window mouldings and sunroof rubber weather strip

[s13pignose]

Okay have a few questions concerning the mouldings around front and rear windows. The front has like a hard plastic trim that goes around the entire windshield...mine has split into like 4 sections. I don't know if there were clips that held em together...but there's about 3 or 4 gaps about a inch wide along the moulding. Also in the upper left corner where it split, the end flaps in the wind when I drive.

Now the back window has like a hard rubber trim around the window on the very outside, and it all lays flat near the trunk/quarter panel except one area, that kinda turned up.

All of these things...are they something I can replace myself..without having to take windows out? Also by them being damagde will I have leaks..haven't noticed any?

On to the side window mouldings..they start off flush near the mirrors but as they go up near the roof, theres a gap. Does this on both sides of the car. Is this normal, and can I replace myself?

Last, the rubber around my sunroof out side has a gap/split in it. With the sunroof back I can see clearly outside through the gap. How hard is that to replace?


Thanks for any suggestions.

[aoiken3]

i have the same problem with the windshield. im going to get it resealed. so far, it hasnt rained lately so i cant tell if there are leaks but better safe than soggy.

[Ruby240]

The tar around the windows are what truly seal out the water. The rest is all just "dressing". My ruby car, I'm missing the 3 clips (one top center, the other two on the a-pillars), and the front window never leaked. The rear window, some of it came off and was flapping in the wind, I just cut it even where it was stuck down. Still no leaks (until the rear window blew out from the wreck). Along the doors on top, those are your drip rails, and it's normal to have that large gap.

[s13pignose]

Cool. So everything is just cosmetic..except the sunroof I'm sure. I can see the outside of the car through the gap, that means water can get inside for sure lol. I think for now I'm just gonna fill it with some clear waterproof sealant i have or something. I put a nice bead down to fill the gap, but might have to recheck as I felt at the rear of where the sunroof is..like where the top slides back into the roof. There was a a tad bit of water right underneath where the gap is. I'm sure I can come up with something..until/if I decide to replace that rubber surrounding,

Now the drip rails I see you said it's normal...but normal as in that's how they came from factory or that's how they end up over time? I never bought the car new of the lot lol, so I have no way of knowing.

Thank you both for your posts

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by s13pignose

Okay have a few questions concerning the mouldings around front and rear windows. The front has like a hard plastic trim that goes around the entire windshield...mine has split into like 4 sections. I don't know if there were clips that held em together...but there's about 3 or 4 gaps about a inch wide along the moulding. Also in the upper left corner where it split, the end flaps in the wind when I drive.

Now the back window has like a hard rubber trim around the window on the very outside, and it all lays flat near the trunk/quarter panel except one area, that kinda turned up.

All of these things...are they something I can replace myself..without having to take windows out? Also by them being damagde will I have leaks..haven't noticed any?

On to the side window mouldings..they start off flush near the mirrors but as they go up near the roof, theres a gap. Does this on both sides of the car. Is this normal, and can I replace myself?

Last, the rubber around my sunroof out side has a gap/split in it. With the sunroof back I can see clearly outside through the gap. How hard is that to replace?


Thanks for any suggestions.

I've discussed this numerous times on here.

The windshield moulding is a two piece hard rubber with a retainer underneath. There's a clip in the center that bridge the pieces. The retainer is glued in with the glass and the moulding snaps into it. The moulding shrinks up over time with heat, you can snap them out and snap new ones if the retainer isn't damaged.
The rear window is the exact same, but it's one piece.
The rail mouldings above the doors are supposed to flare out, that's the drip rail. Otherwise water drains into the car when the door is opened.
The sunroof has a gap in the rear center, there's a rain channel below that water drains into and runs off into the drain hoses. The rubber does shrink up, it's also replaceable.

[s13pignose]

What lol? So the the 1" gap or so in I had in the rear center of the rubber trim was suppose to be that way? We are talking about the same part right..on the outside surrounding the glass for the sunroof. If so would I have done any harm by blocking it with the sealant. I never noticed that gap till this week I don't think.

[projectRDM]

Originally Posted by s13pignose

What lol? So the the 1" gap or so in I had in the rear center of the rubber trim was suppose to be that way? We are talking about the same part right..on the outside surrounding the glass for the sunroof. If so would I have done any harm by blocking it with the sealant. I never noticed that gap till this week I don't think.

No, like I said it shrinks up. But there is a channel below, the water intrusion is diverted out of the roof assembly into the drain hoses.

[s13pignose]

ah ok thanks