Rear window leak

[Mike_F]

Quote

FYI if your truck has the camera in the rear brake light it won't work with the truck cap.

Yes, thanks for the FYI.

Not much I can do about that with the current GM engineering.

Once I get the cap installed, I plan on making  labels to place on the camper top with the correct print size to the optics, praising the wonderful, well thought out design, as a joke to show people when the camera views are brought up.

The rear view mirror flip  mode and bed mode.

Maybe make a Youtube to point out the wonderful engineering so the competitors can avoid the same design and maybe shame them into a retrofit.LOL

This has been brought to their attention early on but they don't seem to care.

They can  have the fore thought for camera plugs on the bumper for trailering but not for the others?

Another case of CC or GG(cool commuter /grocery getter) design without real world useful practicality for a truck.

Oh well, it is what it is.

 

Thanks

 

 

[zelmo]

I'm sorry, but I just don't have time to read all 126 pages of this thread.

 

Can someone tell me if the leak occurs while the truck is sitting still?  The weather forecast is for an inch of rain tomorrow night.  If so I would go look at the truck I am considering buying the next morning to see if it leaked.

[OnTheReel]

52 minutes ago, zelmo said:

I'm sorry, but I just don't have time to read all 126 pages of this thread.

 

Can someone tell me if the leak occurs while the truck is sitting still?  The weather forecast is for an inch of rain tomorrow night.  If so I would go look at the truck I am considering buying the next morning to see if it leaked.

Yes, it will leak when sitting. However, if the truck is brand new, the window probably won’t leak yet. Most of us didn’t have the problem until we put some miles on the trucks. Mine was around 7k miles in. So not leaking on the dealer lot doesn’t mean anything really.

[bamatuktuk]

Had the sealant re-done last Friday.  So far so good. Initial leak was caught early, so  we’ll see how long it lasts.  We’ve already had several days of ran and so far so good.  Would like to have my truck not at the dealer at least 1 full week.

[VinnieM]

So I got the call from my dealership today that they replaced my rear window and repairs were complete but not before they dented the truck while trying to replace the rear seat. Now it’s off to the body shop.!! Typical dealer repairs. Fix one thing and break two. Just what I wanted on a brand new black truck. 

[hotrodz37]

So I got the call from my dealership today that they replaced my rear window and repairs were complete but not before they dented the truck while trying to replace the rear seat. Now it’s off to the body shop.!! Typical dealer repairs. Fix one thing and break two. Just what I wanted on a brand new black truck. 

Yep, hear ya there. I got a call today that my “new” rear window is in but I don’t think I’m going to bother with it. I got mine to stop leaking and last thing I need is for them to ruin more parts trying to fix the other.


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[ShamrockShooter]

Suddenly a leaking rear window doesn't seem like a big deal. Perspective.

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[UGADawgs]

13 hours ago, ShamrockShooter said:

Suddenly a leaking rear window doesn't seem like a big deal. Perspective.

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During this slow down, GM engineers should have plenty of time to figure out what the problem is with the window frames... that is... after they retool to create ventilators... 

[hotrodz37]

During this slow down, GM engineers should have plenty of time to figure out what the problem is with the window frames... that is... after they retool to create ventilators... 

Hope their ventilators don’t leak too.


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[Thomcat]

11 hours ago, UGADawgs said:

During this slow down, GM engineers should have plenty of time to figure out what the problem is with the window frames... that is... after they retool to create ventilators... 

GM engineers likely know what the problem is, they did on the Avalanches with cracked frames, it is just it can't be fixed until the next rev or they don't want to correct because it affects only the relatively few vehicles based upon some aspects of usage subjecting it to the occurance that causes the damage. No insult, no cracked frame or seal. Frame probably cracks for the same reason my rear window frames cracked on the '07 and '12 Avalanches and why the one on my '13 never cracked.....much cheaper and easier to mold a plastic frame than a metal one.....and remember the bean counters measure every oz. of every component going into the truck and one that is lighter and cheaper is a bonus.

 

Here's my .02     The premise that all rear window frame/seal will crack/leak after a few months or miles is illogical......if it doesn't leak when new, something happens that cracks the frame or breaks the seal. Window frames crack on Avalanches because it is a single piece of glass in a solid plastic frame (just like the two end windows on the Silverado) too much heat and the glass expands faster than the frame and the frame cracks. Not a problem in Avalanches because the sail overhangs the frame and water cannot get into the cracks, but the design of the spoiler on the Silverado channels the water onto the seal and areas of cracks. Makes sense because the cracks develop at the two weakest points of the frame surrounding a solid piece of glass and are the first to go when the glass expands or areas where the seal will leak. After the second window frame cracked on the '12 after less than a year the mechanic told me to restrict use of the defrost grid which is controlled by a timer, there is no thermostat controlling the max temp of the heating grid. Followed that advice on my '13 and it was still intact 3 years later when traded.

