Repair And Fix it

You might need to remove side molding from your vehicles exterior for a variety of reasons. You might want to replace damaged or worn out molding, or you might be preparing to repaint the vehicle or do some body repair. The exterior side molding on most cars is attached with heavy duty double-sided tape. In addition to double-sided tape, some vehicles also have long plastic prongs on the backside of the molding strips that attach to the vehicle exterior through small holes on the cars body panels.

Instructions

1

Wear gloves and spray WD-40 along the full length of one piece of side molding.

2

Wait 10 minutes. To save time, you might consider spraying the other molding pieces now, if not just one or two.

3

Wrap the Spackle spatula tightly in microfiber cloth.

4

Insert the business end of the wrapped spatula between the end of the molding strip and the body panel.

5

Push the spatula toward the end of the molding strip with one hand while peeling away the molding with the other hand until you reach the end of the molding strip.

6

Spray Goo Gone on remnants of double-sided tape and work the bits and residue loose with microfiber cloth.

7

Move on to the next molding piece.

Side mirrors are an important part of every car. These mirrors allow you to safely view behind and to the side of you as you drive. However, side mirrors are easily damaged, since they stick out from the sides of the car and can be cracked or broken. Side mirrors are so important when driving that replacing a cracked side mirror may help you avoid accidents. The glass portion of your side mirror is easy to replace in just a few hours.

Instructions

1

Purchase a replacement mirror for the side mirror on your car. These mirrors can be ordered online or from an auto parts store.

2

Carefully pry the cracked or broken mirror from the side mirror plate. Wear gloves to protect yourself from the broken glass. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry up the pieces of the mirror. Scrape remaining glue from the side mirror with a utility knife or adhesive remover.

3

Load a tube of silicone caulk into a caulk gun. Cut the top off the tube and spread a quarter-sized amount of the caulk onto the side mirror plate.

4

Press the replacement mirror gently into place on top of the silicone caulk. Tape the mirror in place with masking tape. This will hold the mirror while the caulk dries.

5

Allow the silicone caulk to dry for approximately four hours. Remove the masking tape and clean the mirror prior to use.

As 1997 Ford Aerostar vans age, the sliding side door becomes prone to problems. The hydraulic systems can leak and prevent the door from opening correctly, and as the bushings wear, they may cause the door to drop and fail to latch correctly. Look for a few common problems with this vans sliding door.

Hydraulic System

The hydraulic system helps the door slide backward and forward smoothly. If it fails, the door may become sticky or stuck in place altogether. To solve this problem, you must replace the hydraulic arms. Replacing these arms will help the door slide smoothly and move in the correct direction; it will also help keep the door closed by reducing the pressure on the latch.

Bushing Problems

The bushings are hard plastic pieces that hold the door in place and prevent vibrations. Over time, the bushings will wear and possibly cause the door to become loose or out of alignment. Replacing the bushings may put the door back in alignment and help stop any problems with the latch not catching correctly.

Mounting Bolts

The mounting bolts may also become stretched and bent over time. This type of wear weakens the bolts and causes them to become more prone to failure; the door may also move out of alignment. As with worn bushings,worn mounting bolts can cause the latch to become sticky or loose.

Incorrect Lubrication

Lubrication can cause the door or its track to become sticky or even stuck in place. Examine the hinges, joints and tracks in the door; if they look dry, add all-purpose grease to the joints. Sliding the door backward and forward to work in the grease in may improve the operation of the door.

The drivers side mirror glass on the Hyundai Sonata is like most other automotive side-view mirrors. It is made of plastic with a reflective mirror coating on it. The reason Hyundai makes the mirror out of plastic is to improve the impact resistance of the mirror. However, it is not impossible for the mirror to crack upon impact with a passing vehicle. If the mirror does crack, you need to replace it before your next vehicle inspection. Otherwise, you risk failing the inspection due to the cracked mirror.

Instructions

1

Slide the mirror to one side of the plastic housing it sits inside of. This turns the opposite side of the mirror outward so you can get your fingers behind it. If your Sonata has an electric control module or mirror adjuster, use that to adjust the mirror to one side.

2

Place your fingers behind the side of the mirror sticking out of the Sonatas mirror cover and pull the plastic mirror out of the cover. The mirror attaches with small metal clips. They are not damaged during the removal process.

3

Place the new mirror into the Sonatas mirror cover and press the clips into place by pushing on the center of the plastic mirror. The clips bend around the mounting post or electric control module to hold the mirror into place.