Steps to remove the C pillar body moulding in 2001 SSEI

[kstills]

I have water on both sides of floor in the back and the passengers side floor in the front. I found the thread about the sun roof drains and their locations, but there isn't any step by step info on how to take the back interior out to get to the drains.

Any help would be appreciated.

[CMNTMXR57]

Gently, yet forcefully pull. It might be useful to work your way around the entire trim piece, sorta loosening it in order to avoid leaving plastic stress marks or cracks from bending plastic.

They're just very stubborn metal clips.

[kstills]

Gently, yet forcefully pull. It might be useful to work your way around the entire trim piece, sorta loosening it in order to avoid leaving plastic stress marks or cracks from bending plastic.

They're just very stubborn metal clips.

Grip tightly and yank, got it.

Do I need to take the seat bottom out, or just the seat back?

[harofreak00]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

[kstills]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

Seat back stays in place?

[CMNTMXR57]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

What exactly do you call that metal tab next to the yellow plastic one?

I didn't have issues with the plastic ones. It was the metal one that refused to come loose

[ddalder]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

Seat back stays in place?

Yes, the seat back stays in place. I definitely agree with Andrew; it's far easier if you pull the weather strip off the lip of the door opening, especially when you go to reinstall them.

[kstills]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

Seat back stays in place?

Yes, the seat back stays in place. I definitely agree with Andrew; it's far easier if you pull the weather strip off the lip of the door opening, especially when you go to reinstall them.

Cool, thanks to you both for your help.

[harofreak00]

They aren't metal clips, there are 2 yellow plastic retainers. I like to remove the weather stripping and then use a flat pry by to help pry against the upper clip. Once that one is out, you can pull the entire panel forward and the clip will release from the panel.

What exactly do you call that metal tab next to the yellow plastic one?

I didn't have issues with the plastic ones. It was the metal one that refused to come loose

Sounds like a 1 in a million case there Lane. The metal tab connects to the headliner, definitely not hard to remove. Those yellow plastic retainers are some of the tightest retainers on the Bonneville and they are used specifically for the C-pillar trim only. Let's see which one kstills has more trouble with...

[CMNTMXR57]

Well, that 1 in a million chance wouldn't have GM attaching a heavier, zinc coated, stainless steel fastener to a brittle, fiberglass/board (whatever material it is), headliner. You'll damage the hole in the headliner putting it in, and you'll destroy the hole taking it back apart with those clips. It passes through the headliner, and into the body.

This isn't the exact clip, but as close as I can find.
http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/GM_Gar ... a20268.htm

[ddalder]

Gotta go with Andrew on this one. I've never had problems with the metal clip but the yellow push-in retainers have always been more of a challenge. If not careful, the the plastic that on the trim that the retainer slides onto will break off. The clip is too short to pass through the headliner into the body. You can also see there are no cutouts in the sheet metal for clips to snap into, not to mention all the wiring and drain. I don't know why they used a clip instead of just a plastic tab because it doesn't really even "snap into" the headliner either. It's really more of an alignment/positioning tab.

[CMNTMXR57]

Yes that is also a problem on some of the truck door panels. They like to use that same style plastic fitting that slides into a mount.

I honestly don't recall mine being smooth like the one you pictured. Mine had the barbs on it. Which if that is the case, meant my trim had probably been removed before I removed it.

I have the tool very similar to what GM calls for to remove those plastic trim trees (J38778 if anyone cares), so I didn't have much problem with them.

[ddalder]

For what it's worth, GM does tend to change things a lot. The same trim panel on the 2004 (right hand) is different than 2005. There is a small cutout on the 2004 so the trim will fit over top of the coax cable for the OnStar antenna. In 2005 GM eliminated the cutout since the coax was moved to connect at the roof mount antenna. I wouldn't have thought GM would spend the money having new plastic molds made just for that. I'm sure there was some cost passed on from the vendor since molds aren't cheap. It was so small it really wasn't even noticeable.

