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New Owners!!! Top Alignment / Window Gaskets on the Outside of the Windows

13K views 58 replies 36 participants last post by  ArikDahn 
#1 · (Edited)
I thought with all the new owners getting their cars I would make a refresher post for what is probably one of the biggest problems with the SKY if you do not know "THE SECRET".

If you roll your windows up after putting your top up and the window comes up on the INSIDE of the gasket instead of the outside (like it should). Or if the window is comming up in the middle of the gasket. IT IS NOT THE GASKET. DO NOT MESS WITH THE ROOF!!

The problem is that the "B PILLARS" behind the door are not lining up. This is fairly common. (See Pictures) (I borrowed someones picture of a misalignment, hope you do not mind, sorry I got lazy)

Proper Procedure for putting up top:

1 - Windows DOWN (this goes for top up or down procedure)
2 - Pull top out of trunk in a forward motion, pull up AS LITTLE as possible
3 - push/pull forward so that the pegs line up with the two on the windsheild surround.
4 - Push the "B Pillars" in. This is to line the pegs, under the pillar, up with the holes behind the doors on the body. (SEE PICS)
5 - Go inside the car and close the latch.
6 - Close the trunk firmly
7 - Click in the two buttress's and you are golden.
8 - Windows should now come up on the outside of the gasket
9 - DONE, should take less than a minute

I know some members have brought their car back to the dealer for this with mixed results. One member brought it up at the factory tour, the tech basically pushed in on the B Pillar to "bend it in some". That seems so unnecessary to me. Just pop them in as part of the procedure and it goes from being a problem to being part of the norm.

This is just my way of dealing with this, others may not agree, but I like to simplify things. :willy:

Hope this helps some of the new owners....GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR NEW SKY'S :cheers: .......THEY DO NOT GET BORING AFTER 6 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, I CAN TELL YOU THAT!! :thumbs:

First Picture is of the holes the Pillars need to come up into
Second Picture (borrrowed) is of a MISALIGNED top

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#3 ·
Top Alignment

Thank you for that tip :thumbs: I thought the only "pegs" were the ones that fit in the holes over the windshield! I think my top has been going up properly...from now on I'll be sure to have the windows DOWN when I put the top UP to ensure proper fit.
 
#4 ·
WOW, Great information. I was having the same issue. Just tried your fix. Problem gone! Thank you so very much. :)
 
#5 ·
wind noise

Although the pins are lined up correctly I am getting very loud wind noise from the drivers side only. The passenger is near perfect. It has been into the dealer 3 times and they have determined after various attempots to correct it, that this is normal for a convertible I question that if one side is quiet so should the other. Any thoughts?
 
#46 ·
Although the pins are lined up correctly I am getting very loud wind noise from the drivers side only. The passenger is near perfect. It has been into the dealer 3 times and they have determined after various attempots to correct it, that this is normal for a convertible I question that if one side is quiet so should the other. Any thoughts?
I too have persistent passenger side wind noise. (Easy to find on the outside, by turning interior blower on max, with windows closed.)

Three trips to the dealer with no resolution. Rather than giving up, I'm trying putting layers of electrical tape on the edge (and a little on both sides) of the glass where the noise is. Thought I had found it.

But the first attempt failed, in fact it seems like the air may be coming from a 'gap' on the top - not where the rubber seal hits the glass. Stay tuned, I plan to find it. Need a stethsascope to pinpoint the leak.

Bo Barry
 
#6 ·
I've had the B piller problem since I got delivery in March. I've always wondered if this was a bad batch since all the people I know have the problem on the passenger side and seems to be built in the feb/march 07 time period. Does anyone have this problem outside this time period? Also if anyone has actually gotten this fixed by the dealer can you please explain what they did to it? Did they just try to push it in real hard to bend it. I brought it back to the dealer the day after delivery to fix it but its still the same.
 
#8 ·
Our problem is on the drivers side. It's not off by much. Just s slight push when putting up the top does the trick. Built and delivered in Nov 2006.
 
#9 ·
Glad this thread could help, I had a feeling by reading through the newer owners post that this was a needed discussion! :cheers:


I think it is the nature of this top and I do not understand why the dealers are unaware of it. There is nothing in the design to keep the pillars set IN, except the shape of the inner roof brackets.

I think if you bend it in it is probably good for a while but I don't have a problem just clicking them in when I put the top up, so I opt to leave it alone and not cause more trouble! :thumbs:
 
#10 ·
Paul...did i ever tell you you're my hero...the wind beneath my wings...i love you long time and will **** you like a rockstar:thumbs: :drool: :patriot: :patriot:
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the valuable information. I'll have to go outside tommorow morning and observe my pillar/top gasket connection to see if they are aligned.

It's been raining cats and dogs down here in Miami the past few days, would water seepage be an indication of a misalignment? Because I have not had any leaks.
 
#13 ·
I know some members have brought their car back to the dealer for this with mixed results. One member brought it up at the factory tour, the tech basically pushed in on the B Pillar to "bend it in some". That seems so unnecessary to me. Just pop them in as part of the procedure and it goes from being a problem to being part of the norm.
Hey- I resemble that remark! :lol: My first roof was adjusted at the dealer, and the new one was adjusted at the plant.

