Hi, I would like to ask for more advice, this time about removing the roof rail finishers to check for a water leak.

I park the car facing forward on a slight downward incline, and leaking slightly towards the passenger side [RHD]. I noticed water marks on the sun visor, and SWMBO said that the roof lining above the visor is wet. With the way that the car is parked the rain almost certainly runs across the roof, towards the pass. side front corner and therefore runs down the roof rail finisher trim.

I had the sunroof out last year and I know that the drains are clean, in fact I checked them around last August if I remember correctly. Because of where the roof lining and sun visor are wet I am suspecting that te rain is getting in through the roof sealant. Therefore I want to take off the roof trim.

I have been led to believe that it is supposed to be fairly easy, getting the trims off, but I have also read that you need to remove the windscreen top finisher first. Is this the case ? I have seen pictures of there being a slide on trim clip for the windscreen top finisher, and from pictures they appear to slide on to pegs on the bodywork just above the windscreen. How is the best way to get this top finisher trim off ? Lastly, are those trim clips still available or have they gone NLA ?

Pierre3.

How to release the top screen finisher clips is in RAVE, you slide them to one side with an old credit car or similar. You will break at least some of them but they are still available in packs of 5 (https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/dce10038l-clip-retaining.html). One pack should be enough but I think you need something like 8 to replace them all. They are probably used on other cars as when I bought two packs, they came in a pack with Rover markings. In fact I've just checked my drawer of assorted small parts and have an unopened pack of 5.

Richard, thanks for your information. Do I need to take off the windscreen top trim ? I read a post elsewhere where the OP said to start at the back of the car and work your way forward.

Pierre3.

Probably, or at least it will make it a lot easier. There's a thread on the dark side where someone had a similar problem and it appears it was the mastic used when the centre roof panel was welded to the outside edges. His pictures show the windscreen top trim removed see https://www.rangerovers.net/threads/removing-roof-rails-pictures.362212/#post-2441671. He used silicone but really it wants to be a mastic like Tiger Seal or OB1.

i had a similar issue a while ago , i removed the strip on the roof and checked the seal on the gutter and also removed the top strip and found the mastic had detached from the corners of the windscreen , you can see where it's attached or not. wiped out the dirt and crud with a screwdriver and a damp rag, allowed it to dry and filled up the voids with mastic (bought from a auto paint shop) all is good now no leaks.

Mad-as, thanks for your information.

Richard, I came across that post from "seattlesteve" yesterday !! And I agree, I would use mastic rather than silicone sealer, or just RTV perhaps. I remember reading stuff on this ages ago, and one guy suggested using a plastic clear paint spray. This would seem a good suggestion as the spray would be very thin in application. And I would hope that it would last, as well.

Pierre3.

Gilbertd wrote:

How to release the top screen finisher clips is in RAVE, you slide them to one side with an old credit car or similar. You will break at least some of them but they are still available in packs of 5 (https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/dce10038l-clip-retaining.html). One pack should be enough but I think you need something like 8 to replace them all. They are probably used on other cars as when I bought two packs, they came in a pack with Rover markings. In fact I've just checked my drawer of assorted small parts and have an unopened pack of 5.

Richard, out of interest do you know what the part labelled number 7 is on that diagram? It's difficult to understand where it fits with the rest of the parts & there is no scale so even estimating size isn't easy. It's obviously smaller than the windscreen but is it bigger than a retaining clip? It looks like quite a complex moulding.

It's listed as a sealant pack, and the subsequent picture of it appears to show a couple of tubes of something. Whether it is for installing the screen or for sealing it when it leaks, I've no idea https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/lr078295-adhesive-and-sealer.html

Gilbertd wrote:

It's listed as a sealant pack, and the subsequent picture of it appears to show a couple of tubes of something. Whether it is for installing the screen or for sealing it when it leaks, I've no idea https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/lr078295-adhesive-and-sealer.html

LOL So not a small intricate irreplaceable plastic part?

No but as it is listed for the following

Genuine OEM LR078295 - Land Rover Kit (LR078295) part for Freelander 2 2006 - 2014, Range Rover 2010 - 2012, Discovery 4 2010 - 2016, Range Rover Sport 2010 - 2013, Range Rover Evoque 2012 >, Range Rover 2013 >, Range Rover Sport 2014 >, Discovery Sport 2015 >, Discovery 5 2017 >, Range Rover Velar 2017 >, New Range Rover Evoque 2019 >, New Defender 2019 >. Authentic Land Rover Part.

I suspect leaking windscreens isn't something that only affects the odd car.....