EngineerBoy
New Member
There is a Ford Technical Service Bulletin 21-2419 titled Load Floor Compartment – One Or Both Gap Hiders Detached And/Or Damaged From The Bin – Built On Or Before 02-Aug-2021[/URL] which you can find here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10203708-0001.pdf
It's related to the rigid, fabric-covered gap covers that go between the third-row seats and back storage area. On my used 2021 the right-hand one was already partially lifting up and after a few heavy loads/unloads it just ripped loose.
I finally decided to fix it, found the above TSB, and went looking for the part. The Ford places I checked said the part was discontinued so I went looking further and found both parts on eBay, here are the links I used (I have zero affiliation with the linked seller, this is just who I used and found the parts to be genuine and shipped quickly):
Right-hand (passenger-side) gap filler: https://ebay.us/m/Bic68G
Left-hand (driver-side) gap filler: https://ebay.us/m/1EB0tp
For clarity, we're talking about the two pieces circled in red here:
I have received and installed the right-hand gap filler and am still waiting on the left-hand one (which I ordered later after I saw the left one was also breaking loose). The above linked TSB gives an overview of the install process and I want to expand it with some tips from my install, as follows:
Step 1:
In Step 1 of the instructions they say to remove the "load floor storage compartment" and then refer to a service manual I couldn't find. What they mean is to remove the storage area under the flap where your jack and other items are stored. To do this you have to remove the rear-floor plastic trim, circled in red here:
That trim piece just snaps off if you pull up on it from the back edge (the edge towards the front of the car).
After you pull up the trim, you then full open the back storage area, empty it out (if it isn't already), and use a 10mm socket to remove the two bolts circled in red in the upper right and left corners here:
After you remove those two bolts (and have already removed the trim as described above) the whole plastic storage area just lifts out, you have to kind of tug on it to get it to release, but it pops right out.
The two gap fillers are attached to this storage bin, and to replace them you pull it out and work on it separately.
Step 2:
In Step 2 they say to remove the springs, which is straightforward.
Step 3:
In Step 3 they say to physically break the gap fillers away from the storage bin, and this is exactly what you need to do. For me, the gap filler was already broken off, but if yours is still attached, or partially so, you'll need to use a pry tool to wedge it off and snap off the plastic posts that extend from the gap fillers into the frame of the storage box.
Step 4:
In Step 4 what they're asking you to do is drill out any of the mounting holes that are blocked with plastic from the broken posts with an 11/32" bit.
Step 4A (undocumented):
This step is not documented, but not that hard to do. The replacement gap filler had 3-4 more posts than the original, I assume for extra holding power, so while most of the posts had holes to go into 3-4 of them were just hitting solid material. I used my 11/32" bit to drill new holes where the extra posts were located. Note that I did this by eyeball, because the way the posts are held into place is that when you push the mounting posts of the gap filler through the holes, you then push a serrated, internally toothed lock washer down over the plastic post from the other side, which bites into the post and then won't slip off, holding the frame of the bin in between. This means that the holes don't have to be perfectly aligned or shaped as long as the larger circumference of the outside of the washer has something to press against.
The image below is from the TSB showing how you drill out any remaining plastic from the original mounting holes. I've then added crudely spaced red circles indicating that you'll just have to make some more holes - NOTE THAT THESE CRUDELY MARKED RED HOLES ARE NOT CORRECTLY PLACED NOR THE CORRECT NUMBER, THEY ARE JUST SHOWING THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING:
Steps 5 and 6:
They say to insert the gap filler's posts into the holes, then flip the whole thing over. This is stupid, it's much easier to flip the storage compartment over first, then slide the gap filler in underneath it and set it down so the posts go into the holes.
Step 7:
At this point the plastic posts of the gap filler will be poking up through the holes in the plastic frame of the storage box. Now is when you push the internally toothed washers down over the posts to lock them into place. I did what the TSB suggested and got a telescoping little handheld magnet thing to hold the washers loosely in place, then pushed them down over the plastic posts using a 10mm socket on an extension rod. I made sure to push the toothed washers down as far and tight as possible to hold the gap filler in place. Note that even though you're using a socket you aren't tightening or loosening, you're simple using the shape of a socket to push the washer down over a post, such that the socket rim edge pushes down the washer while the interior empty part of the socket slides down over the posts. I used the socket on an extension without even using the ratchet handle.
Step 8:
Installing the springs is straightforward as per the instructions in the TSB.
Step 9:
Now you flip the storage bin, with newly attached/replaced gap filler(s), and set it back into place. You'll have to shift it around a bit to get the two mounting holes aligned with their connection points, then reinstall and tighten the two mounting screws. Then, snap the back piece of trim back into place, making sure to slide it underneath the weatherstripping along its lower edge.
Voila, it's done!
