DIY: Windshield Molding Replacement

[Theodore]

I wanted to write up a DIY for cracked and deteriorating windshield molding replacement, but this very well done E90post DIY here by UTEE24 makes it unnecessary. I'll just leave a few notes here on what worked very well for me:

For the E92 (and same for the E93) the molding includes both side pieces and the top piece all combined into one continuous piece (BMW part# 51317119711)


which is different than the E90 which consist of only the top strip (BMW part# 51317061967).


Combining techniques listed in the above link and elsewhere I had no problems sliding the new molding into place following this order of steps once the old molding was out and the channels cleaned. Getting the old molding out was easy, cleaning the channels of all the remaining rubber and adhesive was a pain. This is one of those jobs where you have to get things really clean in order for the remaining steps to go smoothly:



1. Insert the bottom edge of the driver's side vertical molding piece into the gap between the car and the windshield about half way between the roof and the hood (the gap is wider in the middle section and narrower near the top and bottom) then slide the molding downward, in the gap, towards the hood, but not quite all the way. You will want a little slack left so that you can more easily complete step 2.

2. Insert the 90 bend in the molding at the top of the windshield on the driver's side. This is easily accomplished if you have a little slack or play left in the vertical section of the molding. It is very difficult to do if you have no slack in the molding.

3. Remove the slack from the remaining section of the driver's side, vertical molding piece into the gap. Begin at the driver's side 90 degree bend/corner you just popped into place and then work downwards towards the midway point where you originally started pushing the molding into place and sliding it down to the hood as necessary to remove all of the slack.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 on the passenger side.

5. Work/push the horizontal molding into the gap beginning from both corners (top driver's side and top passenger side), alternating between the two sides and eventually meeting/finishing in the middle.

6. Paint mixing sticks like the ones you get at Lowes were very useful and of course plastic trim removal tools.