Windshield Leak and rust.... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Threads
8
Messages
69
Location
Tierra Verde, Florida
Please, do not let this happen to you.
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If you have water intrusion on your carpets, do not discount a previous terrible windshield install. Luckily , this is not as bad as it looks, and the rust did not go all the way through. My bodyshop guy is going to sand, treat , and respray. Was able to save the OEM windshield. The previous installer was lazy and did not remove all the silicon before reinstalling, so there were gaps.

My Hundy is in very good condition and there was only a pinhole spot of rust near the windshield and roof.
I am a bit embarrassed that a truck that I thought I took great care of has this underlying rust. Just wanted to share and warn.
 
WOW!
 
That's a bad one. 100s really need an installer that knows what they are doing.

First thing I do when looking at cars is see if windshield has been replaced.
 
I'm seeing this on more and more on 100's. After speaking with a 30 year veteran installer, He said this is a very common issue with the 100's. This is caused by not only by a poor install job (scratches in paint untreated), but by a design issue. This is not just a Toyota design issue but shared with many vehicles. Newer cars have corrected this according to him, with less molding to trap pollutants and the area that windshield seat in are flatter and more open.

Here's my garage kept well maintained 01LC. It's had two windshield replacements that I know of. There was no rock chip or scratches in the paint, visible above the windshields molding.

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I scraped off some of the bubbling this weekend:
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I think your veteran installer is spot on. Even from the factory, the design seems to channel water from the upper seal/molding to the sides of the windshield. My installer recommended a different type of upper seal that was flat and 'bridged' the gap. Still not perfect but I think is better.

As for your rust bubbles, I'm positive the rust is much worse once you remove the windshield.
 
That sucks, but let's talk about your steering wheel. Where did you get that?
 
I think your veteran installer is spot on. Even from the factory, the design seems to channel water from the upper seal/molding to the sides of the windshield. My installer recommended a different type of upper seal that was flat and 'bridged' the gap. Still not perfect but I think is better.

As for your rust bubbles, I'm positive the rust is much worse once you remove the windshield.

You are dead on. Need someone who knows these trucks (same issues on GX470 too). I got a truck that looked like that for my mom (small bubbling). Was pretty bad when I had the brand new windshield cut out of it. Had to have top and a-pillars re-sprayed, all new parts. Think was around $1500 with aftermarket glass.
 
This looked almost identical to my 85 4Runner. I had to cut out several spots, and put in new metal.

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Did not even look bad with the old windshield in, but popped it out myself because i was doing body work all around. I had seen several people try and fill in those pitted areas.. I opted to replace them. I will have to inspect my 100, but I definitely have no leaks. I hope I never have to do that job again on any of my vehicles.
 
I think your veteran installer is spot on. Even from the factory, the design seems to channel water from the upper seal/molding to the sides of the windshield. My installer recommended a different type of upper seal that was flat and 'bridged' the gap. Still not perfect but I think is better.

As for your rust bubbles, I'm positive the rust is much worse once you remove the windshield.
I fear you're correct, I just hope it's not perforating the metal or it will need to go to a body shop. It, my 01LC in the top picture above, had the wide rubber molding on it for years. Once the thinner was installed I saw the bubbling in the paint. Not seeing any chip I thought possibly it was something like sealant under the paint, so I've just been watch, wrong it's rust. After learning from him (veteran installer) I took a second closer look and found it.

I too thought it was a good idea to bridge with wide rubber molding, until I met him. My thinking was it keeps the area sealed from debris and protects from rock chips. He said "paint the chip, open gap is best" as it washes out and doesn't trap moisture. He then showed me the newer cars in the shop all have open gaps, all the way around, with very little molding. They're also installer friendly by being flatter & wider at mounting surface. He then showed me one as the window sealant was being removed by a tech. The tech was able to easily remove all sealant with his raiser tool without a single nick in seconds.

He's explanations of now the manufacture found covering the gap created a cavity that couldn't be washed and held in moisture. That the organic matter in the moisture becomes a acid that eats the paint. He changed my think on the molding and why we are see rust on the 100's. I'll bet we all have some rust or will have regardless if windshield had ever been replaced or not.

A really sweet white 01LX I've been restoring, had the wide rubber filling the gap on it as well. I found the paint was being etched in a line just under the molding along the top. Buffing with a cutting compound helped some, but some was just to deeply etched. It also had rust under the molding that safelite treaded. But believe me not all Safelite tech use proper technics or take the time necessary.

