How to Remove the Front Bumper Cover on a 2003 Accord

Honda launched its mid-sized vehicle, the Accord, in the 1976 model year. Throughout its lifespan, the Accord has undergone many changes, some subtle and some drastic. The 2003 model year brought about one of the more drastic changes for the Accord. In this redesign, Honda dropped the sharp body lines on the prior generation in favor of a rounder body style. Removing the bumper cover on this new body style may seem like a tough task, but it is rather straightforward once you locate all of the retaining clips.

Instructions

Removing the Bumper Cover

1

Open the Accord's hood and find the radiator sight shield -- the black plastic cover on the front of the engine compartment. Remove the eight clips on the center of the sight shield by prying upward on the center of each clip, using a flat-head screwdriver, until the center pin comes out, then pry each clip from the shield.

2

Remove the two outer, rearmost clips from the radiator sight shield by removing the screw at the center of each clip, using a Phillips screwdriver, then pry each clip from the sight shield with a flat-head screwdriver. Pull the rear of the sight shield upward and pull the shield from the Accord.

3

Loosen, but don't remove, the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket. Raise the front of the Accord with a floor jack and position jack stands under the vehicle's subframe. Lower the Accord onto the jack stands, remove the lug nuts and pull the wheels from the vehicle.

4

Remove the screw securing each side of the bumper cover to the wheel well, using a Phillips screwdriver. Remove the four bolts on the underside of the bumper cover -- two on each side -- using a ratchet and socket.

5

Disengage the six clips on the underside of the bumper cover by prying the center of each clip out with a flat-head screwdriver. Pry each clip from the bumper cover with a flat-head screwdriver.

6

Push downward on one side of the bumper cover to free it from the eight hooks on the front fender -- four just in front of the wheel well and four under the headlight -- and pull the bumper cover away from the fender. Repeat this step on the other side of the bumper cover.

7

Pull the bumper cover from the front of the vehicle.

Installing the Bumper Cover

8

Set the bumper cover back on the front of the Accord. Press the top of each side of the bumper cover onto the hooks on the front fender until the hooks secure the top of the bumper cover to the fender.

9

Tighten the four bolts on the underside of the bumper to 7 to 8 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket. Insert the six clips on the underside of the bumper and press the center pin into each clip to lock each clip into place.

10

Tighten the bumper cover-to-wheel well screw with a Phillips screwdriver.

11

Insert the hooks on the front of the radiator sight shield into the slots on the bumper cover and set the sight shield in place on the front of the engine.

12

Press the two screw-style clips into the outer, rearmost holes in the radiator sight shield and tighten the screw into the clips with a Phillips screwdriver. Insert the eight pushpin-style clips into the remaining holes in the sight shield and press the center pins into the clips to secure the clips in place.

13

Reinstall the front wheels on the Accord and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands, using a floor jack, and pull the stands from under the car. Lower the vehicle onto the ground and tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 80 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.