epicness

 

What do I need to do to remove the cowl for cleaning and adding the J-Shape rubber trim? This sound from the cowl and windshield is driving me insane.

Are there step by step guides with pictures? I google this and searched it to death and came up with nothing.

Please help!

 

you do not need to remove the cowl or wipers to install the J-strip trim. all you need to do is lift off the two plastic covers on either side (BATTERY and BRAKE FLUID covers). under those, remove the 3(?) plastic pop-it connectors on each side holding the plastic trim pieces on with a flat screwdriver to loosen the cowl.

press the J-strip trim under the plastic cowl. its tight near the middle of the windshield.

notes:
it may be easier if you wipe the part of the J trim with some protectant on the portion that slides under the cowl to "grease" it up to make it slide under easier. i didn't, and got it under anyway.

you could also park the car out in the hot sun for a while before doing it to make the plastic cowl a little more "flexible".

 

Thanks Landshark. Any idea on how to lift/remove the rubber piece on both the right and left edge that coves both the cowl and the windshield?

 

i dont remember, its been a while. i think it just pulls off, held on by some rubber "knubs".

 

thank you. I am going to have to try to fix that this weekend. The weather is hot now and its chirping every time i drive.

 

Thank you !

 

Finally got fed up with the popping/creaking sound in the front plastic cowl, so I followed this DIY and worked like a charm! I didn't realize it would only take all of 20 minutes to do (I found that I didn't have to remove the wiper arms to apply the adhesive felt along the bottom of the windshield).


Great write up and now my car is rattle-free once again.

 

I did this about two weeks ago with the J channel rubber stripping I bought off the internet.

I purchased the stripping from Amazon as all the ebay vendors were sold out.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also found a decal/wrapping squeegee is a huge help and makes the job very easy.


Everything exposed
AAB5CB7F-2F87-46B6-BB85-61271D1BBCE6_zpsxcfxn9dj.jpg Photo by apefactory | Photobucket

Use the plastic squeegee to lift the plastic cowl off the glass and slide the long end of the j-groove strip between the cowl and the glass. Move the squeegee along and install the strip as you go.



I used the felt side to push the strip flush and you can use a bit of protectant to lubricate the strip and make insertion easier too.



Done. Looks OEM.

 

nice, i have one of those squeegees, and didn't think to use it.

i noticed some of my trim was starting to creep up a few weeks ago, but pushed it back down with my finger and all is good.

 

Looks great, need to do this! Did you purchase the 10ft from Amazon?

 

Correct, from Amazon. Hasn't budged since I installed it.

 

This is the only thread I can find on the popping noise that happens when you go over bumps. Sounds almost exactly like what I am going through on my IPL. Are there any videos of the fix online

 

Nice and easy writeup

 

Did the windshield creak DIY with the rubber J strip from Amazon. No noise since install. PERFECT. I removed my cowl trim to ease install.

If you're doing this make sure you leave plenty of rubber at either end sticking out of the plastic cowl. I'm guessing chassis flex might move this around a bit since it's only held in place by friction, albeit quite a bit of friction.