2004-07 BMW 5 Series, M5

Vehicle type: Four-door sedan

NAGS® numbers: Windshield part numbers FW2448, rain/light sensor, condensation sensor, solar; FW2449, solar-coated, rain/light sensor, condensation sensor; and FW2675, rain/light sensor, condensation sensor, solar, HUD

Helpful tools or supplies: Replacement condensation sensor and a set of molding clips

Watch for: Under the driver-side wiper is a spacer “donut” that must be removed to allow for cowl removal. It is pressure-fit into place and will be hard to remove. We grasped the spacer with a locking wrench and wiggled it off the post. Also note that the interior garnish moldings are covered with fabric and subject to damage if the cutting blade makes contact with the fabric. Either remove or displace the interior moldings, or use a shorter blade to keep from touching the fabric.

*With permission from National Auto Glass Specifications. Call NAGS at 800/551-4012 or visit http://glass.mitchell.com/.

A. Windshield

Preparation

1. Cover the front seats, floorboards, dash and steering wheel with a clean drop cloth or disposable plastic covers. Note: Always wear eye and hand protection when working with glass. Make sure you have the right glass and moldings and that the urethane systems you are about to use are current. Windshield part numbers are FW2448, FW2449 and FW2675.

2. Drape the fender with a fender cover and tape up any vulnerable areas on the vehicle to protect against possible damage. Tape up the defroster vents to prevent debris from falling into the openings.

3. Check operation of the rain sensor by sprinkling the sensor window with water from the vehicle exterior. Make sure the doors and windows are closed. The wipers should clean the windshield and stop when it is dry.

4. To remove the rearview mirror, first remove the decorative cover by inserting a pocket screwdriver or pick at the very top or bottom and twisting. The cover will separate at the center with no damage. To release the mirror, give it a quarter turn. Let it hang.

5. The decorative cover also hides the rain/light sensor and condensation sensor. The new windshield comes with a lens already attached but does not come with a condensation sensor. You must order a replacement when you order the glass. To remove the rain/light sensor from the lens, depress the release clips on both sides of the sensor, separating it from the lens. Let it hang.
 
 

6. Peel off the condensation sensor; disconnect and discard.
 

7. The BMW dual-arm wiper on the passenger side is tight and will require some effort to separate it from the post. Remove the windshield-wiper nut covers and the 14-millimeter nuts from the passenger-side posts.
 

8. Remove the windshield-wiper nut covers on the driver side and the 16-millimeter nut from the post using a wrench or socket. Under the wiper is a spacer “donut” that must be removed to allow for cowl removal. It is pressure-fit into place and will be hard to remove. We grasped the spacer with a locking wrench and wiggled it off the post.
 

9. Remove the two air filter units from the front corners of the cowl panel. On each unit, there is a wire-type clamp that holds one edge of the unit. Slide the wire clamp from the engine side of the unit cover and then release the two quarter-turn fasteners from the fender side of the unit.
 

10. The passenger side has a wiring harness that needs to be disconnected.

11. Remove the two T20 Torx screws from the front center of the cowl panel.

12. Remove the two fender bumpers in the cowl’s corners.

13. Release the four, quarter-turn fasteners under the air filter units.
 

14. Remove the locking device from the center of the two-piece cowl by sliding it to the passenger side and off. This can be tight, but just firmly tap it to the left (left of the vehicle when looking at it from the front).
 

15. Remove the quarter-turn fasteners underneath the locking device.

16. Remove the air filter reservoirs from the two corners of the cowl area.
 

17. Remove the two expansion-type retainers from the center of the cowl.
 
 

18. At the two far corners of the cowl, under the corner of the hood, there are two fasteners that must be removed. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to get them started, and then remove the fasteners with your fingers.
 

19. There are 8 fascia fasteners along the cowl panel. They are all quarter-turn fasteners that can be released using a hexagon wrench.
 

