E90 sunroof seal replacement

EQUANT · 10-05-2011, 06:17 AM

Hi guys,

Has anyone replaced the sunroof seal on their E90? I had a polish done to the car recently and noticed that the guy used the polishing machine too close to the sunroof seal, thus the porous foam on the outside is basically ... gone.

This doesn't affect the sunroof functionality in any way, but i would like to change that seal with a new one. The seal is attached (it's not glued, just clamped on. Just wondering if it can be replaced without removing the entire glass panel) to the outside of the mobile part of the sunroof.

I noticed the gasket can be ordered separately, part 3 here:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...41&hg=54&fg=05

Does anyone know if this is an easy enough operation to be done at home, or must i go to the stealer?

BMW-335i-07 · 03-14-2012, 01:01 PM

interested too! any one?

morphius909 · 03-14-2012, 01:34 PM

Why do they make this fuzzy seal? It is a trap for dirt. I hate it.

BMW-335i-07 · 03-14-2012, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphius909

Why do they make this fuzzy seal? It is a trap for dirt. I hate it.

yep.... that's why I want to change it... maybe some one know how?

Bavarian Tech · 03-14-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphius909

Why do they make this fuzzy seal? It is a trap for dirt. I hate it.

Its not a dirt trap, the sunroof is designed to leak, atleast around the seal hint why its fuzzy seal and not just rubber..Don't believe me, wash your car and open up the sunroof you'll see water in the track.

EQUANT · 03-14-2012, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BMW-335i-07

interested too! any one?

I didn't change mine. I decided it was too much of a hassle to dismantle the sunroof just to change that seal. Don't think you can change it without removing the glass all together.
It's functionality is ok, so f. it

Attached you can find some information for replacing the seal.

BMW-335i-07 · 03-14-2012, 06:35 PM

Thx... Just found and installed TIS and found same instructions!

a31cefiro · 06-18-2014, 11:23 AM

Reviving this old thread because I don't want to make another...

So the entire sunroof needs to be dismantled to replace the sunroof gasket with the felt material? My detail shop is offering to replace it since they buffed all the felt material off, but if the sunroof requires dismantling then id rather not have it replaced..

BmerMeUp · 07-05-2014, 08:28 PM

Just did it on my E91 courtesy of a DIY from user "beberle" at another forum which rhymes with schmimmerfest. It did take a couple hours, but was more tedious than difficult. My input further to that DIY:

1 - Front glass pops straight out and straight back in after, no problem.
2 - Rear glass should be lifted / slid out towards the rear. Trying to lift it straight out (or place it straight back in) will cause you problems. Once the two screws per side are out (beberle used masking tape - I magnetized my T25), lift it as if to "vent", then guide it straight out towards the back - WAY easier!! Re-install in reverse and do the rear glass first.
3 - Removing the old seal is a piece of cake - for me, on an uber hot day - jerking it off (yes I just said that) in quick, short yanks proved to leave FAR less old glue than pulling it ANY direction slowly. Quick short yanks. Always does the trick.

4 - After cleaning the edge to prep for the new seal, be careful how you apply it - there is a tiny lip at the top which rests on the exterior roof - but if that isn't tight, you will leave tiny gaps. More visual I think than anything, and we're talking fractions of a millimeter, but it bugged me.
5 - Resetting the height of the glass was pretty easy, but took me about 4 tries to get the front one right after "reinitializing" each time - the mechanics of it moving and closing seemed to slightly throw off what I thought was perfect.

Anyway - NOT "difficult" at all - one tool and some goo-gone, oh and a knife to cut it when you're done. Doesn't get much easier. Just tedious to do it right.

My 2c

DOCTOR.Y · 12-30-2016, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bavarian Tech

Its not a dirt trap, the sunroof is designed to leak, atleast around the seal hint why its fuzzy seal and not just rubber..Don't believe me, wash your car and open up the sunroof you'll see water in the track.

My 2012 e92 has the fuzzy seal but it recently started to make cracking noise. So I ordered a new one according to http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=54_0341 part #3. When the item came, it was the pure rubber without fuzzy seal. Has BMW changed it?

Tonethejackal · 08-17-2019, 11:30 AM

Do NOT cut the seal. If you install the seal at one point and work your way around, you may end up with a bulge and would need to cut out the bulge or slack. DON'T DO THIS. Instead, anchor the seal at the four corners, with a little slack on each of the 4 sides, then anchor in the middle of each side. Anchor one more time in the middle of the anchor points, the push in the remaining seal. I first it the "wrong way" as described above and had slack, then re-did it the "right way" and no slack or bulges. Took 10-15 minutes, finger tips are sore, and its installed fully.

Mister Shaky · 09-01-2022, 01:27 PM

Did you ever figure this sunroof seal issue? I've just ordered #3, but the dealer says that seal goes on the body, not the glass. Neither of our E90's has a seal on the body. Did both get torn off before we got the cars? My E60 has a seal on the body.

