Red2001GT

My 2002 Mustang's front bumper was taken off and repaired and repainted. When the body shop put everything back together again, I noticed a gap between the headlight assembly unit and the front pointed part of the front fender. The black rubber seal on the headlight assembly unit is not sitting "flush" on the front pointed part of the fender. There is a gap there. I already brought my car back to the body shop twice for them to fix the problem and the gap is still there. The body shop owner was unsuccessful in fixing the gap problem. He said that he tried adjusting the headlight assembly unit to fix the gap problem and that it cannot be adjusted anymore and that he is unable to do anything more to try to fix the gap. He checked and double checked everything. The plastic retainer slots on headlight assembly unit are all in good condition and they are not broken or cracked. The header panel is undamaged and in good condition and the front bumper was put on straight. Also, all the metal retainer clips that go into the headlight assembly unit are on correctly and they are all snug. Nothing seems to be cracked, broken or out of place. The only problem is the gap.
The body shop had to repaint part of the front bumper on my Mustang the 2nd time around that I took the car back to them because they accidently scratched the bumper when they had a very hard time taking off the headlight assembly unit in order to try to correct and fix the gap problem.

I am taking my car back to them again on Monday, Dec. 4th so they can take off some orange peel that's in the lower part of the front bumper where the air dam is located. The body shop owner said that he has done everything possible to correct and fix the gap problem and that the headlight assembly unit cannot be adjusted anymore. He also told me that he will not take the headlight unit off again for fear of scratching the bumper like he accidently did the 2nd time around. I am trying to convince him to take the headlight assembly unit off again and attempt to fix the gap problem, but he will not do it. He told me that he did whatever he could to correct the gap and that the headlight unit will not adjust anymore.

I would like to know what is causing the headlight assembly unit to have the gap on the front pointed part of the front fender? Everything has been checked and double checked and nothing is cracked or broken. I would like to know what is causing the gap and how to fix this gap problem? Please help me out.

SOHCtimes2

If you want to get some good feedback you should really post pictures. This sounds like something similar that I am going through right now...but my headlight was also replaced with an aftermarket one and so I don't know if its from my cracked headlight mounting assembly or if its from the aftermarket headlight. Pisses me off.

Red2001GT

Sorry, but my digital camera is broken. My headlight assembly unit is 100% stock. It never had the gap before I took it to the body shop. The gap appeared after I got my car back from them after they repaired and repainted my front bumper. I personally know the body shop owner because he has done work for me before and he does good quality work. But he is unable to figure out what is causing the gap problem. I don't think that the body shop owner is lying to me because he did everything possible within his power to correct and fix the gap problem.
If everything on my Mustang was put back on correctly like the body shop owner says and if nothing is broken, cracked or out of place, then what is causing the gap to occur between the front pointed part of the front fender and the headlight assembly unit?

Red2001GT

Does anybody in here know?

Red2001GT

Anybody?

wwmost

mine is the same way. i still didnt take it to the body shop to get fixed. i bought it like this. it pisses me off.

dastangman

Hey, I have this same problem. But I have different situation. I have an aftermarket saleen body kit, and aftermarket headlights, with one bracket broke. It should line up perfectly, but even if the bracket were fixed it doesn't look like it will line up correctly. I'm gonna take it to the body shop. If they cant fix the gap, I'll have them even out and put a small gap on the other side. JUst better be symmetrical. My left tailight also isn't on right. Maybe it's just something with the Mustang.

Red2001GT

I'm starting to believe that the headlight assembly on some Mustangs has this gap problem once the headlight assembly is taken off and then put back into the header panel again. If the gap is a common problem and if everything on the vehicle is straight and nothing is broken or cracked and it cannot be fixed then WHAT is causing it to occur? This is a big mystery to the bodyshop owner who has twice already tried to fix the gap problem and has been unsuccesful. This is really starting to pi$$ me off. Why can't the gap problem be fixed?

dastangman

I agree...I was surprised to see this post, as it had my same problem. After further investigation, I found they can't even even up the gaps. The other headlight is fit perfectly, no gaps on either side. My right headlight, as if I'm facing the vehicle has about a 1.5-2 inch gap it looked like. The gap is in between the sharp corner of the light, and the "vertical mount" which is beside the grill. I've never honestly messed with the headlight assembly in a mustang, so I have no idea where to start to look. And if you're body shop can't figure it out, I'm not wanting to deal out money to mine to check. So if you get any leads, please let me know. I'll keep you informed with anything I find as well. Thanks

Red2001GT

The gap on my Mustang is on the same exact place. Exactly at the sharp corner of the tip of the front fender and between the right passenger side headlight assembly. And like you said, the bodyshop is unable to seal the gap by adjusting the headlight unit. We don't know what is causing this gap. Everything was checked and double and triple checked and there is nothing misaligned, broken or cracked. I am wondering whether or not this is a very common problem on some 99-04 Mustangs once the headlight units are taken off and then put back on the vehicle? We've eliminated all possibilities and we still don't know what's causing the problem and how to fix the gap problem.