Tacoma Grille Remove Install How To 2001 2002 2003 2004 Toyota

Updated 2022/07/25 How to remove and install a Toyota Tacoma grille plus a few tips and tricks, like using cable ties instead of the clips.
Remove the corner light, disconnect the small clips, disconnect the large clips, remove the grille.
Install the small clips in the grille, install the large clips in the grille, install the grille and grille fillers.

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Using cable ties instead of clips:
You can replace all of the large and small clips with cable ties. But, the large clips are fairly tough. If you can get them to work properly, use them. If not, use cable ties.
The small clips are easy to break and expensive for what they are. If you're lucky enough to have 2 that don't break, use them for the 2 positions near the bottom corners of the radiator. The rest are easy to replace with cable ties.

Buying parts:
I recommend that you don't buy NON-OEM parts made of plastic. They're usually cheap imitation parts that don't fit properly because the parts shrink after they're removed from the mold. Some sellers from overseas will give an estimated shipping date range starting only a few weeks away. This is a trick! It's usually closer to the maximum number of days. Some sellers from overseas will give an estimated maximum number of days that's shorter than they can possibly get the part to you. As soon as you commit to the purchase, they send you a message saying it might take a little longer. These are tricks to get you to choose them over one of the more honest sellers.

Small clips:
Part number: 90467-12040 (usually in stock at the dealer)
The prices I got from dealers in my area were from $1.21 and up per clip (in 2016/08 in Florida)
Non-OEM small clips on ebay are about $2.00 for 20 (but they probably won't work and take a month or 2 to get to the US)

Large clips:
Part number: 53145-12010
The prices I got from the dealer were from $3.65 and up per clip (in 2016/08 in Florida), but they didn't have them in stock.
OEM large clip prices on ebay vary a lot. $2.64-$7.12. 1 week shipping. (I didn't see any Non-OEM large clips on ebay)
These clips are more difficult to work with than the small clips, so you should probably stick with OEM.

The grille isn't a joy to remove, so look for anything else you might want to do while you have the grille out.
Cleaning the radiator and AC coil:
Put a bright light behind the radiator at night so see how clogged your coils are.
Foaming industrial AC coil cleaner works great. Unfortunately, you will probably have to buy it from an HVAC supply shop and they only sell it by the gallon. Make sure you wash it all out so it doesn't eat holes in your coils.
Diluted dishwashing soap(not machine detergent) is a good alternative. After it is thoroughly dry, you can use the aerosol spray coil cleaner if further cleaning is desired.
Washing from back to front works best. Be careful not to break your fan blades.
Start with low pressure and keep an eye on the fins. Spraying high pressure or at too much of an angle can bend fins.
Put something white under the water that falls from the truck so you can see your progress.
It's almost impossible to get everything out of these coils, so don't freak out about it.

Horizontal headlight adjustment:
If your headlight support area has been damaged, your might have difficulty aligning your headlights horizontally. The 2001-2004 Tacoma doesn't have a horizontal headlight adjustment. It's easier to make modifications to compensate for this while the grille is out.

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