Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Any one ever lost their valence?

I'm on my second valence, the first one was lost somewhere just outside a dealer (wierd, heh).

The valence, as you may know, is that piece of undercover that roughly covers the bottom of your radiator, foglights, and that general area.

Any way, as I said, I lost the first one. Once I was driving I heard something dragging underneath, but visual inspection shows nothing. I pulled into a tire place and they finally spotted the valence was loose. They zip-tied it back into place.

Two months later, it came loose again (different section). I headed to my dealership and it came completely loose right outside the service bay door. I didn't realize it at the time, but when the advisor looked underneath, it ain't there, and I spotted something right outside. By then about a dozen cars have ran it over.

Any way, I had to custom order one (100+) and got it installed (another $100).

That one came loose last week. :P I tried duct-taping it, but guess it didn't quite help. I was making my way to my machanic gingerly when something was REALLY dragging. I stopped and looked... The valence is hanging by a SINGLE screw, and it has rotated under my car, and I can't reach it. I figure if I drive slowly I can make it to my mechanic...

It tore loose after two blocks. I quickly turned on my hazard flasher and tried to retrieve it, but by then two cars have ran it over. It also tore loose the right body panel support post (the one place the screw was holding onto).

I've ordered the attachment points and I'll see if I can reattach it. But I guess, what I want to ask is... did any of you ever lose your valence? Or am I just having the darndest luck?

I don't know how that could happen. That's horrible, maybe somebody is playing a practical joke on you or someone doesn't like you but doesn't want to do something as drastic as cutting brake lines.....I dont'know about the SEs but on my SVT, there's no way that sucker's coming off. BTW, I just noticed you spent $100 on installation of this piece!! Maybe the SVT is A LOT different, but it is a matter of 8 screws and takes 2 minutes.....

I had the same thing happen to me. The shield is different for the SVT and regular GL. I think they gave me the wrong one. Parts guy said it is easy to do cause it is hard to see the notation on microfiche about which one is for which car. If you shield did not quite match up for mounting, you may have been sold the wrong one. The price I was quote was about $50 dollars for a new one. With my shield, there are two square clips that fit into the front of the unit to hold it in place with screws that screw into this square clips. The svt did not have this setup. I have planned to purchase the correct shield and will be installing it myself to be sure it is done correctly!!!!

Check the plastic anchors that fit in the frame of the car, they could be damaged to the point that they won't hold hardware. Replace all of them and the screws. Also check to make sure the heads of the screws are not pulling through the slots in the undertray, some fender washers from Home Depot would solve this problem. You might also try some thread locker to keep the screws in place. The SVT undertray is dead easy to remove and install, $100 is about $90 too much.

One of the advisor told me that the Ford manual says that you have to remove the bumper to replace the valence when I first got it replaced.

I'm going to my own mechanic (not dealer) and get it doen RIGHT this time. I got the restraining clips ($4 a piece!?!?)

All I had to do to remove mine was put the car up on ramps, take off a few torx screws and it came right off.

IIRC you have to remove the undertray to remove the bumper!

mine came loose on a 96 contour.. daughter calls me up and says that the bottom of the car is falling out... well i changed the oil and i probably did not put the plastic plugs that you screw the valance onto were not shoved into the under body of the car.. so i went to the car and used some string(small clothes line type stuff to tie to the back of the valance and then pull it up under the engine..
went home and took it off and found that some of those small plastic plugs were messed up and did not expand when the torx screw went into them(thats the only thing that hold it on to the metal cross memeber under the car.. i took a soldering iron and played around with them and got them to stay in and no more problems.. i tried to get some
new ones at the dealer, but the parts person could only find the new valance with the clips... not the single clips.

Same problem, dealer could not identify the square plastic clips...O'Reilly had them.....

I'm running without one. eh.