Rear window leak

[D A]

45 minutes ago, hotrodz37 said:

Well, first hard rain since my permatex window and glass sealant fix. Happy to report, dry as a bone. Here’s to hoping it lasts!!


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Do you have any photos? Thanks and glad it’s working for you. 

[hotrodz37]

Had my truck in for the sealant job and not 36 hrs it was leaking again, rather than having the dealer try it again, scratch more interior panels or have to replace the window and scratch the paint etc, I decided to try something.

 

I wound up buying the Permatex window and glass sealant. Masked off the back window and ran a bead of it along the top of the window. The tip that comes with the tube is small enough to get in between the window and spoiler. This product is quite a bit thinner than the Kent sealant which is what I wanted to get down in every nook and cranny. Let it cure for 24 hrs before driving and waited a week to try the water test.

 

Time will tell but after dumping two 5 gallon buckets around the back window and spoiler it isn’t leaking at all.

 

I figure this probably isn’t a permanent fix, but if it can at least hold me over until GM comes up with a better fix or a new window design that doesn’t leak, it’s a win in my book.

 

Disclaimer: not sure if it’ll work for you and have no idea if it voids the warranty, but it is also clear and looks identical to the Kent sealant so given the non-detail oriented nature of the techs at the dealer, doubt they would notice. I wanted to have mine at least attempted to be repaired once by the dealer so it’s documented.

 

 

 

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Here you go @D A

 

 

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[D A]

8 minutes ago, hotrodz37 said:

 

Here you go @D A

 

 

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Hey nice job! Thanks very much. 

[grapedrinkesha]

I already got my truck back from the dealership, it was only in there for half a day but was outsourced to the Water Doctors(company that specializes in water/wind leaks) instead of being worked on by an oil changer at the dealership that doesn't know how to fix this. All they did was a reseal but the job was done very well, no interior trim pieces scratched and it was raining when I picked the truck up without leaks so fingers crossed. I'm interested in the trim pieces so water never hits that window but I don't want to void a warranty.

Edited March 10, 2020 by grapedrinkesha

[komodo]

Got my truck back this evening.Brand new rear window(e4) installed.There is a couple paint chips on the edge of the spoiler where it meets the rear window and the driver side c pillar trim looks like they dragged it around the parking lot.Service dept. was closed when i picked up my truck so brought the general manager  out to see .She has assured me the issues will be taken care of.I`ll be on holiday for a couple weeks come friday so will see when I get back.

Edited March 10, 2020 by komodo

[Thomcat]

No leaker here so can't do a 100% verification, but the problem seems to be with the spoiler design, regardless of weather the sealer leaks or not, and any cracks in the trim make it worse.

 

Retirement leaves me plenty of time to have fun - so why not play with the rear window.pour some water not on the roof, but on top of the spoiler and watch the action.....water curls underneath the bottom edge of the spoiler and curls under onto the top of the plastic frame holding the window.....heavy enough flow with a crack in the frame or even a minuscule leak in the seal (or along sides of the window which is not included in the GM seal fix) will go over the top of the seal and into the headliner and drip down the window.

 

Previous poster and my previous post had the idea of a placing a drip rail on the underside of the spoiler. Today I tried it without as described above and then with a drip rail of 1/4" side molding tapes at the bottom of the "drip rail".  It was too cold to properly place across the whole length but a shorter piece proved the drips now came off the bottom of the molding onto the back of the window instead of curling back under the spoiler and onto the top of the frame.

 

If you have a leaker you should get a bottle of water pour it just on top of the spoiler and see for yourself.....what have you got to lose?..........if you have a leaker and want to try a molding across the bottom of the spoiler, it can always be easily removed with no damage. Might even be more effective with the molding placed across the seam of the spoiler and resting on the window surface.

 

See photos (video won't load) Take it for what it is worth.....shows water curling under the bottom lip of the spoiler on top of the window frame and drips coming off the molding instead of curling under the spoiler.

