Glass rubber cover, windshield & rear window (E39)

As I have mentioned in my posts on this subject, it is probably the easiest repair job you will ever do on your Bimmer. I too was worried even after reading the other posts, but went ahead & did it. The upper cover is the easiest. Complete job done in less than 15 minutes. And mine was in horrible shape.

To paraphrase Nike. "JUST DO IT"!

Originally Posted by McCandless

The part number for the cover on my 99 528i is 51-31-8-159-784 and is illustrated at
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...49&hg=51&fg=05. As is the one for the rear window. BTW, short of having your own copy of the BMW parts catalog (ETK), the "realoem" site is super for looking up your own part numbers.
There is no reason for confusion between SEAL and COVER. I was simply trying to encourage the use of the correct name for the part. We are all talking about the same piece of crap rubber around the edges of the windshield and rear window.
I was also trying to encourage the use of the search functions on the various forums to find answers to questions and other how to's. Here's what I posted on RF.

"1. GET THE REPLACEMENT COVER FIRST! So you have some idea of how it goes in. Besides, at this point you can always back out and return the part. :-)

2. Take the "foamy" blocks out at the junction of the fender, hood, and windshield (bottom left and right corners of the windshield) to reveal the ends of the cover/trim. Start there on each side and peel it out, up and across the top.

3. CLEAN the crud out of the area between the body and glass. I have found that REGULAR HARDWARE STORE lacquer thinner (NOT AUTOMOTIVE GRADE!!!!) won't harm the paint at all. So I DAMPENED a rag with it and GENTLY wiped the groove out. Don't flood it, you don't want to get it on the adhesive that is holding the windshield in!

4. On install, start with the section across the top of the windshield. Making sure it's centered L&R properly before you start working it over the edge of the glass. Takes considerable force and maybe even a few karate chops with the heel of your hand to get it in there.

PATIENCE, they say, is a virtue!
(Also keeps you from screwing things up!) :0)

Yes, slips over the edge of the glass. Only problem MIGHT be if "they" got really heavy on the adhesive. It might have glued the trim in so solid you can't get it out. My windshield appears to be the original and there were just a few short spots where the adhesive and the trim were in contact.

Look at it this way. If it gives you a hard time, you have the trim in hand already. Go to the glass folks and at least you won't get charged their markup for the part. "

Thanks for the info as I, as well as everyone else seems to share this same problem. It's really that simple, clear the channel of the worn (barely anything left) cover and friction fit the new one in place?

I tried the recommended dishwashing liquid to replace the $38. front windshield cover - worthless - not slippery enough. Tried KY Jelly - not slippery enough.

Switched to the favorite of the porn stars - ASTROGLIDE - and available at any big box retailers. It is slicker than snot, and I was done in seconds with the install. I used a broad bladed plastic molding lifter.

It was also workable for adjustment a long time. Great product !!

Thanks. Soapy water seems to work for many when installing the cover. Wonder if has to do with climate (how soft and pliable the rubber is), force of installation, etc.? At any rate, will definitely use your tip if I'm having any issues with fit. Thanks again!

I paid 65k for a 2004 BMW 545i and every few years I have to replace the rubber moldings around the windshields both front and back. Obviously in my opinion BMW is using inferior parts. the proof is in all these complaints.Yet they will not correct this situration. Can anyone direct me to a existing Class Action Lawsuit so that we do not let BMW take our hard earned cash every three or four years and laugh thier way to the bank???

Replaced mine over the weekend (2002 530i). First get the windshield moulding trim seal (front) p/n 51318159784. Mine was very ugly and I was determined to have it replaced. Take the old one out. You will need a lot of patience especially when all the gunk starts to get into your hands. The top portion is the hardest one to get out, but you should be able to figure out on how to get it out. Once it's out, clean very good the the area where the new one will go. Wet the new seal with soapy water and it will go very easy into the channel.

I was real proud of myself after that. Took me 3 hours (I was taking my time though not really in-a-hurry).

Finally did mine today, I had bought the replacement back in May and just never got around to it.
Piece of cake, took 5 min to get the old one out and about 1/2 hour to put the new one in. As others have said, the sides go in really easy, the top is the hard part, but just be patient and lube it up well, lube and push, lube and push
I used undiluted liquid car wash soap, same thing I use when I clay the paint. I would recommend slightly angling the trim towards the glass to get it started. I lined up the left corner first, did the left side and got the top started on that side, then lined up the right top corner and did that side and the top last.

It looks SO much better!!

I also have cracked rotting molding around my front windshield of my 2004 BMW Z4.. I see the other posts about this problem that seems very common. Did anybody have any luck in BMW taking care of the problem for them? This clearly is a defect on their part. I understand that most of you are repalcing yourself but I still think they should do something about it. I also have a 2007 530xi which is fine, hopefully they corrected the problem for later year models??

