Repairing bad windshield install

[R_Lefebvre]

When I bought my truck, I was suspicious from the condition of the rubber windshield seals that the windshield had been replaced, and with poor workmanship. Later I discovered the carpet was soaked, and suspected that was the cause.

Then I got a wet headliner when it rained. So I took the truck in to LR and they brought in a leak specialist. He says my sunroof drains were plugged which is why the headliner was wet, so they fixed that up. But he's saying the carpet is due to the aftermarket windshield install so they won't touch that.

Can I just have the windshield removed, clean up the mess, and put it back in? Or can you not remove a windshield without destroying it? (I don't believe this to be the case).

Should I just remove the rubber seals and go at it with some RTV and replace the seals before calling the glass guy? Or is that pretty much hopeless?

I half suspect the bastards at LR didn't even bring in a specialist and didn't even look at it. Maybe just cleaned the sunroof drains because everybody knows about that issue and blamed the windshield for the carpets just to get me out of the shop. I brought the truck to them about 2 weeks ago, and they had me pick it up 2 days later without even looking at it. They said they called the leak guy but he wasn't getting back to them. Said they were just going to order some seals for a TSB, something to do with the drip rails, and that I should come back when the parts arrived and they'd just do the TSB and hope for the best. They wanted their loaner back. A week later they said the parts were in and to come back. So I dropped it off at 10AM this morning, and now they call me at 3 and tell me they're done. Just seems aweful fishy. I'm not sure how they got much done in 4 hours. I wonder if they just cleaned the drains and get it out of here...

I've got another issue with cruise control surge, and after cruising for 30 minutes at 70mph the engine starts to miss intermittently. Just a random buck every once in a while. If you change speeds, it seems to go away. Anyway, they say they can't replicate that issue. Surprise surprise.

 

[ptschram]

Find someone like Harmon Auto Glass, have them remove the windscreen and reinstall it with attention paid to cleaning up the mating surfaces.

Keep it dry for 24 hours and see what happens.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

So that can be done?

No point myself running a bead of RTV first?

Should I replace the rubber seals in any case? they're a little messed up. I think they reused them instead of replacing them like they should have.

 

[Steph]

Yes you can remove the windshield without breaking it. You need those special huge suction cups with handles. But if I was you, I'd wait to see if unclogging the sunroof has fixed the problem, since leaking sunroofs usually has the excess water go down the a pillars down to the floor. So chances are that the problem is fixed.

If you find that it is not....Bring it to the specialists and tell them that you want it removed and re-installed. They have the right tools to remove it, and the right products to remove the addesive which can be a real PITA to remove. I would not attempt this myself by any means.

 

[ptschram]

I have better luck taking them out than putting them back in

Definitely tell them to use new seals, etc.

 

[bazzle]

Dont use Silicon, use windscreen sealant.

If it is dry you can get a windscreen shop to run a new bead in there with their gun.

Bazzle

 

[Roach]

Ron, I had the same issue w/ my cruise. There is a tsb, but of course, it cannot be replicated. To solve it, I just ignor the surging, but I've not had a miss. Where are you taking it for Warranty work?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I'm bringing it to "Coventry Lane Land Rover" in Pckering Ontario.

My dad had a similar problem with his Yukon once. He actually had to "kidnap" a mechanic to recreate the problem. Told him he'd show him the problem, then proceeded to drive about an hour to get to a steep hill so he could show him.

Steph, yeah, I might as well investigate it further before spending more money, you might be right. First thing is first, I'll be putting it outside with a sprinkler on it to make sure they fixed the headliner problem because the warranty is up in a few days.

This whole thing is a pisser. It's approaching the worst dealer experience I've ever had, and being a Ford guy, that's really saying something! Completely unbefitting of a "premium" brand.

 

[Steph]

I know what you mean about the dealer experience. It's something you have to see and live to believe. Never forget that the bad reputation of the make is mostly due to the way that the customers are treated. No one talks more than an unhappy customer.