Quarter Window Glass: Service and Repair
Quarter Glass ReplacementNOTE:
- Put on gloves to protect your hands.
- Wear eye protection while cutting the glass adhesive with piano wire.
- Use seat covers to avoid damaging any surfaces.
1. Remove the C-pillar trim. If necessary, remove the rear side trim panel and B-pillar upper trim.
2. Remove the front seal (A) from the front edge of the glass (B). If necessary, cut the seal with a utility knife.
3. Apply protective tape along the inside and outside edges of the body. Using an awl, make a hole through the adhesive from inside the vehicle. Push a piece of piano wire through the hole, and wrap each end around a piece of wood.
4. With a helper on the outside, pull the piano wire (A) back and forth in a sawing motion. Hold the piano wire as close to the quarter glass (B) as possible to prevent damage to the body, and carefully cut through the adhesive (C) around the entire quarter glass.
5. Carefully remove the quarter glass.
6. With a putty knife, scrape the old adhesive smooth to a thickness of about 2 mm (0.08 in.) on the bonding surface around the entire quarter glass opening flange:
- Do not scrape down to the painted surface of the body; damaged paint will interfere with proper bonding.
- Remove the clips from the body.
7. Clean the body bonding surface with a sponge dampened in alcohol. After cleaning, keep oil, grease and water from getting on the surface.
8. If the old quarter glass will be reinstalled, use a putty knife to scrape off all of the old adhesive and the rubber dam from the glass. Clean the inside face and the edge of the glass with alcohol where new adhesive will be applied. Make sure the bonding surface is kept free of water, oil, and grease.
9. Set the quarter glass (A) in the opening, and center it. From inside the vehicle, use a grease pencil to make an alignment mark (B) where the rear clip will be installed on the quarter glass. Be careful not to touch the glass where adhesive will be applied.
10. Remove the quarter glass.
11. Align the upper clip (A) and lower clip (B) with the edge of the quarter glass (C), then attach them with adhesive tape to the inside face of the quarter glass, and align the center of the rear clip (D) with the alignment mark (E) you made in step 9, and attach it with adhesive tape to the inside face of the quarter glass as shown. Be careful not to touch the glass where the adhesive tape will be applied.
12. First attach the front seal (A) with adhesive tape, and attach the rubber dam (B) with adhesive tape to the inside face of the quarter glass (C) as shown. Before installing the front seal and rubber dam, apply primer to the inside face of the glass, then attach the seal on:
- Be sure the front seal lines up with the bottom and front edges of the glass.
- Be careful not to touch the glass where adhesive will be applied.
13. With a sponge, apply a light coat of glass primer along the edge of the rubber dam (A) and front seal (B) as shown, then lightly wipe it off with gauze or cheesecloth:
- With the printed dots (C) on the quarter glass (D) as a guide, apply the glass primer to the upper and lower corner portions of the quarter glass.
- Do not apply body primer to the quarter glass, and do not get body and glass primer sponges mixed up.
- Never touch the primed surfaces with your hands. If you do, the adhesive may not bond to the quarter glass properly, causing a leak after the quarter glass is installed.
- Keep water, dust, and abrasive materials away from the primed surfaces.
14. With a sponge, carefully apply a light coat of body primer to any exposed paint around the flange where new adhesive will be applied. Let the primer dry for at least 10 minutes:
- Do NOT apply body primer to any remaining original adhesive on the flange.
- Be careful not to mix up the body and glass primer sponges.
- Never touch the primed surface with your hands.
15. Cut a "V" in the end of the nozzle (A) on the adhesive cartridge as shown.
16. Put the cartridge in a caulking gun, and run a bead of adhesive (A) around the edge of the rubber dam (B) as shown. With the glass primer (C) you applied in step 13 on the quarter glass (D) as a guide, apply the adhesive to the upper and lower corner portions of the quarter glass. Apply the adhesive within 30 minutes after applying the glass primer. Make a slightly thicker bead at each corner.
17. Use suction cups (A) to hold the quarter glass over the opening, align it with the clips (B) and set it down on the adhesive. Lightly push on the quarter glass until its edges are fully seated on the adhesive all the way around. Do not open or close the doors until the adhesive is dry.
18. Scrape or wipe any excess adhesive off with a putty knife or towel. To remove adhesive from a painted surface or the quarter glass, use a soft shop towel dampened with alcohol.
19. Let the adhesive dry for at least 1 hour, then spray water over the quarter glass and check for leaks. Mark the leaking areas, let the quarter glass dry, then seal with sealant. Let the vehicle stand for at least 4 hours after quarter glass installation. If the vehicle has to be used within the first 4 hours, it must be driven slowly.
20. Reinstall all remaining removed parts.
NOTE: Advise the customer not to do the following things for 2 to 3 days:
- Slam the doors with all the windows rolled up.
- Twist the body excessively (such as when going in and out of driveways at an angle or driving over rough, uneven roads).