having been done.

Any help appreciated.

Regards

Ian

[BrianG]

Have you tried pushing it forward at the top from inside the engine bay? It should suddenly click into place. When I had a diesel X350 a pigeon hit the front grille on one side (it's two separate pieces on that model). From past experience with pheasants I was sure it had probably broken the grill , however when I looked once i got back home I found it was pushed right in but otherwise undamaged and simply clicked back in place. I noticed my current X350 (with the chrome mesh) also had a slightly loose grille after having a service; it just clicked back in place at the top.

[PaulGover]

The workshop manual considers the grill and bezel to be a single item, retained by a couple of bolts at the top, and a couple of legs at the bottom. It's possible someone applied an unnecessary and injudicious amount of force to get to the belts as you describe, or some sort of accident damage, or some sort of fatigue breaking whatever should retain the grill. I'll go with BrianG's pheasant or pigeon. IMHO, the only good pigeon is a roast one.

[ianoliver57]

Must have been more than a large bird! Took the front cover off the engine compartment and found the cause of the problem. At some point before I bought the car, the grill has had a severe whack! The attachments on either side that secure the bezel to the bodywork are both broken. Pics attached. The grill is actually held in place with two cable ties attached to the horn brackets! I suspect I need a complete new bezel and grill unit, but where will I find that?

[ianoliver57]

Can anyone recommend a good breakers yard that might have a front bezel and grill, hopefully in Pearl Grey metallic?

Regards

Ian.

[JimMann]

Hi Ian, difficult to truly assess the damage from your images and I am not overly familiar with the front accoutrements of the X350, but on the assumption that the damage has been sustained on plastic parts, it may be possible to carry out a suitable repair using plastic welding techniques.

My local bodyshop here in Banchory has recently taken delivery of a new high tech welding system that can effectively weld a whole range of materials, from steel to aluminium and from brazing to plastics. This latter technology is most commonly required to repair cracks in plastic bumpers or other fragile parts, but has also been used to reattach lugs onto plastic assembles that have been displaced - whacked.

If you can get a sketch or pattern for the missing / damaged brackets that could be formed from sheet plastic, then perhaps your local (country) bodyshop will also be able to undertake plastic welding.

Just a thought whilst you conduct the usual internet search of the Breakers to potentially locate a secondhanded replacement that ultimately may be worse than your existing bezel.

Jim M

[ptjs1]

Ian,

X358 grilles tend to be quite rare and expensive on eBay (as opposed to x350 grilles). And finding one the right colour will be harder. Maybe try EuroJags?

I would try and mend the broken tangs. Maybe even buy a cheap x350 grille that is intact to cannibalise the tangs and find a way of attaching them to yours, either by plastic welding or using some thin plates and screwing / bolting them together.

Good luck

Paul

[ianoliver57]

Found a grill and bezel on e bay (£170) rather expensive but needed. More by good luck than anything else, it was an exact colour match when it arrived. All now fitted.