Stopped by BMW to get a quote on getting this fixed... the "Cowl" needs to be replaced as well... when the service tech was done smoking his calculator, the total job - because he said with my model, they have to remove the windshield would be almost $600... I just shook my head. The "U" shaped rubber molding was (if I recall) $67 and the "Cowl" was $127... everything else was labor, tax, etc...

I'm a little torqued over this because BMW knew, or knew soon thereafter production started that the rubber molding installed on these vehicles decayed faster than they normally should - and should have offered a free replacement. I say "should have" but we all know how that goes...

Nevertheless, $600 to replace a windshield molding and the "Cowl" costing that much is insane... I'll be taking this to my Indie...

Originally Posted by Walksbimmer

Stopped by BMW to get a quote on getting this fixed... the "Cowl" needs to be replaced as well... when the service tech was done smoking his calculator, the total job - because he said with my model, they have to remove the windshield would be almost $600... I just shook my head. The "U" shaped rubber molding was (if I recall) $67 and the "Cowl" was $127... everything else was labor, tax, etc...

I'm a little torqued over this because BMW knew, or knew soon thereafter production started that the rubber molding installed on these vehicles decayed faster than they normally should - and should have offered a free replacement. I say "should have" but we all know how that goes...

Nevertheless, $600 to replace a windshield molding and the "Cowl" costing that much is insane... I'll be taking this to my Indie...

This is a fairly easy DIY. $150, a six pack and an afternoon of becoming better acquainted with your E39 will take care of it. No windshield removal is required.

Originally Posted by chiefwej

This is a fairly easy DIY. $150, a six pack and an afternoon of becoming better acquainted with your E39 will take care of it. No windshield removal is required.

aaaahhhhh... I like that idea... the six pack thing of course....

Originally Posted by Ågent99

Update:

I got the front and rear molding replaced and they look great!

I paid $100 for both to be installed but there was a miscommunication about the cost.

It is $50 for the front but only if the glass is original as installed from the factory. If it has been replaced, the cost will go up because he'll need to remove the glass in order to get the molding on MOST LIKELY. I guess the factory-installed glass is put on with less glue and it doesn't ooze into the channel where the molding needs to sit. When it is replaced, glass shops will undoubtedly use a fair amount of sealant/glue and it'll ooze to the point where trying to slip the molding on is very difficult without glass removal.

For the rear, removal is necessary due to the depth of the channel the molding has to slip on. This bumps the cost to about $125 due to the extra labor involved.

For folks in the Bay Area, Michael at Atlas Auto Glass in San Mateo is a heckuva nice guy and seems to know his stuff. However, I doubt he'll let another BMW go for $100!

I brought in my own parts (purchased at Crevier BMW) and this was for a 2001 530i. It took about 2 hours for everything to get done.

So the above was done on 9/21/2006.

Well guess what...the front cover is splitting and cracking all over again.

I guess I'll order another one and do this one myself...and hope I get a different vendor supplying this one....

Oh, the rear cover is fine although the upper corners are just starting to show just a hint of splitting/cracking....

I replaced the front windshield cover this morning. As noted in McCandless' original DIY post, the top part is hardest to insert and should be done first to make sure the cover is aligned on the top corners.
I didn't have to use lacquer thinner since this part mostly dried up in my car - But I used a handheld vacuum cleaner, a wet rag wrapped around a flat screw driver and at other times, around a plastic chopstic , a hook tool, and the plastic handle of a large screwdriver. I also used part of my 160 lbs weight to press the cover on top of the windshield (I stood on the fender and lower area of the windshield - this is not an advice, do it at your own risk).

Thanks all for showing and convincing that this is a simple DIY.

Thanks guys ans gals, this forum saved me about $200. BMW dealer said they had to remove the windshield in the rear to replace the molding. NOT even close. Called Pro Glass in Alpharetta GA and they came and replaced the rotting molding in 20 minutes for $75. I watched him do it then i did the front all by myself because it was getting bad as well. Thanks for the posts. parts for front and back will cost about $100.

I finally replaced the trim for my e60. What a pain in the rear! It's so easy if you know how to do it. My next attempt (if I keep the car that long) will only take 5-10min.

tips for the next person doing the front top (windshield cover). when installing the new one, insert the trim about 10 inches from the very left, then slide it all the way to the left. Then insert the other end of the trim 10 inches from the far right, then slide it all the way to the right. the rest of the trim will be bulging out, but just slowly work it in.

I started on one side, but when I got to the end of the other side, I couldn't get it to go in. took me 1 hr to finally figure it out.

sorry about the explanation, it's kinda hard to explain. But thanks for the DIY, saved me $$.

this happened to my front windshield on my 1998 528i, and rear on 2004 530i and i was told i have to take off the glass in order to change them, bmw needs to improve on stuff like this.

Thank you for all these suggestions, I am new to the forum and I would like to get some help finding this part. I have no leaks but the top rubber cover on my windshield is cracking and pieces are falling off.

