Replace the Sunroof Seal on a 7th Generation (2003-2007) Honda Accord

Works For:
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Honda Accord Models

Source: DriveAccord.net

Recently, I posted a thread in the 7th Generation telling my story of the dumb crook that tried to break into my Accord by slicing into the sunroof. The dillhole must not be too bright if he thought he could pry the roof out. Thankfully, he was not successful and did not damage the glass or the body of the car. Just a 5 inch gash into the seal.

I ordered the replacement seal from Bernardi Parts. Far cheaper than my local Honda dealer’s $83 price. Even the Honda eStore didn’t have a good discounted price on that particular item.

The part number is 70205-SDN-A01 for the Coupe at $53.68 and 70205-SDA-A01 for the Sedan at $64.97. The same part numbers are used for 2003-2007. So if you need to replace the seal, just enter the part number on any Honda parts site. According to the parts sites, if you have to replace the glass, the seal is already included. Thankfully I did not have to drop $350 to replace the glass when only the seal was damaged.

I contacted my local dealer to get an verbal estimate on the repair. They don’t even do glass work. They tell you to order the part and call a mobile glass vendor. He called one and quoted $80-$120 for labor to replace the seal. I figured I would do the job myself since I had to order the part myself.

Replacing the seal is easy to do. The seal is a tongue-in-groove design so you just pull the old seal off the glass and install the new seal by pushing the tongue into the groove of the glass panel, and work your way around the glass. The coupe is easy. There are four torx T25 screws under the rubber trim flaps. Two on each side. Remove them and lift the glass up out of the roof. The sedan is a little more involved, so I included the service manual.

On the coupe, here are the screw locations, same on both sides. Remove the 4 torx screws and the glass lifts out of the roof:

Glass removed, damaged seal location highlighted:

New seal on top of the roof. Notice the special marking on the front center of the roof. There is an indentation in the seal to mark the front center of the glass. Start from that point and work your way around the glass on each side and around the back:

Here is the roof with the old seal removed. You can see the groove that the seal will attach to:

As you work your way around the glass, push the tongue into the groove with your thumb. It doesn’t take any effort to push it into the groove. Start at the front of the glass with the special mark in the seal and work your way to each corner, then around the sides of the glass. As you work towards the back of the glass, it may appear that the seal is too long. What you need to do at that point is to start to gently push the seal back around towards the front from both sides. As you even it out around the glass it will form perfectly around the glass and you can push the remaining seal into the groove. Then go around the entire glass to make sure the tongue is sealed into the groove.

Here is the new seal installed on the glass:

Here is the glass reinstalled in the roof. On the coupe, height adjustment is required. Service manual doesn’t mention if the same adjustment is needed on the sedan. You need to raise the glass with your hand so it is +/- 1mm even with the roof line. Then tighten the torx screws. So having a friend is helpful to hold the glass in place. On the coupe, it is also recommended to use liquid thread lock. Don’t get the permanent thread lock. Home Depot sells a tube of it. It prevents the screws from coming loose from vibration. Make sure you follow the directions as you must avoid skin contact. Home Depot also sells a ratcheting screwdriver with Torx and Hex bits.

So it cost me about $85 for the seal, torx screwdriver, and liquid thread lock. If I ordered the seal from the dealer at $83, with their quoted $80-$120 for labor, I would have been out almost $200. If the seal is damaged around your sunroof, this is an easy job to do on your own.