10-05-2011, 06:17 AM	#1
EQUANT First Lieutenant 28 Rep 317 Posts Drives: 320d Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bucharest iTrader: (0)	E90 sunroof seal replacement Hi guys, Has anyone replaced the sunroof seal on their E90? I had a polish done to the car recently and noticed that the guy used the polishing machine too close to the sunroof seal, thus the porous foam on the outside is basically ... gone. This doesn't affect the sunroof functionality in any way, but i would like to change that seal with a new one. The seal is attached (it's not glued, just clamped on. Just wondering if it can be replaced without removing the entire glass panel) to the outside of the mobile part of the sunroof. I noticed the gasket can be ordered separately, part 3 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...41&hg=54&fg=05 Does anyone know if this is an easy enough operation to be done at home, or must i go to the stealer? __________________ BMW 320 dA LCI, BMW PPK - 197HP, 2010, sapphire black, steptronic Last edited by EQUANT; 10-05-2011 at 08:02 AM..
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03-14-2012, 01:01 PM	#2
BMW-335i-07 Coding 4 Rep 114 Posts Drives: 335i 2007 BMW Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida iTrader: (1)	interested too! any one?
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03-14-2012, 01:34 PM	#3
morphius909 Lieutenant 21 Rep 546 Posts Drives: 2011 335 Xi Special Edition-JB Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Edmonton, Alberta iTrader: (0)	Why do they make this fuzzy seal? It is a trap for dirt. I hate it. __________________ 2011 335i X Drive Special Edition-Jerez Black 35% Tint All Around / 3M Rockguard / Weathertech/ PPK2 / 18&12mm Spacers/Lux H8 V3
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03-14-2012, 06:35 PM	#7
BMW-335i-07 Coding 4 Rep 114 Posts Drives: 335i 2007 BMW Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Florida iTrader: (1)	Thx... Just found and installed TIS and found same instructions!
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06-18-2014, 11:23 AM	#8
a31cefiro Private 3 Rep 68 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	Reviving this old thread because I don't want to make another... So the entire sunroof needs to be dismantled to replace the sunroof gasket with the felt material? My detail shop is offering to replace it since they buffed all the felt material off, but if the sunroof requires dismantling then id rather not have it replaced..
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07-05-2014, 08:28 PM	#9
BmerMeUp Lieutenant 32 Rep 447 Posts Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Ontario iTrader: (0)	Just did it on my E91 courtesy of a DIY from user "beberle" at another forum which rhymes with schmimmerfest. It did take a couple hours, but was more tedious than difficult. My input further to that DIY: 1 - Front glass pops straight out and straight back in after, no problem. 2 - Rear glass should be lifted / slid out towards the rear. Trying to lift it straight out (or place it straight back in) will cause you problems. Once the two screws per side are out (beberle used masking tape - I magnetized my T25), lift it as if to "vent", then guide it straight out towards the back - WAY easier!! Re-install in reverse and do the rear glass first. 3 - Removing the old seal is a piece of cake - for me, on an uber hot day - jerking it off (yes I just said that) in quick, short yanks proved to leave FAR less old glue than pulling it ANY direction slowly. Quick short yanks. Always does the trick. 4 - After cleaning the edge to prep for the new seal, be careful how you apply it - there is a tiny lip at the top which rests on the exterior roof - but if that isn't tight, you will leave tiny gaps. More visual I think than anything, and we're talking fractions of a millimeter, but it bugged me. 5 - Resetting the height of the glass was pretty easy, but took me about 4 tries to get the front one right after "reinitializing" each time - the mechanics of it moving and closing seemed to slightly throw off what I thought was perfect. Anyway - NOT "difficult" at all - one tool and some goo-gone, oh and a knife to cut it when you're done. Doesn't get much easier. Just tedious to do it right. My 2c
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08-17-2019, 11:30 AM	#11
Tonethejackal Enlisted Member 9 Rep 46 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Lavon, TX iTrader: (0)	Do NOT cut the seal. If you install the seal at one point and work your way around, you may end up with a bulge and would need to cut out the bulge or slack. DON'T DO THIS. Instead, anchor the seal at the four corners, with a little slack on each of the 4 sides, then anchor in the middle of each side. Anchor one more time in the middle of the anchor points, the push in the remaining seal. I first it the "wrong way" as described above and had slack, then re-did it the "right way" and no slack or bulges. Took 10-15 minutes, finger tips are sore, and its installed fully.
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09-01-2022, 01:27 PM	#12
Mister Shaky Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: BMW 325i, 328i, 528i, X3 Join Date: Jul 2021 Location: Merritt Island, FL iTrader: (0)	Did you ever figure this sunroof seal issue? I've just ordered #3, but the dealer says that seal goes on the body, not the glass. Neither of our E90's has a seal on the body. Did both get torn off before we got the cars? My E60 has a seal on the body.
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