Windscreen Seal Strip Almost Flew Off

[Jimxms]

Guys,

On the way home from the New Forest yesterday I was going a few MPH over the limit and all of a sudden a large part of the plastic seal that runs down the drivers side of the windscreen lifted and started flapping about!! I pulled in at a service station and popped it back into place, but now I'm worried that it might happen again...or that my windscreen may leak?

Does anyone have any advice on whether I should get it checked out, or is it just a cosmetic thing that can be resolved with some double sided tape?

Cheers

[Parthiban]

I'm sure I've heard of this happening to people before so have a search for the thread and I think they resorted to sticking it down, might be worth checking with a dealer first though just to make sure.

[Jimxms]

I'm sure I've heard of this happening to people before so have a search for the thread and I think they resorted to sticking it down, might be worth checking with a dealer first though just to make sure.

Cheers mate - I'll have another search.

From what I can tell the windscreen has been replaced so that could be attributed to it, but considering how poorly fitting the plastic is, I'd hope that it doesn't play a part in keeping the water out :s

[matt-c]

The windscreen trim (which isn't a seal - the screen is glued in, and the glue under the screen is the seal; the trim that goes up both sides and along the top is only a trim) is a "post fit" trim - which means it's a trim that's fitted after the windscreen is fitted to the vehicle, as opposed to a trim that's fitted to the screen and them both fitted at the same time. However, it can only be fitted at the time the screen is fitted, because the way it's designed is that you apply the bond to the body (aperture), lay the screen in place on the bond, then press in the trim (starting at the top corner working along to the next corner, down down both sides). The reason for this is the trim lips under the screen and into the glue, with the weight of the screen holding the lip of the trim under it down against the aperture, sandwiching it, and the glue overlaps onto the trim edge securing it.

A trim that has come loose usually means the glue did not overlap the trims lip. The correct remedy is to have the screen removed, old glue cut back, new glue applied, screen fitted and trim pushed in. However, you can often run a line of bond down the gap between the screen and the bodywork and push in the trim. You need windscreen bond glue for this, and NOT silicon sealant. Silicon 1) isn't very good, and 2) leaves a residue that will affect future screen replacement you may need. Also, depending on the windscreen bond compound used and the silicon compound used, the chemical reaction from the silicon curing can affect and compromise the existing windscreen bond.

(source : 8 years fitting windscreens professionally)