ROOF WELD JOINT REVEAL (DITCH) MOLDING COMES LOOSE. Pontiac Grand Prix 1997

SUBJECT: ROOF WELD JOINT REVEAL (DITCH) MOLDING COMES LOOSE FROM VEHICLE (REPLACE MOLDING)

MODELS: 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX (COUPES AND SEDANS)

CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE ENDS OR CENTER SECTIONS OF THE ROOF WELD JOINT REVEAL (DITCH) MOLDING APPEAR TO BE COMING LOOSE FROM THE ROOF PANEL.

CAUSE:

INADEQUATE ADHESION BETWEEN THE DITCH MOLDING ADHESIVE TAPE AND THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM. CONDITION MAY ALSO BE CAUSED BY DEPRESSIONS OR IRREGULARITIES IN THE ROOF WELD SEAM LEVELING (SEALING) TAPE OR POSSIBLE UNEVEN BODY SEAM SEALER APPLICATION.

CORRECTION:

TO REPAIR EITHER LOOSE ENDS OR CENTER SECTIONS, THE COMPLETE MOLDING MUST BE REPLACED. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPAIR LOOSE AREAS WITH ADHESIVES OR OTHER MATERIALS.

IMPORTANT:

VEHICLE, MOLDINGS AND WORK AREA ARE TO BE ABOVE 20 DEGREES CELSIUS (70 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) WHEN PERFORMING THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE.

1. APPLY SEVERAL LAYERS OF MASKING TAPE TO THE ROOF PAINT ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF BOTH SIDES OF THE DITCH MOLDING.

2. USING A SMALL FLAT BLADED PLASTIC TOOL, CAREFULLY LIFT UP EITHER THE WINDSHIELD OR BACKGLASS LACE MOLDING TO EXPOSE THE END OF THE DITCH MOLDING.

IMPORTANT:

ONLY LIFT UP THE LACE MOLDING AS FAR AS NECESSARY TO GET CLEARANCE TO REMOVE THE DITCH MOLDING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH. RAISING THE LACE MOLDING FARTHER THAN NECESSARY MAY CAUSE THE LACE MOLDING TO REMAIN DEFORMED AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PROCEDURE.

3. INSERT A SMALL FLAT BLADED PLASTIC TOOL UNDER THE DITCH MOLDING END AND CAREFULLY RAISE IT OUT FROM UNDER THE LACE MOLDING.

4. CONTINUE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DITCH MOLDING BY CAREFULLY LIFTING IT OUT OF THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM. A SMALL FLAT BLADED PLASTIC TOOL INSERTED BETWEEN THE DITCH MOLDING AND WELD SEAM MAY BE USED TO ASSIST IN BREAKING THE BOND. ADDITIONAL CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN REMOVING THE DITCH MOLDING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE LACE MOLDING AT THE OTHER END. DISCARD THE DITCH MOLDING.

5. TO RETAIN THE SHAPE OF THE LACE MOLDING, REPOSITION IT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION.

6. REMOVE ANY OLD ADHESIVE FROM THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM WITH 3M #08984 GENERAL PURPOSE ADHESIVE CLEANER, OR EQUIVALENT.

7. INSPECT THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM FOR SMOOTHNESS OR LEVELNESS. ANY DEPRESSIONS OR SURFACE IRREGULARITIES IN THE WELD SEAM SEALING TAPE OR UNEVEN BODY SEALER APPLICATION MUST BE REPAIRED BEFORE PROCEEDING.

8. PLACE THE NEW DITCH MOLDING IN THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM SO THAT THE ENDS ARE EQUALLY SPACED FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROOF AT THE WINDSHIELD AND BACKGLASS. CHECK TO SEE THAT BOTH ENDS WILL FIT UNDER THE WINDOW LACE MOLDINGS. MAKE A REFERENCE MARK ON THE MASKING TAPE AT THE END OF THE MOLDING AT THE WINDSHIELD. THIS MARK WILL AID IN CORRECTLY POSITIONING THE MOLDING DURING INSTALLATION.

9. REMOVE THE DITCH MOLDING FROM THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM.

10. PEEL APPROXIMATELY 100MM (4 INCHES) OF THE TAPE BACKING MATERIAL AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD END OF THE DITCH MOLDING.

11. PLACE THE WINDSHIELD END OF THE DITCH MOLDING IN THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM UNDER THE WINDSHIELD LACE MOLDING AND ALIGN THE END WITH THE REFERENCE MARK ON THE MASKING TAPE.

12. BEGIN PEELING AWAY THE TAPE BACKING MATERIAL WHILE POSITIONING AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE DITCH MOLDING IN THE ROOF SHEET METAL WELD SEAM. CONTINUE THIS PROCESS FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE MOLDING.

13. CAREFULLY LIFT UP THE BACKGLASS LACE MOLDING AND PLACE THE END OF THE DITCH MOLDING INTO POSITION.

14. REPOSITION THE BACKGLASS LACE MOLDING BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION.

15. TO ENSURE PROPER ADHESION, HAND ROLL THE DITCH MOLDING TO THE BODY USING LIGHT TO MEDIUM (APPROX. 30-35 LBS.) DOWNWARDS PRESSURE.

16. REMOVE THE MASKING TAPE.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE:

LABOR OPERATION LABOR OPERATION NUMBER DESCRIPTION TIME =============== =========== ===============

B7626 MOLDING, ROOF TO QUARTER USE PUBLISHED AT WELD JOINT, LEFT SIDE - LABOR OPERATION REPLACE TIME

B7627 MOLDING, ROOF TO QUARTER USE PUBLISHED AT WELD JOINT, RIGHT SIDE - LABOR OPERATION REPLACE TIME

FIGURES: 00 ATTACHMENTS: 00

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.