Rear window leak

[n8huntsman]

This is the part that was installed in my truck per the invoice. The website doesn’t say anything about being back ordered. https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-parts/gm-sliding-glass-84569182

 

not sure why the dealer would have trouble getting it.

[Thomcat]

Two piece Spoiler/cab arrangement on the '19+ differ from the previous gen. The flexible plastic spoiler is attached to the cab by gasketed mounting holes and arrangement does have some flex as evidenced by popping noise due to expansion creep in the hot Sun.

 

Anybody consider that the leakage problem may be caused by brush free car washes? Could be that the cause is not the sealing of the window unit assembly but the seal between the plastic spoiler and mounting holes on the metal cab.

 

Seal might never leak under normal rain conditions or testing with water from a hose, but blasting with a narrow jet of 300 mph air into the micro space flexes the spoiler and compromises the seal and once the bond is broken it will continue to leak underneath the headliner and down the inside of the glass. I never use car washes and been through numerous thunderstorms and remains dry as a bone.

[PtownVdub]

Update on my 2019: the dealer recognized that the crack in the upper window frame was an issue. They were able to get approval to replace it on the first go. Now they are waiting for an ETA on the glass since it is on back order. 

[Centrebaseball]

6 hours ago, Thomcat said:

Two piece Spoiler/cab arrangement on the '19+ differ from the previous gen. The flexible plastic spoiler is attached to the cab by gasketed mounting holes and arrangement does have some flex as evidenced by popping noise due to expansion creep in the hot Sun.

 

Anybody consider that the leakage problem may be caused by brush free car washes? Could be that the cause is not the sealing of the window unit assembly but the seal between the plastic spoiler and mounting holes on the metal cab.

 

Seal might never leak under normal rain conditions or testing with water from a hose, but blasting with a narrow jet of 300 mph air into the micro space flexes the spoiler and compromises the seal and once the bond is broken it will continue to leak underneath the headliner and down the inside of the glass. I never use car washes and been through numerous thunderstorms and remains dry as a bone.

Never went through any auto car wash with my truck. Hand wash and wax only.  Still leaked - twice. 
dealer also sealed those spoiler holes on the repair and it still leaked afterward. 
 

so, N=1

[SamDSJR]

So I finally took mine in, they are doing the standard TSB caulk fix. They will replace my headliner if I want. But they claim they can clean it to perfection also. It's up to me. What do you guys think? Would you let them clean it? I really don't want my factory front windshield torn out and 18 year olds tearing trim out of my $50k truck. Thoughts?

[Smitty]

54 minutes ago, SamDSJR said:

So I finally took mine in, they are doing the standard TSB caulk fix. They will replace my headliner if I want. But they claim they can clean it to perfection also. It's up to me. What do you guys think? Would you let them clean it? I really don't want my factory front windshield torn out and 18 year olds tearing trim out of my $50k truck. Thoughts?

I would video and take pictures of everything that could be messed up on the repair.  make sure they know you documented it all and maybe they will be careful.  If they aren't you can just reply the video \ pics.   I'm sorry you are having the same problem, good luck and let us know what happens. 

[OnTheReel]

58 minutes ago, SamDSJR said:

So I finally took mine in, they are doing the standard TSB caulk fix. They will replace my headliner if I want. But they claim they can clean it to perfection also. It's up to me. What do you guys think? Would you let them clean it? I really don't want my factory front windshield torn out and 18 year olds tearing trim out of my $50k truck. Thoughts?

Trim removal is unavoidable either way, they had to pull everything up to and including the A-pillar trim to drop my headliner enough without creasing it. But the windshield removal would have been a bridge too far for me.
 

The did a good job cleaning my headliner (on the second attempt), so I know it can be done satisfactorily, but will it? Depends on the dealer and how involved you get in ensuring it will be.

 

I had to laugh at blaming the car washes for this. The bulk of these leaks aren’t from the spoiler, but cracks in the window frame. Those are the result of nothing more than poor design or a poor quality part. Mine was dry as a bone, until it wasn’t.

[econometrics]

57 minutes ago, OnTheReel said:

I had to laugh at blaming the car washes for this. The bulk of these leaks aren’t from the spoiler, but cracks in the window frame. Those are the result of nothing more than poor design or a poor quality part. Mine was dry as a bone, until it wasn’t.

Yeah, I took mine through the touchless car wash probably 10 times before the leaking started. And I noticed the leaking after a slow, steady soaker-style rain that we had all day/night. It's still a tiny amount, but I'm sure it will continue to worsen. 

 

I took mine in this AM for the repair (along with squeaky rear brakes, plus the two recalls) but they did not have a loaner so I rebooked for a week later. 

 

We've got nothing but nice weather in the 10-day, so I'm not in a big hurry to get into this process. 

[OnTheReel]

Good luck to you and the other “latest victims“.

