Rear window leak

SilveradoRST · February 4, 2020

I'm sorry to hear you guys are waiting this long to get a headliner or rear window replaced. Not acceptable at all.

Just wanted to follow up on my bolt left behind after my window sealant work. Seems like it wasn't an 1 1/2", but the length of a Canadian quarter. Similar size to a US quarter. I'm hoping it is a bolt that belongs to anywhere but the ones holding up the spoiler from inside/underneath the headliner. If any of you guys have any idea, please let me know.

Thomcat · February 4, 2020

My .02

Forget about a hairline crack in the window frame.......the crack was SOP for the removable Avalanche rear window where the glass expanded from heat faster than the plastic frame surround and cracks developed in the frame.........but they never leaked water. It's all those holes punched in the roof metal directly above the headliner area that scares the crap out of me. I've seen this before on Camaro trunk mounted spoilers, Chrysler trunk mounted luggage racks and outer fender wells where gasketed screws are used to prevent leakage. Once removed they need new gasketed screws. That's why absent leakage my spoiler can pop all wants in the hot Sun.....no way I'm taking it in for a dealer removal and reinstall.

Currently mine is dry as bone after 4K miles and 6+ months of hand carwashes, mountain thunderstorms, high speed runs in the rain, and 2 days of 6 in. of melting snow on the roof. My .02 experience with the Salio snot used on the seals of my Avalanche submarine was to keep it away from any hands free carwash that blasts a narrow stream of 300 mph air across the roof and blows out the crap spoiler gasket and sealant (if any) in the holes into the interior...I won't even spray a hose directly into the narrow gasket area separating the spoiler from the Silverado body let alone blasting with a pressure washer or forced in by 300 mph air......and once these seals are compromised they continue to leak.

And the dealer can goop up or replace the frame or spoiler gasket as directed in a TSB, but unless the seals for all entry holes to the roof are addressed it may still continue to leak or blow out the next time it is compromised under pressure.

lebag335 · February 4, 2020

I guess I'm shit out of luck then when it comes to washing the damn thing. I have neither the time nor inclination to hand wash my truck. It's car washing (brushed or brushless) only for me. For now, my sealant TSB patch job is holding. I usually run it through a wash about twice a month weather permitting.

OnTheReel · February 5, 2020

I’m not sure that’s all there is to it. But at any rate, it’s a defective design, no need to cop them out on it or go through special procedures to avoid something that should never happen anyway.

Earth to GM, you cannot produce a full-sized truck that needs to be hand-washed. Know your market. Fleet buyers do not hand wash. Construction workers do not hand wash. Most people I know buying for personal use don’t either, especially not when the garden hose is frozen 6 months out of the year.

JohnCasey · February 5, 2020

I hand washed everything until my trip to Snowshoe WV this new years when I discovered Scrubbles around the corner does a pretty good job for $10.

Centrebaseball · February 5, 2020

1 hour ago, OnTheReel said:

I’m not sure that’s all there is to it. But at any rate, it’s a defective design, no need to cop them out on it or go through special procedures to avoid something that should never happen anyway.

Earth to GM, you cannot produce a full-sized truck that needs to be hand-washed. Know your market. Fleet buyers do not hand wash. Construction workers do not hand wash. Most people I know buying for personal use don’t either, especially not when the garden hose is frozen 6 months out of the year.

I hand washed only for 5 months. Daily driver. Summer and fall. Nothing strenuous. Still leaked like a sieve. So don’t think for one second that hand washing will save everyone from a faulty design.

im still shocked I was told they haven’t changed anything in the design process to fix this mess. What a disaster.

econometrics · February 5, 2020

Yeah, the automatic car wash theory is a red herring.

DuRsT · February 5, 2020

Oh boy.

Always fun to see what you should have known before buying. Guess I'll deal with it when it comes up.

disneybaker · February 5, 2020

Oh boy.

Always fun to see what you should have known before buying. Guess I'll deal with it when it comes up.