This is a 17 year old 100 with factory glass still in. Edit: Factory glass that was installed by Dealer in year two of it's life. Notice crack has no rock chip along it. That is factory molding which fills half the gap.
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Just one more area to be aware of is under plastic molding at bottom of windshield. Not only Acid but Grit builds under there acting like sand paper. Here I cleaned up, remove rust and painted with same black paint (Sika Primer-206 Sticks) Safelite uses. These spots were mostly free of rust but metal was shinny (showing).
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This just happens to be picture of the Sika Primer-206 Stix I used under grill and headlights of my 01LC during de-rusting.
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I'm seeing this on more and more on 100's. After speaking with a 30 year veteran installer, He said this is a very common issue with the 100's. This is caused by not only by a poor install job (scratches in paint untreated), but by a design issue. This is not just a Toyota design issue but shared with many vehicles. Newer cars have corrected this according to him, with less molding to trap pollutants and the area that windshield seat in are flatter and more open.

Here's my garage kept well maintained 01LC. It's had two windshield replacements that I know of. There was no rock chip or scratches in the paint, visible above the windshields molding.

View attachment 1327961

I scraped off some of the bubbling this weekend:
View attachment 1327962
Any preferred windshield installers here in the Denver metro area? I have similar rusting issues on mine, and although most of my money is currently going into rocker panel rust repairs and a few mechanical issues, I'd love to have a trusted windshield guy for if and when I do replace mine. Thanks!
 
Find someone like I did. Problem solved. Shop around as there are good installers. You just have to committed to finding one.

100 Series Windshield
 
@2001LC you can also try opening the interior and A-post trim to check for any signs of rust.
 
ABRA did my install. They ground off all my rust, treated it with rust converter, an installed it with oversized rivets given that the last installer used screws. Other people on the forum have said ABRA sucks, but they did a great job in my opinion. I watched him every step and photo documented everything.
 
Man that rust would piss me off. If my insurance sent me to safe lite and that happened I would go back to my insurance company for them to fix it.
 
Any preferred windshield installers here in the Denver metro area? I have similar rusting issues on mine, and although most of my money is currently going into rocker panel rust repairs and a few mechanical issues, I'd love to have a trusted windshield guy for if and when I do replace mine. Thanks!
@Ali FJ80 knows a few, possible he'll chime in.

Emcd likes ABRA, I'm going to stop in there as I've got one close.

Tory at Highlands Ranch Safelite said; every body shop is booked for months do to hail storm in Castle Rock. Tory's shop does a great job at windshield and will correct (grind & paint) minor rust, but if he see rust associate with a crack he'll turn job down, until body shop has repaired it.

@2001LC you can also try opening the interior and A-post trim to check for any signs of rust.
Thanks, great minds.... I did pull molding on DS A pillar and saw just a stain of rust. I'm sure this is from poor install, that is, new holes drilled and screwed. I'll be pulling PS next, that's the bad side. I've also pulled back exterior molding along top and scape off enough to see windshield needs to come out.

A Pillar DS was fairly clean except one little stain:
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ABRA did my install. They ground off all my rust, treated it with rust converter, an installed it with oversized rivets given that the last installer used screws. Other people on the forum have said ABRA sucks, but they did a great job in my opinion. I watched him every step and photo documented everything.
Did or will you post these picture?

Safelite uses the Sika primer which states; do not use on rust. The rust must be ground off first. Any pits with rust or small specs is then treated with Phosphoric acid before priming.
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Man that rust would piss me off. If my insurance sent me to safe lite and that happened I would go back to my insurance company for them to fix it.
I agree. I called my insurance (I used their preferred provider) they said I need to speak with that same installer. So I went to installers' shop, which I found had recently closed all their shops. I'm going back to my insurance first chance I get.

It will be a battle for sure, as they can say install did not cause rust. Installer are going to say it's a design issue not them. I did have a similar issue with my son's car on some body work that rusted through. The body shop was a preferred provider (AP), that also went out of business. The insurance approved the work at shop of my choice, I used an AP again.
 
Find someone like I did. Problem solved. Shop around as there are good installers. You just have to committed to finding one.

100 Series Windshield
I saw that write up, your right do your home work. It best to only work with shop that will allow us into bay while they work. If I hear insurance won't allow, I'm moving on down the road.

