Rear window leak

[OnTheReel]

To answer the question with real data, 60 out of 177 respondents had a leak. 

[Memphis87]

Gm should do there headliners in black, I bet they’d have 90% less leaking window claims......if you can’t see the water stain, is there really one?!

Edited April 15, 2020 by Memphis87

[Thomcat]

8 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

Even if, and I don’t subscribe to this belief, but even if using the defroster on a warm day or using an automatic wash causes a leak, how is that NOT a design defect?!? 
 

As I’ve said before...you cannot mass produce any vehicle, let alone a pickup truck, with the intent that it must be exclusively hand washed, and that you mustn’t use the automatic climate control, even though it comes with it and is programmed by the same people who designed the truck. Thanks for the laugh though.

.02 Weather or not a design defect is debatable....it is designed for it's primary function to get someone's a$$ from point A to B and withstand normally expected useage and cleaning methods and it may well work for the 99-8/10ths percent that have been sold and don't leak. Perhaps a cheap, stupid design with a separate spoiler assembly is responsible, but no designer can account for every variable not under control or reproducable like someone running a carwash that decided to up the average blower output of 200 mph or get more restrictive nozzles upping the output to 300-400 mph to speed up the conveyor or reduce number of wiping staff, double the amount of HF acid in the wash for a faster scrub, etc. Same goes for excessive heat cycling of the rear defroster grid operation like I did on my Avalanche. Could be saving the planet with some new biodegradable sealant that is only susceptible to certain chemicals in commercial or OTC washes........and I doubt that they vigorously test for each possible formulation and pressure test that thin POS spoiler seal well in excess of max. hurricane and tornado wind speed/pressures. It can be done but you don't get Rolls/Ferrari class designing for bottom feeder GM pricing. Same goes for dealer screw-ups in repair work, Mr. Goodwrench ain't working in many dealerships...my dealership has 20+ bays and doesn't just schedule for the first opening, but when there are sufficient particular personnel trained in that area of service, e.g. no problem with a same day State inspection, but had to wait a week for an opening with the correct number of personnel skilled in sunroof replacement.....and they never pulled the windshield to replace a headliner and new sunroof assembly....especially not smart today on vehicles with built-in front cameras.

 

The auto defroster is a different matter.....and I bring that up because I cracked two plastic frames on my '12 Avalanche rear window without realizing the cause....they never leaked because the removable window was fitted with a flexible gasket, but the expansion separated the electrical contact... Mechanic put me wise claiming I was over cycling the built-in 5 minute auto timer by pushing the manual button repeatedly to clear  moisture from the rear window (especially on a hot Sunny day) because the front windshield, front door seals, windshield wiper entry points, clogged A/C drain and sunroof seal leaked like crazy & constantly saturated the carpets and the interior of the windows always had moisture on them and constantly had to use the grid in warm weather. Seems too much heat and the glass expands cracking the plastic frame at the weak points.......and the rear window was the one point that never leaked because it was a removable glass with a flex seal on the body (not so the '19) and not sealed with the same (variable locally sourced?) Mexican snot used at the Silao plant for all the other seals. Third window was the charm becuase i stayed off the heating grid, but did trade the leaking SOB for a '13 whose frame never cracked because I limited use of the grid.

 

On the '19s with autodefog on remote start you really have no idea when or how long that grid stays on and weather it overheats to cause a frame or seal failure. Bottom line is $hit happens and they don't come out of the factory that way....something is causing leaks on some and not others.

[Thomcat]

10 hours ago, hotrodz37 said:

 

Thomcat, all great points. Mine started leaking not long after I got it, hadn’t even washed it yet or had the dealer touch it.

Curious what window number you have? Virto or Fayo E#?

I looked at a new 2029 AT4 today thinking of getting out of my 2019 Denali and it has the same window as my leaker. Virto E9. Not sure if that new one would leak or not but sure don’t want to take a chance with it being the same one.


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Not Virto.....and a Lansing, US build "1" VIN

Just got hit with the storm moving up the East coast, lost two shutters but the Silverado is dry inside.

 

Rear window=

FUYAO   E001488     43R0115130

[eppieguy]

14 hours ago, Memphis87 said:

Gm should do there headliners in black, I bet they’d have 90% less leaking window claims......if you can’t see the water stain, is there really one?!

Huh? What about the water running down the inside of the glass, or the tops of the seats, or running down the back panel to the floor? 

[Jav_eee]

Huh? What about the water running down the inside of the glass, or the tops of the seats, or running down the back panel to the floor? 

Huh?? He’s being funny. Relax.


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[eppieguy]

Just now, Jav_eee said:

Huh?? He’s being funny. Relax.


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I am very relaxed, thanks for caring! I didn't realize it was being said humorously, sorry for misinterpreting. 

 

 

[OnTheReel]

High Countries and AT4s already have black headliners. Although in jest, it is a good point that owners of those particular trims are a little less likely to notice a leak. Also less likely to see all the fingerprints they leave on your headliner when fixing the window.

[Thomcat]

Won't steam cleaning with one of the handheld attachments remove the staining? I'd sooner try DIY before letting them try to replace a headliner.

[Memphis87]

3 hours ago, Thomcat said:

Won't steam cleaning with one of the handheld attachments remove the staining? I'd sooner try DIY before letting them try to replace a headliner.

They use an automotive Headliner spray, last time they did mine they cleaned the stains well but didn’t do the proper techniques to work out the cleaner which caused a stain ring lol

[Memphis87]

3 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

High Countries and AT4s already have black headliners. Although in jest, it is a good point that owners of those particular trims are a little less likely to notice a leak. Also less likely to see all the fingerprints they leave on your headliner when fixing the window.

I swear every time I go into the dealership, there’s a new finger print in the headliner lol. I pick my truck up tomorrow with the new window in it so we will see what it looks like now 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Memphis87

[seniorjumper82]

Several months back I thought I might be one of the fortunate ones that was leak free. Week today I sprayed off my truck and sure enough mine is now leaking. Found a crack in the window frame.  Can’t wait to see what happens with this

Edited April 20, 2020 by seniorjumper82

[BLK- 2020 TB]

On 4/5/2019 at 10:34 AM, white94rx said:

Ok, I got mine back yesterday. The advisor showed me the bulletin. I was wrong in thinking they remove the rear window and reseal it. They do remove the rear spoiler, and fill the gap between the body and window with clear caulking or urethane. So, if done properly and cleaned up well, you don't see anything. I must have gotten Gomer Pyle on my car. Didn't even bother cleaning off the excess sealer. So I'm annoyed. But, as of now, it's dry. It rained last night, but not that heavily. I'll keep checking it. It's going back next week for them to replace the carpet since it smells like mildew in the truck.



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White94RX.. has the leak stopped with this procedure? My trail boss goes on Friday

[hotrodz37]

White94RX.. has the leak stopped with this procedure? My trail boss goes on Friday [emoji35]

If they do it right, it will stop leaking. Most likely they won’t and you’ll be back in there. The incompetence of these techs at the dealers is absolutely astounding.


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[BLK- 2020 TB]

32 minutes ago, hotrodz37 said:

If they do it right, it will stop leaking. Most likely they won’t and you’ll be back in there. The incompetence of these techs at the dealers is absolutely astounding.


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Did your leak stop ? And how long has it been dry? Yes they are very incompetent. I told the service advisor that I will be taking pictures and video of my truck when I drop it off in case they damage anything