I’m not gonna have XM for first time in 19 years because they want to force me to buy $1420 option package that includes a leaking rear window

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

hotrodz37 · February 5, 2020

Welp, add me to the list. Thought mine was good but checked this morning after rain last night and passenger side is leaking in two places. Doesn't seem as bad as a lot of them on here.

Question, to do the "caulking" procedure, do they have to drop the headliner? Not thrilled about having my brand new truck disassembled. Has anyone had luck with this method without having the window replaced? I recall a few but lot's to read through.

Second question - has anybody tried to fix themselves? Hearing the horror stories, I figured I'm not shy of trying to seal the window myself first. I know a lot of you will say don't do it, but I'm up for trying anything at this point to not have to visit the dealer again. I am REALLY close to trading it in on a non-gm product. I have 800 miles on this truck and it's been in the shop two weeks for other issues unrelated to the window.

Edited February 5, 2020 by hotrodz37

Brandon Adams · February 5, 2020

13 minutes ago, hotrodz37 said:

Welp, add me to the list. Thought mine was good but checked this morning after rain last night and passenger side is leaking in two places. Doesn't seem as bad as a lot of them on here.

Question, to do the "caulking" procedure, do they have to drop the headliner? Not thrilled about having my brand new truck disassembled. Has anyone had luck with this method without having the window replaced? I recall a few but lot's to read through.

Second question - has anybody tried to fix themselves? Hearing the horror stories, I figured I'm not shy of trying to seal the window myself first. I know a lot of you will say don't do it, but I'm up for trying anything at this point to not have to visit the dealer again. I am REALLY close to trading it in on a non-gm product. I have 800 miles on this truck and it's been in the shop two weeks for other issues unrelated to the window.

They do have to drop the headliner to fix it. The dealership had to replace my headliner because they couldn't get the stain out. When I picked it up last night, it looks like a rabid wombat took the trim pieces off and put it back together because there are gouge marks everywhere.

BIGDOGx · February 5, 2020

47 minutes ago, Brandon Adams said:

They do have to drop the headliner to fix it. The dealership had to replace my headliner because they couldn't get the stain out. When I picked it up last night, it looks like a rabid wombat took the trim pieces off and put it back together because there are gouge marks everywhere.

Seen this with another poster, looks like a bear clawed at his trim pieces. My guess is they require a special tool to remove properly and the oil change tech your dealer most likely used did not have the proper tools in his box, or simply didn't care which i have seen a lot of on here it seems. The other guy that it happened to on here i believe demanded new trim pieces and got them, i would do the same.

Edited February 5, 2020 by BIGDOGx

Brandon Adams · February 5, 2020

Oh I plan on it. I'm going back Saturday because I cant make a scene dressed in my work clothes, but I can in jeans and a hoodie.

SamDSJR · February 5, 2020

So I just got an email from my lawyer. GM sent them a form for me to fill out. They are requesting my loan information, account information, payoff amount, title, registration, etc. I hope this is good news but who knows. Dealer also called me this morning (I'm on day 56-ish???) Anyway dealer called and said back window is on order. So now "supposedly" there is a headliner and front windshield sitting in their parts department waiting for my back window to arrive.

I'm so done. My lawyer told me in the beginning this whole process is designed to wear me down and make me trade it in and take the loss - and they are right. I'm so done. Done waiting. Done reading forums, done not having my truck.

And then - even if I get it back, fixed, mint, like the day it came off the lot - How long until it happens again? I'm in a good spot since it happened to me in the first two weeks @ 2200 miles. But what about next time? I drive 40,000 miles a year....F**king sucks. Screwed coming and going.

Edited February 5, 2020 by SamDSJR
Spelling

JohnCasey · February 5, 2020

Happy for you Sam on the potential resolution. Mine showed up 19 days after buying the truck and from the stain on the headliner it was leaking before I bought it. I'm still waiting on GM to contact me. According to NC law they've got until the 12th.