How to Remove Cowl 2008-12 Ford Escape
Created on: 2019-04-29
Learn how to remove and replace the broken or missing cowl on your 08-12 Ford Escape. 1A Auto expert mechanics will show you how step by step
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step 1 :Removing the Wiper Arms
- Open the hood
- Mark where the bottom of the wiper aligns on the windshield using masking tape or other non-permanent marking tool
- Remove the 14 mm wiper arm retaining nut
- Pull the arm off the wiper motor spindle
- You can use a wiper arm puller tool if necessary
- Repeat the same process for the other wiper
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step 2 :Removing the Cowl
- Remove the seven push pins along the top of the cowlwith a Phillips screwdriver and the plastic fastener remover tool
- Pull the front edge cowl straight up
- Pry up the corner pieces on each side with the plastic fastener remover or a trim tool
- Pull up on the rear edge of the cowl to release it from retaining clips
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step 3 :Installing the Cowl
- Push the cowl down to lock in the rear retaining clips
- Push in the two corner pieces to lock in the retaining clips
- Replace the seven push pins and press in the screws
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step 4 :Replacing the Wiper Arm
- Align the wiper with the mark made in the previous step
- Place the wiper arm onto the wiper motor spindle
- Secure the wiper arm with the 14 mm retainer nut
- Torque the 14 mm retainer nut to 26 ft-lb
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
14mm Socket
Phillips Head Screwdriver
Plastic Fastener Remover
Painter's Tape
Ratchet
What's up, guys? I'm Andy from 1A Auto. In this video, I'm going to show you how to remove and reinstall the cowl on this 2012 Ford Escape. If you need parts for your vehicle, click the link in the description and head over to 1AAuto.com.
With the hood open, we're going to remove the wiper arm. I'm going to use a 14 mm socket and a ratchet, and you can take that nut off. A good idea before I take that off ... You can take a piece of tape or even a crayon or something and mark the windshield where the wiper is, so that way when you put the wiper back on, the arm back on, you're going to put it in the same location. If the wiper arm is very stuck onto the wiper transmission, you can use a remover tool, or you can just try to grab the arm and just pull it up. Just rotate it back and forth. Just go back, up, and down. Generally, it will break free. There we go. You just wiggle it and pull it off, and we can do the same with the other side.
There is seven of these little push retainers that I need to take out. To take these push pins out, you just take a Phillips head screwdriver. Very gently loosen up the center, and then you can pull the center out, and then you can pull the base out. Do the same on the other ones. Now I'm going to grab underneath here. I'm just going to raise it up. It might be stuck a little bit. There is some insulation under there, so you just go along just like that.
Right here I'm just going to use a trim tool. Get underneath here. Be careful of the windshield. You don't want to pry up. There's a little clip right there, and there'll be one on the other side, as well. Just pull that off. All right. From this side, I'm just going to grab under the cowl and pull it straight forward, just like that, and there's other clips underneath here. This one's a little bit loose. Just grab under here. Pull that out. Those are the clips on the back side and right there, and there's the cowl.
Now we can take the cowl. Slide it under here. Slide this side under here. Get this lined up. This is all lined up, and you can start to push in the clips up top. Take these trim pieces, and this is just going to line up over here. Press in right there. Same on the other side. Now I'm going to put these push pins in. Just slide this in position. Sometimes it's a little bit hard, because there's all these fingers, so I try to put it in at an angle and then twist it and push it down. Do the same with the other ones.
Take the wiper arm. Line it up with the tape that we put on earlier. Just push it down. Take the nut. Then I'm going to take a 14 mm socket and a torque wrench. I'm going to torque this to 26 foot pounds, and then I'm going to do the same with the other side. I'm going to hold the arm while I torque this.
Thanks for watching. If you want the parts to do it yourself, check out 1AAuto.com, the place for DIY auto repair.
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