 

 

 

 

[Bo Evans]

7 hours ago, Thomcat said:

No leaker here so can't do a 100% verification, but the problem seems to be with the spoiler design, regardless of weather the sealer leaks or not, and any cracks in the trim make it worse.

 

Retirement leaves me plenty of time to have fun - so why not play with the rear window.pour some water not on the roof, but on top of the spoiler and watch the action.....water curls underneath the bottom edge of the spoiler and curls under onto the top of the plastic frame holding the window.....heavy enough flow with a crack in the frame or even a minuscule leak in the seal (or along sides of the window which is not included in the GM seal fix) will go over the top of the seal and into the headliner and drip down the window.

 

Previous poster and my previous post had the idea of a placing a drip rail on the underside of the spoiler. Today I tried it without as described above and then with a drip rail of 1/4" side molding tapes at the bottom of the "drip rail".  It was too cold to properly place across the whole length but a shorter piece proved the drips now came off the bottom of the molding onto the back of the window instead of curling back under the spoiler and onto the top of the frame.

 

If you have a leaker you should get a bottle of water pour it just on top of the spoiler and see for yourself.....what have you got to lose?..........if you have a leaker and want to try a molding across the bottom of the spoiler, it can always be easily removed with no damage. Might even be more effective with the molding placed across the seam of the spoiler and resting on the window surface.

 

See photos (video won't load) Take it for what it is worth.....shows water curling under the bottom lip of the spoiler on top of the window frame and drips coming off the molding instead of curling under the spoiler.

 

 

 

 

We need some guys with leakers do this and see, I will be doing it as soon as I get off this remote location and get time.

[Bo Evans]

2 hours ago, Bo Evans said:

We need some guys with leakers do this and see, I will be doing it as soon as I get off this remote location and get time.

I went and tested my leaker and what is stated above is correct however water can enter the top of the window frame from the front of the spoiler as well. I poured water in the small void/indention on the top of the cab edge and it simply ran under the spoiler edge onto the top of the window frame and into the cab. Therefore any water on the roof while driving will channel to this void along the edge of cab down the weatherstripping on the roofs edge and under the spoiler. I am going to try to find a way to prevent this along with doing weatherstripping on the lower rear edge of the spoiler at some point. This is such BS as I am not willing to take mine to the dealer yet for them to tear up...

[ShamrockShooter]

Honda uses a three piece rear window with a spoiler but they figured out how it wouldn't leak. I had a Honda Ridgeline for 9 years, mile after mile, I brought it to the dealer once. Yup 1 mechanical problem in 9 years. And it was very minor small leak from a hose. Chevy has a long way to go.

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[UGADawgs]

The spoiler is most likely a red herring. Vehicles without spoilers still have water run off the roof onto the top of their window.

[JohnCasey]

mine was two cracks in the plastic slide rail frame.  Any water that got on top of that edge would leak into the truck.  

[Cpl_Punishment]

4 hours ago, UGADawgs said:

The spoiler is most likely a red herring. Vehicles without spoilers still have water run off the roof onto the top of their window.

Do you mean that not all T1s have this spoiler? 

[UGADawgs]

17 minutes ago, Cpl_Punishment said:

Do you mean that not all T1s have this spoiler? 

No, I mean that if the spoiler didn't exist, the windows would still leak. Look at every other non-T1 on the road, any brand. Water will run off the roof and onto the top of the window. 

[D A]

Would you think/assume if you were looking to buy a 2020 that’s been sitting on the dealership lot for weeks possibly months that has dry carpet and no stains on the headliner would indicate no issues? Thanks in advance. 

[hotrodz37]

Would you think/assume if you were looking to buy a 2020 that’s been sitting on the dealership lot for weeks possibly months that has dry carpet and no stains on the headliner would indicate no issues? Thanks in advance. 

I think it’s a matter of not if but when it’s going to leak. My service advisor called me today and said his truck is leaking now, which wasn’t before (he has a 2020 AT4) and he ordered two windows at the same time, one for my truck and one for his. I told him to hold off on mine since I fixed it myself for the time being and want to wait until gm comes out with a surefire way to fix it instead of throwing windows at it hoping it works.


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