Ok all, I really need help. I took the Jag to the auto glass shop that our local Jaguar dealer recommended and it was not good news. First off, he showed me how the rear windshield is glued in and not in a gasket as I thought. Secondly, we did a water test and he really believes it is not a glass problem but a body panel problem. The water is leaking at both rear lower corners of the rear window. There is a body seam there and he believes the water is coming in through there. Where the water is dripping in side the trunk, I would have to agree with him. Here is where the problem lies. He thinks the trim is glued in with the window and did not want to try and remove it. He wants me to remove all the interior pieces, including the headliner, so he can cut the glue from the inside and remove the windshield. I need to know if the rear trim can come off without removing the rear windshield. If so then I believe I could get some body sealer into the area where the two body panels meet and where it is leaking. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do not want to remove all the rear interior unless it is absolutely necessary. I just want to stop the water from getting into the trunk. Thanks.

Chuck

 

The rubber and chrome trim around the rear window is glued into the body flange; it's a direct bonded assembly...the trim is bonded to the window and then bonded to the body. In order to get it out, as your glass man says, you have to remove the back seat, the C pillar trim, opera lights, disconnect the two heater wires, and there is the on-glass antenna for the fob that attaches at the top center with a snap-on fitting, as well as the rear deck trim piece (and, if you have them, the LATCH fittings, which if you do, you'll need to take out to get the rear parcel shelf out), as well as the third brake light. Once the rear of the car is disassembled as such, they can cut out the window and clean off the window mounting to investigate WHY it's leaking. I'm thinking you may have some rust issues in the channel that haven't made themselves known by starting to bubble the paint on the rear deck finisher.

To be honest, if you have a trusted body man, I'd bring the car to him (because if you have to weld/repair rust, it's better to have the car at the body shop) and have his glass guy come by to do the removal and reinstallation than to do the removal at a glass shop and have to drive the car to a body shop sans the rear window.

I just went through this earlier this year; while the rear window was out, it was a simple matter to remove the headliner and get it recovered (mine was sagging quite badly) while the rest of the body work was repaired; was a simple matter to remove it from the open rear window than to bend and fold to get through the doors...it's how it was put in at the factory...and ended up being a lot cheaper in the end doing a whole bunch of jobs at once than piecemealing it.

Removal/Replacement of rear window: $175.00
Recover of headliner: $125.00
Rust removal around rear window/welding/grinding/prep/painting: $350.00
Removal of right rear wheel arch and splicing in good arch obtained from breaker yard and prep/paint to match: $500.00

If it's leaking...you probably have a void in the sheet metal somewhere that needs be attended to by a body man, not a glass man.

Just my $.02

 

Thanks man. That is more help than you know. I can do body work so I have the glass company that the local Jaguar Dealer's Body Shop uses coming over to pull the window out. Hopefully I can fix everything within a couple of days and have him come back and re-install it. Thanks for the information.


Chuck

 

Well, I am taking bdboyle's advice and taking the Jag to the Jaguar Dealer Body Shop to let them fix it. I have talked to a couple of friends and even talked to a guy, local, that had this done on his 99. It sounds like it would be better to let the professionals do it so hopefully the body shop will be able to take it in this week and start the process. Thanks to everyone for you input. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks

Chuck

 

You'll be fine...there isn't too much structure there that can't be repaired if in fact you have voids than need to be rewelded.

To answer your PM (for the sake of others...), once the glass is removed, the channel will be cleaned up and primed after any welding/rectification is done (if your headliner is sagging, now's a good time to address it before it sags all the way and blocks the rear window...), and then, most shops will computer match the paint, and paint both the channel as well as the apron under the window...usually the rear apron from fender joint to fender joint across the back up to the bootlid gap. This gives a smooth match of the new paint to the existing surface. Because it's easier to mask in somewhat hidden areas such as gaps and joint lines rather than in the middle of the panel...it's just easier and cleaner to do it that way.

I don't have a good before-and-after shot of the repairs on mine...but, I'm pleased with how it turned out. But, then I do trust my body guy...and he's as retentive about paint and how it looks as I am...

I'm sure yours will turn out just fine.