 

Over a year of hot cold cycling and 6500 miles the Silverado is still tight as a drum probably because I have the auto defog turned off on the rear window in settings and it only get turned on manually and only so long as snow or fog has to be cleared. Use on a warm day and the glass can overheat, expand and the frame cracks. And the Silverado's  Auto Defog will turn it on and keep it on regardless of outside temperature so if it automatically goes on with the temperature sensor in the front grille cold and the Sun beating on the rear windows starting them out hot, in the 10 minutes time can expand the two end window(s) enough to break the frame or the seal.

[UGADawgs]

11 hours ago, Thomcat said:

GM engineers likely know what the problem is, they did on the Avalanches with cracked frames, it is just it can't be fixed until the next rev or they don't want to correct because it affects only the relatively few vehicles based upon some aspects of usage subjecting it to the occurance that causes the damage. No insult, no cracked frame or seal. Frame probably cracks for the same reason my rear window frames cracked on the '07 and '12 Avalanches and why the one on my '13 never cracked.....much cheaper and easier to mold a plastic frame than a metal one.....and remember the bean counters measure every oz. of every component going into the truck and one that is lighter and cheaper is a bonus.

 

Here's my .02     The premise that all rear window frame/seal will crack/leak after a few months or miles is illogical......if it doesn't leak when new, something happens that cracks the frame or breaks the seal. Window frames crack on Avalanches because it is a single piece of glass in a solid plastic frame (just like the two end windows on the Silverado) too much heat and the glass expands faster than the frame and the frame cracks. Not a problem in Avalanches because the sail overhangs the frame and water cannot get into the cracks, but the design of the spoiler on the Silverado channels the water onto the seal and areas of cracks. Makes sense because the cracks develop at the two weakest points of the frame surrounding a solid piece of glass and are the first to go when the glass expands or areas where the seal will leak. After the second window frame cracked on the '12 after less than a year the mechanic told me to restrict use of the defrost grid which is controlled by a timer, there is no thermostat controlling the max temp of the heating grid. Followed that advice on my '13 and it was still intact 3 years later when traded.

 

Over a year of hot cold cycling and 6500 miles the Silverado is still tight as a drum probably because I have the auto defog turned off on the rear window in settings and it only get turned on manually and only so long as snow or fog has to be cleared. Use on a warm day and the glass can overheat, expand and the frame cracks. And the Silverado's  Auto Defog will turn it on and keep it on regardless of outside temperature so if it automatically goes on with the temperature sensor in the front grille cold and the Sun beating on the rear windows starting them out hot, in the 10 minutes time can expand the two end window(s) enough to break the frame or the seal.

If your assertion is true that they may know what the problem and then to not fix it while building another estimated 4-5 million trucks would be gross negligence. 

[Thomcat]

2 hours ago, UGADawgs said:

If your assertion is true that they may know what the problem and then to not fix it while building another estimated 4-5 million trucks would be gross negligence. 

IMHO (an old guy starting to use these stupid abbreviations) not gross negligence, maybe just negligence and maybe not that since it doesn't affect all production, possible only a statistically irrelevant, non injury related figure based upon sales vs. failure rate.

 

It's not like it similar logic hasn't been done before. I has a Ford Pinto as a work vehicle and it never blew up.....because nobody hit me in the rear. Well over 4-5 million sold in '69-'75 and engineers and legal knew about the design problem and rolled the dice that it was cheaper to pay off injuries than redesign the car. Quick fix forced by the Government was to put breakaway straps and filler neck on the gas tank....this way the Pinto would no longer explode if rear ended, only the poor bastard that hit your Pinto retrofitted with the Government approved fix and wedged your exploding breakaway tank under his vehicle.

 

What's cheaper..... to redesign a heavier and more expensive rear window, dump all existing stock of replacement windows, contract to have the retrofit manufactured and then recall and retrofit all 19+ rear windows; or, to goop up existing ones that develop a leak with a few hours labor, $15 in sealant and hope for the best? Gooping up the rear window seal appears to be a similar theory for repair as the Pinto etc. but with a much cheaper and safer outcome for GM because even though occurrence may be just as statistically relevant as a Pinto in flames, accidental ignition key shutoff in a Camaro, rear axle break on a Corvette or suspension failure in a Corvair........no one will collect bucks on an injury or death claim for a wet carpet.

 

Mine may just be a theory, but until I see water on the inside instead of the outside, just as good as anything else and that Auto Defog is staying off and I'm limiting manual use and only cold weather.....if interior remains dry, won't need it for defogging in warm weather anyway.

[RadoPhan]

I tried reading as much as I could but didn’t see if this is only the sliding rear window. From the ones I’ve read, none are the solid rear window. Am I incorrect?


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[Porterhouse]

Anyone manage to get carpet replaced also? Found these strips I believe they may help us leakers temporarily. What do you think?

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[seniorjumper82]

Mines not leaking yet that I’ve seen but I did find a crack in the window frame yesterday?  Will GM replace it just due to a cracked window frame?