After reading all your postings I searched online for the part to see if i can find it cheaper than the dealership, i found one but I just want to make sure it is the right one for my year and model: is it called "windshield molding frame front"? I'm guessing is just only the top strip, for the price ($25).

Also, would that be the only part i'll have to change in the windshield?

Thank you so much, the dealership told me I have to remove the windshield, from what I can see here I don't.

Originally Posted by caprocel

Thank you for all these suggestions, I am new to the forum and I would like to get some help finding this part. I have no leaks but the top rubber cover on my windshield is cracking and pieces are falling off.

After reading all your postings I searched online for the part to see if i can find it cheaper than the dealership, i found one but I just want to make sure it is the right one for my year and model: is it called "windshield molding frame front"? I'm guessing is just only the top strip, for the price ($25).

Also, would that be the only part i'll have to change in the windshield?

Thank you so much, the dealership told me I have to remove the windshield, from what I can see here I don't.

These are dealer OEM parts. Look at realoem.com for the parts and part numbers. The top and sides are one piece. You will have to remove the triangular pieces at the bottom to get the trim molding out. If those are rotting out, you should get them too.

Thank you!

Well, I just replaced the front windshield cover. This is replacement #2 for me. I guess we'll see how long it holds up. I also replaced the lower windshield cover piece...the one that the windshield wipers are housed in. Finally, the two lower triangular corner pieces were also replaced. In a nutshell, the windshield once again has a fresh clean look to it.

My cover installed rather easily. The corners are the big pain. I installed one corner first plus a bit of cover and then stretched the cover to install the other corner. This was the hard part but after tugging and pulling back 'n forth, I did manage to get both corners seated properly. After that, it was matter of pushing the molding in with my fingers. Overall, I'd say it didn't take longer than 15 minutes.

The corner triangular pieces took a little longer because I didn't pay close enough attention to how they were installed when I removed them. If you are replacing these, I suggest you take some pictures and study them for a few minutes. These took much longer as I couldn't quite get them right or quite understand how they went in until I futzed with them for a spell.

Thanks to everyone for all the excellent E39 information. I am in the middle of replacing the REAR windshield cover on a 1997 528i. Everything went very smoothly except that I can't get the top middle to lay flat. It seems inserted into the groove, but the back flange is not below the top edge of the groove and the cover is not flat and parallel with the body (make sense)? If I run my hand from the roof towards the bumper across the cover, I feel a few mm of cover material sticking up. Might anyone else have had this issue? Please advise? I inserted the right corner and edge, then the left corner and edge and these and the sides went in great. The only issue is about a foot long section in the middle. Is this typical? It seems almost there, but definitely different from the sides and top edges which are laying perfectly flat, and all the outside edge material sits inside the groove.



Thanks in advance for all your experience.
FHP

Originally Posted by tcar

I have the same situation with my 2000 528IT and was told the rubber cannot be replaced without breaking the glass and I'm not in need of a new windshield at this time so here's what I did. I masked the glass and the paint leaving only the rubber exposed,took some silicone black adhesive sealant and covered it.You need to work fast and smooth it out and you can end up with a good looking job.I think you can get good results from black silicone window caulk.I'm satisfied with mine.I am also dissappointed with BMWs rubber and plastic. Good luck, tcar

I did the same thing with my '97 528i and the black silicone. Taking the time to mask it off well, and having water and towels to smooth it out quickly are important. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than it was with the rubber chunks falling off.

Originally Posted by hamgam11

I did the same thing with my '97 528i and the black silicone. Taking the time to mask it off well, and having water and towels to smooth it out quickly are important. It's not perfect, but it's a lot better than it was with the rubber chunks falling off.

That would take longer and be more of a pain than doing it right. The trim cost less than $50 and can be replaced in an hour or so.

Originally Posted by friedhushpuppy

Thanks to everyone for all the excellent E39 information. I am in the middle of replacing the REAR windshield cover on a 1997 528i. Everything went very smoothly except that I can't get the top middle to lay flat. It seems inserted into the groove, but the back flange is not below the top edge of the groove and the cover is not flat and parallel with the body (make sense)? If I run my hand from the roof towards the bumper across the cover, I feel a few mm of cover material sticking up. Might anyone else have had this issue? Please advise? I inserted the right corner and edge, then the left corner and edge and these and the sides went in great. The only issue is about a foot long section in the middle. Is this typical? It seems almost there, but definitely different from the sides and top edges which are laying perfectly flat, and all the outside edge material sits inside the groove.



Thanks in advance for all your experience.
FHP

It isn't in the groove fully. If I were you, I'd keep working on pushing it further in. If you feel that you done all you can, then I think you might have one of the following problems:

(1) obstruction in the window channel preventing full seating
(2) your cover is "bad" in this section (damaged, bent, bad)

I think I would try to carefully remove the cover and do some investigation on both the cover and the window channel. Mark the spots on both the channel and cover where you have issues so you can make comparisons.