It took me about 30-45 minutes to finish it, and when I do the second one (once it arrives) I assume it'll be 20-30 minutes since I did so much head-scratching and noodling on this first one.
It's related to the rigid, fabric-covered gap covers that go between the third-row seats and back storage area. On my used 2021 the right-hand one was already partially lifting up and after a few heavy loads/unloads it just ripped loose.
I finally decided to fix it, found the above TSB, and went looking for the part. The Ford places I checked said the part was discontinued so I went looking further and found both parts on eBay, here are the links I used (I have zero affiliation with the linked seller, this is just who I used and found the parts to be genuine and shipped quickly):
Right-hand (passenger-side) gap filler: https://ebay.us/m/Bic68G
Left-hand (driver-side) gap filler: https://ebay.us/m/1EB0tp
For clarity, we're talking about the two pieces circled in red here:
I have received and installed the right-hand gap filler and am still waiting on the left-hand one (which I ordered later after I saw the left one was also breaking loose). The above linked TSB gives an overview of the install process and I want to expand it with some tips from my install, as follows:
Step 1:
In Step 1 of the instructions they say to remove the "load floor storage compartment" and then refer to a service manual I couldn't find. What they mean is to remove the storage area under the flap where your jack and other items are stored. To do this you have to remove the rear-floor plastic trim, circled in red here:
That trim piece just snaps off if you pull up on it from the back edge (the edge towards the front of the car).
After you pull up the trim, you then full open the back storage area, empty it out (if it isn't already), and use a 10mm socket to remove the two bolts circled in red in the upper right and left corners here:
After you remove those two bolts (and have already removed the trim as described above) the whole plastic storage area just lifts out, you have to kind of tug on it to get it to release, but it pops right out.
The two gap fillers are attached to this storage bin, and to replace them you pull it out and work on it separately.
Step 2:
In Step 2 they say to remove the springs, which is straightforward.
Step 3:
In Step 3 they say to physically break the gap fillers away from the storage bin, and this is exactly what you need to do. For me, the gap filler was already broken off, but if yours is still attached, or partially so, you'll need to use a pry tool to wedge it off and snap off the plastic posts that extend from the gap fillers into the frame of the storage box.
Step 4:
In Step 4 what they're asking you to do is drill out any of the mounting holes that are blocked with plastic from the broken posts with an 11/32" bit.
Step 4A (undocumented):
This step is not documented, but not that hard to do. The replacement gap filler had 3-4 more posts than the original, I assume for extra holding power, so while most of the posts had holes to go into 3-4 of them were just hitting solid material. I used my 11/32" bit to drill new holes where the extra posts were located. Note that I did this by eyeball, because the way the posts are held into place is that when you push the mounting posts of the gap filler through the holes, you then push a serrated, internally toothed lock washer down over the plastic post from the other side, which bites into the post and then won't slip off, holding the frame of the bin in between. This means that the holes don't have to be perfectly aligned or shaped as long as the larger circumference of the outside of the washer has something to press against.
The image below is from the TSB showing how you drill out any remaining plastic from the original mounting holes. I've then added crudely spaced red circles indicating that you'll just have to make some more holes - NOTE THAT THESE CRUDELY MARKED RED HOLES ARE NOT CORRECTLY PLACED NOR THE CORRECT NUMBER, THEY ARE JUST SHOWING THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING:
Steps 5 and 6:
They say to insert the gap filler's posts into the holes, then flip the whole thing over. This is stupid, it's much easier to flip the storage compartment over first, then slide the gap filler in underneath it and set it down so the posts go into the holes.
Step 7:
At this point the plastic posts of the gap filler will be poking up through the holes in the plastic frame of the storage box. Now is when you push the internally toothed washers down over the posts to lock them into place. I did what the TSB suggested and got a telescoping little handheld magnet thing to hold the washers loosely in place, then pushed them down over the plastic posts using a 10mm socket on an extension rod. I made sure to push the toothed washers down as far and tight as possible to hold the gap filler in place. Note that even though you're using a socket you aren't tightening or loosening, you're simple using the shape of a socket to push the washer down over a post, such that the socket rim edge pushes down the washer while the interior empty part of the socket slides down over the posts. I used the socket on an extension without even using the ratchet handle.
Step 8:
Installing the springs is straightforward as per the instructions in the TSB.
Step 9:
Now you flip the storage bin, with newly attached/replaced gap filler(s), and set it back into place. You'll have to shift it around a bit to get the two mounting holes aligned with their connection points, then reinstall and tighten the two mounting screws. Then, snap the back piece of trim back into place, making sure to slide it underneath the weatherstripping along its lower edge.
Voila, it's done!
It took me about 30-45 minutes to finish it, and when I do the second one (once it arrives) I assume it'll be 20-30 minutes since I did so much head-scratching and noodling on this first one.
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