[Alpine_FJ]

My windshield leaked after having it replaced. It was leaking somewhere from the upper driver's side corner. It would leak water down the inside of the plastic A-pillar trim piece down the drivers left kick-panel onto the floor. I had a devil of a time finding it. It would seem to be worse if it was parked pointing uphill, and almost never when it was pointed downhill.

It turned our it was leaking from one of the plastic clips that are inserted into the square holes in the roof above the windshield. With the truck angled uphill the recess for the upper trim piece forms a trench that catches and holds water, thus bathing the plastic clips and their associated holes. The plastic clip was one of the four that hold the windshield upper trim piece in place. Apparently when the trim piece is removed (forcefully pulled off) the clips get yanked partially out of the hole they are in. There is a thin rubber gasket under the clip that forms a water seal. If the clip is even slightly pulled out the seal is broken. In my opinion it's a poor design, but what do you do? We removed all the clips and reinstalled them with a pliable butyl rubber sealant. Since then no more leaks even with torrential rain and it parked pointed uphill.

If the upper windshield trim piece (Valence) gets removed the clips need to be checked to insure that they are pushed back into place. Sealing them with some type of pliable sealant would be good insurance in my opinion.

 

[TheBirdFJ]

My windshield leaked after having it replaced. It was leaking somewhere from the upper driver's side corner. It would leak water down the inside of the plastic A-pillar trim piece down the drivers left kick-panel onto the floor. I had a devil of a time finding it. It would seem to be worse if it was parked pointing uphill, and almost never when it was pointed downhill.

It turned our it was leaking from one of the plastic clips that are inserted into the square holes in the roof above the windshield. With the truck angled uphill the recess for the upper trim piece forms a trench that catches and holds water, thus bathing the plastic clips and their associated holes. The plastic clip was one of the four that hold the windshield upper trim piece in place. Apparently when the trim piece is removed (forcefully pulled off) the clips get yanked partially out of the hole they are in. There is a thin rubber gasket under the clip that forms a water seal. If the clip is even slightly pulled out the seal is broken. In my opinion it's a poor design, but what do you do? We removed all the clips and reinstalled them with a pliable butyl rubber sealant. Since then no more leaks even with torrential rain and it parked pointed uphill.

If the upper windshield trim piece (Valence) gets removed the clips need to be checked to insure that they are pushed back into place. Sealing them with some type of pliable sealant would be good insurance in my opinion.

Thank you for this. I’ve been looking everywhere since this has started and the leak is in the same place. Is it possible to just replace the clips?

 

[Alpine_FJ]

Thank you for this. I’ve been looking everywhere since this has started and the leak is in the same place. Is it possible to just replace the clips?

Yes, I'm sure you can, and probably should, replace the plastic clips and the little rubber gaskets that seal them anytime the upper valence trim is pulled off. I'm sure you can purchase them from the dealer. The next time I have the windshield replace that is what I will do.

 

[Hannibal]

Thank you for this. I’ve been looking everywhere since this has started and the leak is in the same place. Is it possible to just replace the clips?

Windshield Header "Reveal Molding", required...

About two windshield replacements ago, the installer broke 3 of the clips holding top molding to frame. Didn't tell me. Glued it. Now, I have to buy $130 trim piece every time I replace windshield. Is there a fix for this? My current glass guy says no. Thanks

www.fjcruiserforums.com

 

[Alpine_FJ]

Windshield Header "Reveal Molding", required...

About two windshield replacements ago, the installer broke 3 of the clips holding top molding to frame. Didn't tell me. Glued it. Now, I have to buy $130 trim piece every time I replace windshield. Is there a fix for this? My current glass guy says no. Thanks

www.fjcruiserforums.com

I'm not sure what the situation is. Are they saying that the top valence trim must be replaced every time the windshield is removed/replaced? If so that is not correct. I have had my windshield replaced twice and I still have the original top valence trim piece. Both times I've had to reinstall the trim piece due to a poor/pathetic job done by the installer. The top trim is held on by the clips and it is also glued in place with beads of black urethane sealant. The clips alone will not hold the trim piece on. I got to search about two miles of highway median because of this to recover my top valence trim that had blown off. It had not been glued down. To remove the top valence the sealant has to be detached using a long knife that is slid in under the trim piece to cut through the sealant. It is a tedious procedure and can be botched by an uninitiated installer. The clips are easily damaged and if not in perfect condition should be replaced. In my opinion, and given past experience, the clips, regardless of condition, should be replaced every time the valence trim is removed. So, normal replacement procedure would be:

Cut urethane sealant under trim.
Pull/Snap trim carefully off of retention clips. Try not to bend it.
Trim remaining sealant from trim and vehicle body.
Replace old clips with new ones.
Insure that rubber gasket under clips is seated tightly against vehicle body metal.
Inspect top valence trim. Insure that is not bent in a manner that will prevent installation.
If needed bend and reform curve of valence trim piece.
Test fit of top valence trim. Adjust as needed.
Apply beads of urethane sealant to mounting area of vehicle body. Make sure the beads are thick enough that they make good contact with under side of trim piece when it is installed.
Attach top valence trim to vehicle. Insure that urethane sealant is in contact with and will hold the trim in place when cured.
Tape trim piece in place and let urethane sealant cure for prescribed amount of time.
Do not drive vehicle until urethane sealant is cured.

If top valence trim is not install properly the following can occur:

It will look like crap.
It will rattle.
It will produce wind noise.
It will come off, usually at highway speed. It may get lost or damaged beyond repair.
It will leak water.