 

Personally, even if it was the car wash doing it, I would not accept that as a reasonable explanation. A lot of us live in a part of the country where hand washing isn’t practical, or even possible at least a third of the year. The other thing is, in the case of someone’s “work truck“, not every owner even cares enough to hand wash and baby it. Just run it through the automatic once a week in winter and that’s all they get. 
 

I’ve posted my story before, but my truck went through the auto-wash probably around 2 times a week for 6 months before the leak appeared during a slow, steady rainfall. The diagnosis was cracks in the window channel where water was observed streaming in. They also noted that the cab spoiler hardware/ roof penetrations were not sealed at all from the factory. Neither one of these could be tied to anything other than GM’s “barn door” engineering. The fix was the caulk, and some gasket-ing material around the spoiler which has thus far worked fine.
 

The fact that this has still been happening to late builds (which weren’t initially suspect in the original TSB), and now even a 2020 model would lead me to believe this design has major problems. Auto reviewers have noted that the T1 structure doesn’t feel as stiff as the K2 was, probably a product of the truck’s diet plan. Maybe excess flexing is stressing the window (and spoiler). Don’t know.

[Centrebaseball]

3 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

Good luck to you and the other “latest victims“.

 

Personally, even if it was the car wash doing it, I would not accept that as a reasonable explanation. A lot of us live in a part of the country where hand washing isn’t practical, or even possible at least a third of the year. The other thing is, in the case of someone’s “work truck“, not every owner even cares enough to hand wash and baby it. Just run it through the automatic once a week in winter and that’s all they get. 
 

I’ve posted my story before, but my truck went through the auto-wash probably around 2 times a week for 6 months before the leak appeared during a slow, steady rainfall. The diagnosis was cracks in the window channel where water was observed streaming in. They also noted that the cab spoiler hardware/ roof penetrations were not sealed at all from the factory. Neither one of these could be tied to anything other than GM’s “barn door” engineering. The fix was the caulk, and some gasket-ing material around the spoiler which has thus far worked fine.
 

The fact that this has still been happening to late builds (which weren’t initially suspect in the original TSB), and now even a 2020 model would lead me to believe this design has major problems. Auto reviewers have noted that the T1 structure doesn’t feel as stiff as the K2 was, probably a product of the truck’s diet plan. Maybe excess flexing is stressing the window (and spoiler). Don’t know.

2020 model? I haven't seen that on this thread - how do you have that information?

 

[OnTheReel]

On 12/9/2019 at 9:51 PM, MarcusDean said:

Y'all can go ahead and add me to the list. 2020 2500hd ltz duramax, spent over 70k on my dream truck, just to drive my truck from the showroom floor to home and right back the next morning. Luckily, it was raining the 1st night and saw drops all over my back seat. Checked around the rear passenger seat belt opening and was completely soaked along with the floorboards carpet. It's been about 2 weeks and I drove 1 and a half hours to pick it up tonight, happens to have been raining since last night and still is, and imagine that, water is pouring in still. Like did they even check the damn thing? It's been done since Friday and due to the distance and work I could only pick up today. They had a 3rd party vendor come in and reseal the window Last Fridag as they told me. Said they've only had 1 other one in that was the same year and model as mine for the same leak so far...

 

1 hour ago, Centrebaseball said:

2020 model? I haven't seen that on this thread - how do you have that information?

 

Page 44.

[Wiggums]

I got mine back, just a caulk, and there's a storm coming in a couple days. Fingers crossed.

[Centrebaseball]

So 2020 2500 and a bunch of 2019 1500’s

good luck with the storm @Wiggums

[SamDSJR]

So my truck will be ready Monday. He called me and told me he wanted it to sit over the weekend to let the cleaning job on the headliner dry.

Well I couldn't help myself. So I snuck onto the repair lot and inspected my truck for myself to see what they did. It turns out they did get the headliner spotless. No stain whatsoever, I honestly would have thought it was a new headliner. The smell though - holy crap on a stick dude. Its toxic level smell. NO WAY in hell I could drive. I'm hoping that will go away. Trim all looks good, no scratches. Truck is dirty as crap inside and will need to be cleaned, but no greasy hand prints or fingerprints anywhere I can see. As for the sealant job itself - So I was actually bummed I had seen pics where most people were getting clear sealant. I once worked next to a Safelite Glass store, so I know about using proper sealant. They did use the good black stuff on mine. However that didn't work out so well for my Silver Ice Metallic truck. I am truly heartbroken and deflated. I cannot believe GM thinks this is an acceptable repair job. To me, this is the same as having over spray on a paint job from a collision. There is NO WAY someone will not know I had my truck repaired.

 

 

[SamDSJR]

So should I reject this as acceptable work? Or take it and then take it back in to open a new ticket? I'm not sure what is best. At this point I fully intend to write certified letters to GM and attempt to get the buyback process initiated.