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Cowl rivet removal

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11K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  lovemysantafe  
#1 ·
Hello Community.

I'm trying to fix a wiper sprayer problem (nothing coming out after adding more liquid) on my 2014 Elantra. I've read various instructions here and it's clear that I need to remove the cowl so that I can disconnect the hose near the nozzle and blow air back through the lines to see if that will clear the problem.

My challenge here is how to remove the cowl. I've seen various diagrams and instructions for the MD, but they don't quite match what I'm seeing. The most-similar diagram I have seen is the picture of the rivets here: ((I am not allowed to post a link but can share it if I'm PM'd))
I think I've identified those four plastic "rivets" on my car. I'm hesitant to pry them out with much force until I'm confident that I'll not damage the rivets and will be able to use them again when I reassemble.

How is one supposed to remove those four rivets? How does one reattach them afterwards?
 
#2 ·
Apparently they are just push pop rivets. I learned the hard way and broke all of them. They are easy to break. Look up some videos on how to remove them properly. The guy who replaced my windshield told me to press down on them and they just come right out. When he said that I think he meant you have to push down on the center only. Good luck with the removal and solving your windshield spray problem.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
#4 ·
Clogged wiper fluid line. Don't remove the cowl.



Thanks this was very helpful. Those are exactly what I have. I found a video entitled "Sportbikehowto.com - How-to use push rivits" that was helpful and I was able to remove the cowl. The only complication was the point on the frame where the battery connects to the frame. It was getting in the way. After loosening that (which I don't recommend), getting the cowl off was easy. But getting it back on was more trouble.

To those who might read this later, I won't recommend removing the cowl to diagnose and fix clogged wiper fluid lines and pump. It's not necessarily easy to get the cowl and adjacent plastic back on 100% correctly unless you have identical car that you can check to check yourself. Similarly getting the wiper correctly aligned, while not hard, is not as easy as you might think at first.

If you do it, read up thoroughly in advance. And don't depend on your memory. Take photos of every related connecting surface that moves before you disconnect it.

In my case, removing the cowl was not even necessary. After I struggled with the cowl a while, decided to reevaluate other options. I checked the small white coupling on the fluid line just above the passenger front wheel. I discovered it can be disconnected and reconnected more easily than I had thought a few days earlier. After disconnecting it, I tested the sprayer lever and confirmed that a bit of fluid and suds came out, but not a good solid stream. I then blew the line from that point with an electric ball pump. The air percolated actively out of the top of the wiper fluid reservoir. I stopped blowing the line a few seconds later. Once I stopped, I tested the sprayer lever and saw a solid stream coming out at the coupling point. When I reconnected the coupling and tested the sprayer levers I got a great spray on my windshield as I should.

Bottom line: If I had started with that coupling, the whole process would have taken five minutes (mostly just getting out and putting away the electric basket ball pump) instead of an hour of reading, several days of distraction, an hour of working on it, and a bit of ongoing concern that I might not have put everything back together 100% correctly.

I hope my trouble benefits someone else.
 
#3 ·
Usually it?s the motor that gets plugged up with algea simple and wet task 2 Philip head rivits. Located right front lower bumper that corner will peel back and the washer tank an pump is there lift up on the tab that holds the motor in and twist and pull the little motor out. Be prepared to get soaked ... take a pick an pry the little screen out and throw away. If you need to really take the cowl off pry the wiper caps off 14mm and hit the wiper arm to jar free then a few center push rivits on the sides and your good