wobbly roof/side trim on the rear

[friviera]

Hello,

I noticed on my i3 that on the right side, the rear part of the trim on which there is the grey sticker has some play compared to the other side when pushing on it where it reaches the tailgate.
Is there anyone knowing how to fix this ?


Thanks

 

[Bayani DeGuzman]

I actually had same problem but on the other side. When I purchased my used 2020 i3 about a month ago, I noticed this panel to be loose and wobbly. I found that the dual sided tape that holds this trim wore off. If you open the back hatch you can see it. It was very hard to scrap off the old 3m tape, but I manage to replace with a new one... probably about 5cm long should to it. Or you can used silicon rubber to hold it down

 

[friviera]

Thanks, mine is 2020 too and after checking this is exactly the problem.
For anyone who would have this issue, I attached a photo of where the double sided tape is failing.

 

[mojo]

Avoid using silicone sealant if possible - it's not a very good adhesive and it may make it a lot more difficult to get anything else to stick later if it doesn't hold. A PU-based sealant/adhesive would probably be a better choice, though obviously replacing the tape would be best.

 

[friviera]

I'll try to find some genuine 3M VHB 5952 double sided foam tape as this seems to be close to the one used here or the transparent VHB that is very strong.

 

[tongsli]

I'll try to find some genuine 3M VHB 5952 double sided foam tape as this seems to be close to the one used here or the transparent VHB that is very strong.

Can you update this post with pictures if you are able?

 

[808Pants]

I'm gonna stick my contrarian neck out and say that this doesn't matter at all. I noticed both of mine have probably long been detached (from the level of dirt that's accumulated where they used to be secured), when I was tugging on one to see if I could get a sense of where they're REALLY held in place, in order to get them off to deal with bubbling roof clearcoat. They're both still as rigid as, say, the rear sunshade, even without the bond of the double-sided tape.

 

[friviera]

From what I saw in the ISTA instructions and in the ETK in this area of the arch there is a row of clips on top all along the roof,
and bigger ones at the bottom just above the small glass. (unclipping then pulling away the lower part then lifting the arch)
The row of clips on top are going in retaining strips that are also held by double sided tape.
As the arch wasn't moving from the top but more like the flexibility of a large piece of plastic that spent a few hours heating under the sun, I guess my issue is more the one that Bayani DeGuzman explained but I'll try to see if I can check the retaining strips without removing the arch.

I found that I have some 3M VHB 4910 transparent double sided foam that seems to be used for automotive mounting and that seems to have better characteristics than the one used originally. I'll try and see if this solves the issue.

 

[friviera]

I did the repair today and it seems this wasn't worst than that double sided tape that came off in this area.
I see that the other side is starting to fail too, I wait for it to come off so it will be easier to remove it.
if you wish to replace it before it totally fails, cut it using fishing wire.

For the repair I used the 3M VHB 4910, it needs a 10mm wide ribbon.
I first pushed back in place the parts and stuck a piece of masking tape along the edge to be able to align them when gluing them.
The old double sided tape comes off quite easily, with the little finger we can rub it off without pulling too hard on the parts.
I cleaned with alcohol the contact surfaces and put the 3M tape.
This is the hardest part as there is not a lot of space to slide it in place while keeping the ability to peel the protective layer of the tape after as it sticks well to it too. The best thing to do is to peel the red protective layer a little bit before sticking it.
Align well the part before pressing it as this tape is really hard to remove once glued.
(the reason of the piece of masking tape)
Once glued, if there is some double sided tape bulging on the side, just cut it with the nail to avoid making scratches with a tool.

In the datasheet 3M indicates that the bond build rate is at room temperature 50% after 20min and almost 100% after 1h and reaching it's maximum after 72h so it is better to wait 1h before driving the car to make sure the tape bonded well.

Also when getting this tape, make sure you buy some genuine one that comes in a cardboard box with a chain printed on it as even items sold by Amazon seems to have some exotic origins that are not the 3M Store or VHB Store.