Window Seal/trim Damage

[broughton]

Hi - thanks, Jim, this is the part I was trying to describe. It's hard to believe anyone could buy a car and only notice this a few days later, but I did it. Any suggestions on how to put this right would be welcome- looks like the result of a break-in attempt.

[three5]

Hi Kevin,

is the part in question metal and covered in a plastic coating?

[LeeADAB]

Hi Kevin,

I wouldn't have thought it was from an attempted break in in that location.

Could it be cigarette burns to the plastic covering shrivelling it?

[broughton]

Well, there are two parts involved: there's a thin plastic film - a bit like a shrink-wrap texture - which goes ll round the top inch of the door, and that's rucked up and shrivelled. It could conceiveably have been burned, Lee, but it's along about 4 inches, and I think youd have to apply a cigar with some determination. (Makes me wonder about the one previous lady owner) But the rubber seal round the window, which flares out into like a little gutter for the last 4 inches, is also deformed and bent out of shape in the area immediately below the damaged plastic coating. The seal is probably ok; the black film is one of those things that makes you cringe every time you see it.

Kevin

[three5]

Kevin,

your "plastic film" reference rings a bell with a similar problem that came up on the forum a few years ago. I've searched for the thread but can't find it. If I remember correctly, Kingo said that the film was available as a spare from Toyota. It would be worth dropping him a personal message.

[firemac]

Hi - thanks, Jim, this is the part I was trying to describe. It's hard to believe anyone could buy a car and only notice this a few days later, but I did it. Any suggestions on how to put this right would be welcome- looks like the result of a break-in attempt.

Agree, that doesn't look right. It appears to be damage on the metal frame as opposed to the strange looking design of the rubber window trim, which was what I thought you were referriing to originally.

As Lee has suggested, could it be the result of ciggie burns? I mean, could the previous owner have been in the habit of dropping the window just enough so that he/she could flick the ash out through the gap and, in the process, perhaps singe the frame. Maybe if it was done often enough, it could have damageds the paintwork??

[LeeADAB]

Not sure about the three door rav rubber trim but the five doors do have the odd design feature. When I bought mine back in 2005 I thought it was a factory fault but as it was on both sides decided it was supposed to be there. The rubber on my RAV is about 2" long but maybe someone with a three door can say if there's is longer like yours. I would think that rather than a cigar it would be like firemac says and many ciggies over time.

This is my seal for comparison......

[flyboyprowler]

Hi Kevin,

My 2003 5 door had a similar problem with the trim that runs up the screen and a little on the roof. It came to light that over the years, they tend to harden up and crack. The parts weren't cheap, but fairly easy to fit, I am sure the venerable Kingo will help.

Best of luck, Ainsley

[Big Kev]

Venerable..........does that mean you can stick thin layers of wood on him, or he has contracted an STD......?

[firemac]

Not sure about the three door rav rubber trim but the five doors do have the odd design feature. When I bought mine back in 2005 I thought it was a factory fault but as it was on both sides decided it was supposed to be there. The rubber on my RAV is about 2" long but maybe someone with a three door can say if there's is longer like yours. I would think that rather than a cigar it would be like firemac says and many ciggies over time.

This is my seal for comparison......20130403_171911.jpg

Our 5-dr is like that on the driver's side, i.e. the moulded end is about 2 inches long. On the passenger side it is the same but only about half the length.

On the 3-dr, the driver's side is the same as the 5-dr but the passenger side has a flush seal, without the strange-shaped moulding at the mirror end. Never noticed that before.......

[broughton]

Thanks everyone for all the forensics. In the longer term, I might find out what it would cost to have the puckered film removed and replaced; in the meantime I'm considering trying to take off the rucked-up section which always catches my eye, figuratively. I wonder if I can take out a section with a modelling knife without scoring the paint underneath. I've no idea how it got like that - the holding-a -!Removed!-out-the-window idea could be it - but I spent this afternoon giving it a deep clean and found a hole in the carpet in the driver footwell UNDER the mat......... I'm really starting to wonder what the previous owner got up to. Certainly found some innovative ways to chip bits off a car.

[broughton]

Thanks everyone for all the forensics. I might pluck up the courage to ask what it would cost to remove and replace the film; in the meantime I'm wondering if I can remove the ugly-looking section of the film with a modelling knife without scoring the paint underneath. I've still no idea how it got like this - the cigarette-held-just out-the window idea could well be it - but today I gave the car a deep clean and found a hole in the carpet in the driver footwell UNDER the mat. I don't know what the previous owner got up to, but they found some innovative ways to chip bits off a car.