None of this addresses the issues with the bottom corner cowl trim pieces. That is another tale of installer induced woe.

 

[Hannibal]

Cowl clips, yeah you gotta replace those too.

Cowl Panel part #'s & Clips

PURE FJ is a Forum Supporting Vendor https://www.purefjcruiser.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6413 https://www.purefjcruiser.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_1020&products_id=7223...

www.fjcruiserforums.com

 

[TheBirdFJ]

I'm not sure what the situation is. Are they saying that the top valence trim must be replaced every time the windshield is removed/replaced? If so that is not correct. I have had my windshield replaced twice and I still have the original top valence trim piece. Both times I've had to reinstall the trim piece due to a poor/pathetic job done by the installer. The top trim is held on by the clips and it is also glued in place with beads of black urethane sealant. The clips alone will not hold the trim piece on. I got to search about two miles of highway median because of this to recover my top valence trim that had blown off. It had not been glued down. To remove the top valence the sealant has to be detached using a long knife that is slid in under the trim piece to cut through the sealant. It is a tedious procedure and can be botched by an uninitiated installer. The clips are easily damaged and if not in perfect condition should be replaced. In my opinion, and given past experience, the clips, regardless of condition, should be replaced every time the valence trim is removed. So, normal replacement procedure would be:

Cut urethane sealant under trim.
Pull/Snap trim carefully off of retention clips. Try not to bend it.
Trim remaining sealant from trim and vehicle body.
Replace old clips with new ones.
Insure that rubber gasket under clips is seated tightly against vehicle body metal.
Inspect top valence trim. Insure that is not bent in a manner that will prevent installation.
If needed bend and reform curve of valence trim piece.
Test fit of top valence trim. Adjust as needed.
Apply beads of urethane sealant to mounting area of vehicle body. Make sure the beads are thick enough that they make good contact with under side of trim piece when it is installed.
Attach top valence trim to vehicle. Insure that urethane sealant is in contact with and will hold the trim in place when cured.
Tape trim piece in place and let urethane sealant cure for prescribed amount of time.
Do not drive vehicle until urethane sealant is cured.

If top valence trim is not install properly the following can occur:

It will look like crap.
It will rattle.
It will produce wind noise.
It will come off, usually at highway speed. It may get lost or damaged beyond repair.
It will leak water.

None of this addresses the issues with the bottom corner cowl trim pieces. That is another tale of installer induced woe.

I bought my fj with the current windshield it has now and has every single one of those problems. I’ve looked at another Fj whose upper valance had that bead of sealant and i believe this to be the main problem for water leakage as well as wind noise. I have terrible wind noise.

 

[Hannibal]

I have terrible wind noise.

Is the rubber strip at the bottom of the molding missing? Mine was and it howled & vibrated at 60+ MPH.

 

[Alpine_FJ]

Is the rubber strip at the bottom of the molding missing? Mine was and it howled & vibrated at 60+ MPH.

Mine still has the rubber weatherstrip at the bottom. I think it's pretty important that it be there. That very well may be why you are getting the noise at speed. I don't think you can purchase the weatherstrip separately from the valence trim. You might be able to use an aftermarket weatherstrip as a substitution that might work.You'd probably have to glue it on under the nose of the trim piece and then reinstall the trim.

 

[TheBirdFJ]

Is the rubber strip at the bottom of the molding missing? Mine was and it howled & vibrated at 60+ MPH.

No but it is badly adhered

 

[The Flying FJ]

My windshield leaked after having it replaced. It was leaking somewhere from the upper driver's side corner. It would leak water down the inside of the plastic A-pillar trim piece down the drivers left kick-panel onto the floor. I had a devil of a time finding it. It would seem to be worse if it was parked pointing uphill, and almost never when it was pointed downhill.

It turned our it was leaking from one of the plastic clips that are inserted into the square holes in the roof above the windshield. With the truck angled uphill the recess for the upper trim piece forms a trench that catches and holds water, thus bathing the plastic clips and their associated holes. The plastic clip was one of the four that hold the windshield upper trim piece in place. Apparently when the trim piece is removed (forcefully pulled off) the clips get yanked partially out of the hole they are in. There is a thin rubber gasket under the clip that forms a water seal. If the clip is even slightly pulled out the seal is broken. In my opinion it's a poor design, but what do you do? We removed all the clips and reinstalled them with a pliable butyl rubber sealant. Since then no more leaks even with torrential rain and it parked pointed uphill.

If the upper windshield trim piece (Valence) gets removed the clips need to be checked to insure that they are pushed back into place. Sealing them with some type of pliable sealant would be good insurance in my opinion.

You have just save my Fj. It has been leaking and today on the highway my upper valance flew off due to incompetence of the windshield repair shop. The leak got three times worse today and i checked the clips which are all loose. Thank you. Did you have any rist to deal with?

 

[Alpine_FJ]

I did not find any evidence of rust on mine. Shortly after I had my windshield replaced the first time I had the valence trim fly off while driving on the highway. I turned around to go look for it. It took me about an hour to find it in the ditch. Just like you it was due to installer incompetence.

 

[Hampston4]

I thought I had this issue, the clips leaking under the top frame. As it turns out my fj was leaking because of the holes previous owner drilled in the roof rack. I’m going to change my rusty top windshield frame anyway, I ordered the part from Japan about half the cost of the dealer. Just need to find what light bar matches up to the holes that’s already there.

 

[Hampston4]

Sad sight, before I found it wasn’t leaking around the windshield.