20. Remove the rest of the cowl pieces to expose the lower edge of the glass.

21. The side moldings have a two-piece design: one piece is plastic and breaks easily; the other piece is metal. There are four clips up the side. To release, place the tip of a door-pad tool or molding release tool above the metal part of the clip and lift upwards. The molding will release without damage to the clip system.
 
 

22. The top molding is a wraparound vinyl molding with a feature line. Start in the top corner and peel it out from under the glass edge. Note: Before beginning windshield removal, verify the new windshield is the correct one and the urethanes and primers are current. Never use outdated products as this could jeopardize the structural integrity of the vehicle and the safety of its passengers.

Removal

23. Make sure the cutting blades are sufficiently sharp before use. The interior garnish moldings are covered with fabric and subject to damage if the cutting blade makes contact with the fabric. Either remove or displace the interior moldings, or use a shorter blade to keep from touching the fabric.

24. Before cutting out the windshield, remove contaminants from the glass and pinchweld to prevent contact with the urethane.

25. Use the cutting tool of your choice to remove the glass from the adhesive bead.

26. Take the windshield out of the opening using vacuum cups. Make sure the vacuum cups do not overlap a crack in the glass. Lift the glass and place it on a windshield stand or suitable workstation.

Installation

27. After cutting the windshield out, remove contaminants such as dirt, moisture and debris from the pinchweld. Clean the dashboard.

28. Attach the top molding to the glass edge.

29. Dry fit the new glass to the opening.

30. Place your vacuum cups on the new windshield in the appropriate location.

31. Set the windshield onto the old urethane.

32. Adjust both sides to the correct setting, marking the passenger side, then the driver side. Lift the glass and place it on a windshield stand or suitable workstation.

33. Follow the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations for installation.

34. Clean the inside of the windshield using a urethane manufacturer-recommended product. Do not touch the bonding area of the windshield after cleaning, prepping or priming it.

35. Wear powder-free Nitrile gloves to protect against harsh chemicals.

36. Apply the glass prep and primer following the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations.

37. Using the tool of your choice, remove the original urethane bead, leaving 1 mm-2 mm of existing urethane on the pinchweld. Make sure there are no contaminants and do not touch the pinchweld after you have prepped the area.

38. Apply the pinchweld primer only to the areas where needed, and follow the urethane manufacturer’s recommendations. Allow preps and primers to dry as recommended by the urethane manufacturer.

39. Apply a triangular bead of urethane to the same path as the freshly cut urethane on the pinchweld. Before cutting your V-notch, cut the tip off of your nozzle with a nozzle-cutter. With the cut nozzle, measure to the top of the roofline, and at 1/16-inch higher than the roofline, make a mark on the nozzle with a pen or marker. Notch the nozzle up to the marked line; this will give you the appropriate triangular bead.

40. Lift the windshield from the windshield stand or workstation using vacuum cups. Set the windshield on the urethane at the mark you made during your dry fit. Lower the driver’s side of the windshield onto the urethane and line it up with the dry-fit mark; it is now in place.

41. The windshield is now ready to be decked. Press firmly to ensure a good seal.

42. Grasp the backing from the underside double-faced tape and pull. Smooth the top molding to the roof.
 

43. Before re-installing the remaining parts, check for leaks. Use a leak detector to go over the perimeter of the windshield. If you find a leak, apply more pressure or add more urethane to the spot and ensure that the glass makes contact with the wet urethane.

44. Re-install the rain/light sensor to the lens mounted to the new glass and engage the clips.

45. The OEM condensation sensor comes mounted in a device that aligns and accurately attaches the sensor to the interior glass surface. Remove the protective backing from the condensation sensor. Align the template to the rain/light sensor lens and push the condensation sensor into place with your thumb. Reconnect the wiring harness.
 
 
 
 

46. Check operation of the rain/light sensor.

47. Re-install the removed parts in reverse order.

48. Allow the urethane to cure according to the urethane manufacturer’s recommended cure time before returning the vehicle to the customer. Warning: Disregarding the safe drive-away time that your urethane manufacturer recommends could jeopardize the structural integrity of the vehicle and the safety of its passengers.

49. You have completed the removal and replacement of the windshield.

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