Here some more food for thought.
Some of the area I've found rust due to tech leaving exposing metal and not treating:
Drilling rivets holes.
Prying off side molding.
Tool to separate/cut glass from body/frame.
Tool to remove old adhesive.
Using steel screws.
Using steel uncoated rivet (should use coat aluminum)

This one almost every installer does wrong.
The average installer will set the adhesive tap backing on the roof line first. Then he'll pull down molding to line up holes. There is two issues with this method.
1st) The side molding is reinforce with steel. As they pull this down the steel scraps the paint at the top end of gutter just above the windshield. We so often see rust at this upper corner point, don't we!
2nd) Often the holes will not line up and adhesive is already secure. So they drill new holes and use screws. Leaving old holes open. Water gets in. Open holes is one of the causes of wind noise.

Also, they reuse side molding with adhering with black adhesive. This creates a problem for next installer, as very difficult to get out the black adhesive, for a smooth flat surface to attach factory adhesive backing. It also leave pocket that trap moisture.

Long post, but it's what I've been and am dealing with on three rigs at this time.
 
That sucks, but let's talk about your steering wheel. Where did you get that?
Purchased the steering wheel on eBay. It is OEM- the color is off from the original leather, but I like the two tone look. Matches the rest of the interior . Cost $200.00, and took 15min to install.
 
I saw that write up, your right do your home work. It best to only work with shop that will allow us into bay while they work. If I hear insurance won't allow, I'm moving on down the road.

Here some more food for thought.
Some of the area I've found rust due to tech leaving exposing metal and not treating:
Drilling rivets holes.
Prying off side molding.
Tool to separate/cut glass from body/frame.
Tool to remove old adhesive.
Using steel screws.
Using steel uncoated rivet (should use coat aluminum)

This one almost every installer does wrong.
The average installer will set the adhesive tap backing on the roof line first. Then he'll pull down molding to line up holes. There is two issues with this method.
1st) The side molding is reinforce with steel. As they pull this down the steel scraps the paint at the top end of gutter just above the windshield. We so often see rust at this upper corner point, don't we!
2nd) Often the holes will not line up and adhesive is already secure. So they drill new holes and use screws. Leaving old holes open. Water gets in. Open holes is one of the causes of wind noise.

Also, they reuse side molding with adhering with black adhesive. This creates a problem for next installer, as very difficult to get out the black adhesive, for a smooth flat surface to attach factory adhesive backing. It also leave pocket that trap moisture.

The truck I got for my mom, pretty much how the windshield was installed. No rivets, and moldings were urethaned down to the glass. A bit of a mess. If done properly, the a-pillar exterior moldings could potentially be re-used, but as soon as they glue them down, watch out.

Also, the size of the new rivets can matter. They are not all equal when going back in a hole that's been drilled out.

I somehow still have the original glass in my 1998 100, it looks like hammered doodoo with al the repaired rock chips, but I'll take it.
 
The truck I got for my mom, pretty much how the windshield was installed. No rivets, and moldings were urethaned down to the glass. A bit of a mess. If done properly, the a-pillar exterior moldings could potentially be re-used, but as soon as they glue them down, watch out.

Also, the size of the new rivets can matter. They are not all equal when going back in a hole that's been drilled out.

I somehow still have the original glass in my 1998 100, it looks like hammered doodoo with al the repaired rock chips, but I'll take it.
I found that they almost always bend the metal reinforcement when pulling off molding. Good shops will use two sided tape on top, but if metals is bent it will stick up a bit causing issues. It's always best to require new molding IMHO.

You're outside the rust belt and in dry area of the Country. Be interesting to see under your windshield when the days comes. If you have any rust at all, it will speak volumes. Have you ever pulled the interior A pillar molding?
 
I found that they almost always bend the metal reinforcement when pulling off molding. Good shops will use two sided tape on top, but if metals is bent it will stick up a bit causing issues. It's always best to require new molding IMHO.

You're outside the rust belt and in dry area of the Country. Be interesting to see under your windshield when the days comes. If you have any rust at all, it will speak volumes. Have you ever pulled the interior A pillar molding?

I pulled the a-pillar molding on one side tracking down a leak from the roof (someone had rack off fixing hail damage and didn't secure rack bolts), didn't see anything that got my attention. I expect it to be rust free if and when the windshield comes out. I don't have a spec of rust on the LX. Toyota did a really good job on the underside and frame on the 100.
 

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