2011 Audi A4

NAGS numbers*: Windshield part numbers FW2946 solar, pre-applied adhesive system; FW2947 solar, PAAS, rain sensor; FW2948 solar, PAAS, rain sensor, lane departure system; front door glass FD23878-79 right/left, solar; rear door glass FD23660-81 right/left, solar.

Helpful tools or supplies: Thin cold-knife blades, a rain sensor gel pack and door glass plastic retainers

1. Pre-inspect the vehicle, checking the operation of the mechanical devices. Before checking the operation of the rain sensor, make sure the windows, doors and hood are closed. Sprinkle the rain sensor window with water, get in the vehicle, and close the door. Turn on the vehicle and wiper system. The wipers should clear the windshield and stop.

2. 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 FW2946, FW2947 and FW2948.

3. 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.

4. The rearview mirror, rain sensor and wiring are shielded by a decorative two-piece cover. Remove both pieces of the cover at the same time, separating them after you have removed them from the windshield.

6. Remove the windshield-wiper nut covers.

7. Remove the windshield-wiper nuts using a 14-millimeter wrench or socket.

8. Use your fingers to remove the side molding by pulling upwards and releasing the molding from the retainer riveted on the A-pillar wall. This requires minimal effort.

9. To remove the two-part cowl panel, first remove the two corner cowl retainers from the front cowl panel. Using a flat screwdriver, make a quarter turn to release the retainers. Then, lift and slide out from under the back cowl panel.

10. Remove the back cowl panel by removing the three spring steel clips from the leading edge of the cowl that attach the back cowl to the firewall. Starting in the corners, gently pry up the back cowl panel from the retainer that comes attached to the lower edge of the glass part. Continue along the panel until the back cowl is free from the retainer. Set the panel in a safe place. 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.

11. Make sure cutting blades are sufficiently sharp. The cutout is relatively easy due to a rather thin bead of urethane. Do not use a long cold-knife blade for cutout as it could snag the interior garnish moldings.

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

13. Use a thin-blade cold knife or a cold knife with a padded vertical leg to remove the glass from the adhesive bead on the top and sides. Use the tool of your choice to cut along the bottom. If you use a power tool, lubricate the cutting area with water. There are no gravity stops on this vehicle; use a temporary stop to keep the glass from sliding off the fresh urethane.

14. Take the windshield out of the opening using a set of 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.

15. The new glass is not the PAAS type we are used to. It comes with an underside molding on the top and a molding retainer on the bottom. The bead of new urethane will actually touch the glass on both the top and bottom without bonding to a PAAS.

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

17. Dry fit the new glass to the opening. Mark your glass using a grease pencil or retention molding tape.

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

19. Set the windshield onto the old urethane.

20. With the windshield resting in the opening, make sure it is in the right spot.

21. 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.

22. Follow the urethane manufacturer's recommendations for installation.

23. 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.

24. Re-attach the wire cover back retainer to the new glass.

25. Mount the rain sensor lens before setting the glass in the opening. To do so:

Make sure that the ambient temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
Clean the mounting area and let it dry thoroughly.
Warm the gel pack by putting it in your pocket or warming it with a hair dryer for a few seconds.
Attach the new gel pack to the lens, making sure that there are no bubbles or gaps.
Peel the backing off the gel pack and place it in the lens mounting bracket. Make sure the aligning pins are correct.
Wet out the gel pack by pressing it in place. Go from one side to the other. Make sure there are no bubbles or gaps in the seal between the lens and the glass surface.
Re-attach the chrome clip by snapping it in place to retain the lens to the bracket.

27. Apply the glass prep and primer following the urethane manufacturer's recommendations.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

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

33. Before re-installing the 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.

36. Separate the wire cover from the mirror assembly and attach the mirror assembly to the mirror bracket with a one-quarter turn. Reconnect the two wiring connectors and covers.

38. 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.

1. Make sure that you have the right glass. Front door glass part numbers are FD23878-79.

2. Remove the aluminum/silver-colored decorative panel from the top of the door panel by prying outward carefully around the perimeter and then sliding the panel backward slightly.

4. Under the armrest, there is another panel that is color-coordinated with the vehicle interior color. It is held in place by a number of retainers built into the panel. Use a plastic stick to pry and release the panel retainers around the perimeter of the panel.

6. Remove the additional T25 Torx screw at the bottom edge of the panel to facilitate glass removal.

7. Release the seven door-panel retainers around the perimeter. Lift the panel off the doorframe.

8. Release the door-latch linkage from the mechanism by swinging the linkage retaining clip and lifting the linkage from the receptacle.

10. There is a plastic panel covering the rear access hole that simply snaps into place. Use a plastic stick to get it started; then peel the panel from the hole.

11. If your goal is to salvage the glass, lower the glass to the access hole located on the vertical guide, front and back.

12. To release the glass from the riser mechanism, use a blunt, heavy, plastic probe to depress the retaining button, and lift upwards on the glass. Do the back first and then the front.

14. If the glass is fractured, make sure there aren't any glass particles embedded in the mechanism attachment bracket.

16. Insert the glass into the doorframe, and insert the glass into the vertical front and back weatherstrips. Make sure it moves freely.

17. Align the holes in the glass with the retaining button on the vertical guides and snap into place. Make sure the glass is secure.

19. If the door glass ran beyond its normal path of travel while the glass was fractured, then re-initialization might be required. Re-initialization procedures are as follows:

1. Make sure that you have the right glass. Rear door glass part numbers are FD23660-81.

2. Remove the aluminum/silver-colored decorative panel from the top of the door panel by prying outward carefully around the perimeter and sliding the panel backward slightly.

6. Remove the additional T25 Torx screw at the bottom edge of the panel, to facilitate glass removal.

7. Release the seven door-panel retainers around the perimeter, and lift the panel off the doorframe.

8. Release the door-latch linkage from the mechanism by swinging the linkage retaining clip and lifting the linkage from the receptacle.

10. Remove the two grommets that cover the access holes to the door glass retainers.

12. There are two retainers that attach the door glass to the riser mechanism. To release, force the center of the retainer through the sleeve; then, remove the sleeve itself.

13. Insert a blunt-tipped screwdriver or probe into the center of the retainer. Force the center pin out. Note, you can reuse this retainer if you find and retain all of the parts. While holding the door glass, push the sleeve out from the hole in the glass. Repeat the removal procedure for the front retainer. Lift the glass from the doorframe.

14. Reassemble the retainers by inserting the center pin into the sleeve just enough for the sleeve to hold the pin securely. Do not insert fully.

15. To replace the rear door glass, slip it back into door in the same manner you removed it.

16. Align the glass to the mechanism, and insert the retainers through the mechanism and the holes in the glass. Fully insert the center pin into the sleeve. This expands the sleeve to secure the glass to the riser mechanism.

17. Check the operation of the glass before replacing the panel to ensure proper installation.

INFO-AUTOGLASS.ru

2011 Audi A4

2011 Audi A4.

Photo by Audi of America