Notes on Repair of Glued Seals on Slide/Tilt Sunroof

1. Instances of damage:
1.1 Bond has partly come loose.
- up to 120 mm rework by hand
- up to 200 mm for rework with auxiliary tools on straight sections (contact pressure aids)
1.2 Larger defects (mechanical damage, larger-scale detachment of seal).

2. Repair options:
2.1 If the rubber/adhesive tape or adhesive tape/paint bound has become partly detached, it can be rebonded with cyanoacrylate adhesive (Loctite 380, sourcing reference: BMW Parts Service).
Procedures:
a) Clean damaged surfaces.
Remove grease and other residues from the glued surface.
Use cotton or lintless paper towels (one-time use)
b) If solvent is being used, ventilate repair area for at least 2 minutes.
c) Apply a very thin bead of cyanoacrylate glue on the adhesive tape using a fine nozzle.
Avoid contact to skin!
Do not smear glue on visible painted surfaces.
d) Press on rubber seal (contact time at least 30 seconds). Merely contact pressure is required - this must be maintained for 30 seconds. Load can only be applied to the bond after a period of 2 minutes. This waiting time is absolutely essential.

2.2 If there are larger detachments and/or damage to the rubber profile, replace the rubber seal completely.

Procedures:
a) Peeling off damaged rubber seal:
Pull off rubber seal slowly at an angle of 15° to 25°, ensuring that the mackle (bond between adhesive tape and seal) is maintained.
If the unit has released automatically, carefully and slowly remove adhesive tape at an angle of 15 to 25
If necessary, peel off older seals with help of a hot air blower (don't damage the paint finish), whereby the rubber seal/adhesive tape bond should not be separated
b) Pull liner (protective film on adhesive surface) off of rubber seal section by section. Take hold of tab!
c) Apply rubber seal on roof opening edge beginning at rear center. Use upper lip as application edge. Press on seal continuously hand. Unwind and press seal carefully without tension (critical area). If positioned incorrectly, the seal can still be pulled off, repositioned and pressed on again.
d) Mark the butt joint by pressing the loose end of the flock on the already glued end (small particles of flock stick on the adhesive tape) and cut off seal straight and press on the loose end at the same height.
e) Press on seal using a roller. Pressing-on force: approx. 30 N.
f) Tear off the rear and side tearing-off lips in area of the narrow flange.


CAUTION! Never touch the uncovered adhesive surface after pulling off the liner.


3. Rubber seal check:
Glued seals must be checked for correct position and perfect adhesion. The adhesion can be checked by pushing back the sealing lip.
The force required to peel off the seal immediately after gluing must be greater than 10 N/cm.

4. General Information on Rubber Seal Profiles:
General Information on Rubber Seal Profiles:
Seals, which are supplied with partially loosened liners, must not be installed.
Store seals at 15 to 25 °C
If the liner becomes loosen during handling prior to gluing, the seal may still be installed.
Glue at ambient and object temperatures of > 18 °C. Temperatures between 40 and 50 °C will increase the initial adhesion considerably.
Seals, which are subjected to temperatures above 80 °C after gluing, will be very difficult to remove.