Windscreen Scuttle Panel not flush to Windscreen
- Thread starter Rob_benton
- Start date
3cm gap In length.
Stupid idea but Is it worth heating the plastic with a hair dryer ? The plastic scuttle panel is quite flexible.
I could use silicone but with movement over time it never seems to last
I think I was fobbed off too but got fed up arguing with them. They had removed the panel so must have replace the clips if necessary.
And to top it off last night I found the bulk head rubber strip laying over the engine and the 4 scuttle panel to bulkhead screws missing !!
When I phoned to ask for the screws there wasn't even an apology.
So my advice, avoid the TCW body shop group.
And to top it off last night I found the bulk head rubber strip laying over the engine and the 4 scuttle panel to bulkhead screws missing !!
When I phoned to ask for the screws there wasn't even an apology.
So my advice, avoid the TCW body shop group.
Rob_benton said:
That's exactly what I'm taking about:
1) The front of the scuttle panel is held on by plastic rivets, not screws. These are single use only! If you remove them, you need to replace them with new ones
2) No garage (apart from a BMW dealership) will have either the rivets or clips. If you didn't go to BMW, they won't have replaced them
3) Most people wouldn't care or notice
The world is full of these so-called 'experts' and eventually you realise that there's nowhere better than enthusiast forums like this to get an honest and correct answer.
Do yourself a favour, just go to BMW, spend £5 on a new set of clips/rivets, and have the peace of mind that it is fitted properly.
The four screws that are missing are the ones you can see just under the rubber trim that seals the rear of the bonnet (when closed) to the engine bay. You can see them by standing at the front of the car looking towards the back of the engine bay.
So in total you have 4 push in rivets that are underneath the scuttle panel, and four screws (that are now missing) that hold the scuttle panel to the engine bay.
Hope that makes sense.
So in total you have 4 push in rivets that are underneath the scuttle panel, and four screws (that are now missing) that hold the scuttle panel to the engine bay.
Hope that makes sense.
Sorry to bring an old thread back to life, but it touches on an issue I'm considering. At present my scuttle panel does not sit flush to the windscreen, as a result of a wiper motor replacement done by BMW. First off, is there any possibility that this could be causing any water ingress in to the car? Secondly, do I just need to buy the clips mentioned in this thread to repair that problem, or do I need a new scuttle panel?
Thanks!
Thanks!
Phil-E30 said:Sorry to bring an old thread back to life, but it touches on an issue I'm considering. At present my scuttle panel does not sit flush to the windscreen, as a result of a wiper motor replacement done by BMW. First off, is there any possibility that this could be causing any water ingress in to the car? Secondly, do I just need to buy the clips mentioned in this thread to repair that problem, or do I need a new scuttle panel?
Thanks!
No chance of it allowing water into the cabin as the glass is bonded in place and this is just a cosmetic trim. New clips should fix it, however if BMW caused the issue just give it back to them to sort out.
We disagree on this issue 
No water cannot get past the glass, of course it is bonded on, but it is a fact that if your scuttle panel is not flush then water gets in to the wiper motor area, where there is also an air filter in to the cabin. Yes there is a tiny drain hole directly below the cabin filter, but if it is blocked or raining heavily I have no doubt water could get in to the filter housing.
So yes, in my opinion water can get in if it is not flush. All you need to do is look at it - the scuttle panel drains the water away to the sides. It is blindingly obvious that water is not supposed to get underneath it, pour water over the scuttle panel (not the windscreen!) and you will see where it is supposed to drain out. I'm not the only person to have resolved water ingress by fixing it.
No water cannot get past the glass, of course it is bonded on, but it is a fact that if your scuttle panel is not flush then water gets in to the wiper motor area, where there is also an air filter in to the cabin. Yes there is a tiny drain hole directly below the cabin filter, but if it is blocked or raining heavily I have no doubt water could get in to the filter housing.So yes, in my opinion water can get in if it is not flush. All you need to do is look at it - the scuttle panel drains the water away to the sides. It is blindingly obvious that water is not supposed to get underneath it, pour water over the scuttle panel (not the windscreen!) and you will see where it is supposed to drain out. I'm not the only person to have resolved water ingress by fixing it.
Here you go, a photo I took while my scuttle panel was off. This is the cabin filter from above which is directly underneath the scuttle panel on the passenger side, which is where the top of my carpet was getting damp having already replaced both door mebranes. You can't see it in the photo, but there is a small drain hole at the bottom. However as you can see it's such a small area, it wouldn't take much for it to fill with water. And my cabin filter has clear water marks/residue on the top of it.
edd_jedi said:We disagree on this issue
So yes, in my opinion water can get in if it is not flush. All you need to do is look at it - the scuttle panel drains the water away to the sides. It is blindingly obvious that water is not supposed to get underneath it, pour water over the scuttle panel (not the windscreen!) and you will see where it is supposed to drain out. I'm not the only person to have resolved water ingress by fixing it.
You say that water is not supposed to get underneath the scuttle panel.
To me its just a cosmetic panel because it doesn't have a water tight seal on it when in place. water that runs down the windscreen runs under the panel.
No it doesn't, try it with a hose if yours is securely fastened. Sure a few drops may get past it, but the vast majority runs to either side of the scuttle panel and down the drain tubes. If a lot of water gets under there, it will cause problems. Have any of you making these comments had this problem or even removed your scuttle panels? I'm not making it up :lol: I'll make a video if you insist.
The rubber was never designed to seal onto the windscreen and it simply cannot do so with a few simple clips. It's no more a seal than the outer rubber is on a side window or the rubber around the rear of the canvas to boot scuttle panel. It's designed as others have said for cosmetic reasons and to keep the bulk of the crap out.
The fact you can flood your car by filling it with a hose is no more a leak that sticking a hose down the side window or in the gap on the rear of the hood.
Clean the drains out and you'll have no issue.
Let's agree to differ though...
The fact you can flood your car by filling it with a hose is no more a leak that sticking a hose down the side window or in the gap on the rear of the hood.
Clean the drains out and you'll have no issue.
Let's agree to differ though...
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