The new roof was much further out of alignment than the original one, and what was annoying and inconvenient before became somewhat difficult as it was difficult to align one without pushing the other out. The new roof went on 2 days before the tour, so I asked about it when we were at the plant. There was a bit of pushing and bending, which is probably all I mentioned when I told you about it, but some bolts needed to be adjusted too. (Thanks, Mike!:thumbs:) Since then, I have had no issue whatsoever with top alignment.

The procedure you outlined is correct and will work, but when I was doing that several times each day (drive to work, pick up lunch, drive home, go out somewhere, etc.) it got old really fast. I think quirk tolerance declines significantly when the car is your daily driver. As long as you know what to do and are comfortable doing it, I probably wouldn't make a special trip to the dealer, but when in for scheduled maintenance, I would definitely ask them to try to adjust it. :jm2c:
 
#14 ·
Oh yea, thats right Reed, great points :thumbs: . I thought it was one of the people in CT that told me that, who had a more minor issue, like mine. Sorry :eek: , I did not mean to sound so negative about the dealer fixing this issue, especially if it is as far out as you described.
I agree, if it is far out enough and both sides are out, like yours was, then the dealer should adjust for sure.

The reason I suggested not to take it to the dealer for the issue is that so many dealers are clueless with the tops, you might just get it back in worse shape (if it was minor, like mine). I think a good portion of these cars have this issue to a minor extent. Sometimes mine comes up and it is fine and other times it needs a small push in, usually on the pass side.

Did the adjustment stay in the "fixed" position, or has it gotten to where it is out slightly now and then??

As part of the procedure, it is good to check the Pillar line up even if yours does not come out as a regular issue! :thumbs: :cheers:
 
#15 ·
My first Sky, a yellow base model, never had an issue with the top alignment. When I traded for the Redline (built November 16, 2006) I had intermittent issues (as others have described) with the B-Pillar on the driver side only.
Dealer tried, but was unsuccessful in resolving the problem. Then, I discovered a simple technique that results in perfect alingment on both sides each and every time I raise the top...
After you bring the top out of the trunk, and just before you latch it, while sitting in the driver's seat, simply lift the front edge of the top up and forward slightly (just an inch or so in both directions), then complete the closure with the latch. B-Pillars line-up perfectly, no skewed window seals and no air leaks. Adds one-second to the process and life is good! :thumbs:
 
#49 ·
I've had no problem with this, and when I read your post I realized that I've been using your method since I got the car. I always lift up and push the pins toward the slots before closing the latch, I guess that's why it's worked for me too.

Great thread, this is the kind of valuable info that a great forum has to offer! :thumbs:
 
#16 ·
This thread is very informative. Thanks for putting it together. Is there a pic you can add of the top in the proper position from the same angle as the one with it misaligned? Also, I'm not sure what the B pillar is, maybe it will be more clear once I have my car to compare to.
 
#18 ·
Problem solved!

OK, that fixed it!!! I just needed to make sure the dowell on the bottom of the B-Pillar lined up with the hole when i put the top up and everything worked great. i haven't driven on the freeway yet to test and see if it solved my wind noise problem yet, but it got the seal on the right side of the window at least. thx xmicro redline!
 
#20 ·
great thread. mine was on the pass. side. for anyone still confused, if you look right where the rag top and car meet at the b pillar, youll see a little plastic tab, push it in and youll hear a little click. then latch your roof, roll the window down and then back up and youll be able to tell if the seal is aligned or not.
 
#21 ·
THANKS!!! I never would have noticed until it rained. Mine was in the driver side. A little thumb pressure and it's fixed. I pointed this tip out to the dealer today, and he thanked me.

Baron
 
#23 ·
You are indeed a "Rockstar", I showed to the folks at Saturn of SF and I think THEY want to **** you long time! (Thanks jayman) They were truly Impressed! Thanks again,:thumbs:
Leland
 
#34 ·
I have never had a top alignment problem, on my first Sky or my second one. When I get home I will get out of the car, go to the the passenger side and open the door (this is when the windows are up) pop the trunk, lift the top until it is almost to the windshield. I then sit in the passenger seat. lift the top to see both pins and align them with the windshield holes push them into position and close the latch.. I then get out and close the passengers door, close the trunk, snap in the buttress on the passenger side, walk around and push in the butress in the driver's side then close the driver's door... no problems.....:thumbs:
 
#36 ·
Ditto for me, but I sure would like the 'B pillar' explained to me one more time.

I have a slight amount of wind noise on one side and may need to do what everyone else appears to be doing (something to their B pillar) - not to be confused with their A pillar, wherever it is. :)

The two plastic pegs appear to fit fine into the holes in the car body made for them. I do the up/down thing with the windows down, and make sure the two pegs on the front edge of the top fit OK.

Any help would be appreciated. A much better pic of the 'B pillar' is going to be needed for this dummy. :banghead:

Bo
 
#35 ·
I had this problem. I took it in to the dealership back in June and they knew exactly what i was talking about. They made an adjustment to the top while i watched. They tightened some sort of adjustment screws and that was it the whole thing took maybe 15min once they got to me. It has worked fine since then no problems at all.
 
#41 ·
Did Saturn completely fix this issue on the 08 models?? That would be cool! :cool:

I am surprised nobody commented on this thread. Things are looking up in the world of Quality Control! :D
I had the same problem on my '08 RL

figured out the fix within a day. It's not worth it to me to take it to the dealer to have them mess around with it as it only takes an extra 2 seconds of my time to align it properly.
 
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