[CMNTMXR57]

Quite possible. That and the other maddening thing is that they will list different part numbers for the same *dang* part, based on position sometimes.

[kstills]

Ok, so I pulled the seat and the C pillar panels. Neither was difficult, however getting the panels back on looks to be a PITA.

Here's the next problem. Unlike the write up you did, Haro, my drains don't run into the side panel next to the door, they are routed through the seat back bracket and drain out behind the rear wheel. The connection from the drain line to the tube in the trunk was fubar (they had the tube in the trunk facing down, so the water wouldn't drain out of the tube) which I fixed, then I poked out the connection from the sunroof to the drain tube that is connected up under the head liner so that was clear.

However, when I pour water into the sunroof, while some of it passes through the drains and comes out the bottom of the car, some of the water bypasses the drain and leaks through the bracket for the sunroof assembly onto the back seat. If everything was reatached, this would undoubtedly be draining down the c pillar assembly, onto the back seat support and then onto the carpet.

My question is, is that a problem caused by the volume of water attempting to pass down the drain, or is it something more serious? I can't imagine there would ever be that much water pouring into the sunroof bracket (I'm using a flower pot to test the drain), when I pour the water directly into the tube it tends to back up, however before I button the car back up I want to make sure all my bases are covered.

[CMNTMXR57]

Sounds like the line itself is either pinched or still slightly clogged that it can't handle that brief volume of water. You're getting some water through it, but not a complete full stream out.

The sunroof assembly will never be perfectly sealed to the roof (there is no rubber gasket or other device), to seal it up against the metal roof, so if you do drive through a monsoon, and that much water gets into the "tray" around the sunroof, it will leak over it. But between 4 drain points (1 in each corner, 2 front, 2 back), it should freely drain and any seep over should be quickly halted as it drains properly and the water level in the tray goes down.

The thing you have to realize, if the sunroof is closed, it helps partially seal out much of the water intrusion, so if you're getting that much water into the sunroof tray, you've got other issues like adjusting the glass panel to the opening to solve too. After cleaning drains, we'd sit inside a vehicle and deluge the roof with a garden hose and would never see a leak-over.

[kstills]

Sounds like the line itself is either pinched or still slightly clogged that it can't handle that brief volume of water. You're getting some water through it, but not a complete full stream out.

The sunroof assembly will never be perfectly sealed to the roof (there is no rubber gasket or other device), to seal it up against the metal roof, so if you do drive through a monsoon, and that much water gets into the "tray" around the sunroof, it will leak over it. But between 4 drain points (1 in each corner, 2 front, 2 back), it should freely drain and any seep over should be quickly halted as it drains properly and the water level in the tray goes down.

The thing you have to realize, if the sunroof is closed, it helps partially seal out much of the water intrusion, so if you're getting that much water into the sunroof tray, you've got other issues like adjusting the glass panel to the opening to solve too. After cleaning drains, we'd sit inside a vehicle and deluge the roof with a garden hose and would never see a leak-over.

What I'm doing is pouring water into the sunroof channel while the roof is open to see if the drain is working. I doubt there would ever be that much water leaking through the seals when it's closed, which is why I'm asking if pouring water into a well operating drain system could cause some leak over to spill out of the sunroof bracket, due to the fact that the drains are filled to capacity.

[harofreak00]

Yes, its not made for much drainage.

[ddalder]

Ok, so I pulled the seat and the C pillar panels. Neither was difficult, however getting the panels back on looks to be a PITA.

Replacing them is really quite easy. The yellow retainers typically end up staying in the sheet metal when you remove the panel (as you can see in the photo I posted). Remove them from there and reattach them to the trim piece before re-installation. You just need to guide the trim panel into place making sure the retainers line up with the holes and press them into final position.

[kstills]

Yes, its not made for much drainage.

Ok, so that side is probably good, on to the drivers side.