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#3 Hard Cover Leaking

O

obx

GUEST
Hi everyone. ?This is a great site and a excellent resource (thanks to the sponser - webmaster!). ?I am a new Z71 owner, indigo blue - I will be taking my new baby on its first beach run - surf fishing trip at the outer banks, NC in a few weeks. ?

But first - need to resolve a little problem to keep the cargo dry.

I know that some leakage into the cargo area is supposed to be normal and there are drains and channels for that stuff. ?

However the last couple rains resulted in 4 pools in the cargo area under the edge of the connection point of #2 and #3 panel. ? (right across the middle of the bed)

I turned the cargo lights on and crawled in the bed with the covers on during the rain tonight and noticed an intresting problem. ?

It seems that there are small caps - 4-5 caps - perhaps screw covers (plastic) - that are along the edge of the panel. ?Water was seeping and driping from each of these little caps creating puddles in the rear cargo bed. ?

Intrestingly enough - none of the other panel's caps were dripping - in fact.. totally dry. ?

Just wandering if anyone else experienced the same - or could shed some light? ?Guess it goes in for service..

 
Never heard of that one....make the dealer replace the panel otherwise they will just put silicone over the plugs I bet.
 
UPDATE - I looked at this thing in daylight today

First - the panel leaks through the screw covers which hold the drip rail along the panel edge. I took the panel out tonight and was holding it on its side - and to my suprise water started running out of other screw holes.

Looks like my panel is some how full of water inside.. I read they are a honeycomb construction so I assume this is possible. The longer it was on its side the more it leaked..

All for now :cool:
 
When our third cargo panel is wet, it sags a bit and there's a puddle on the seal. And I know that the water would leak into the bed upon opening it. Would that explain anything to you about the leakage, obx? Also, are all four sides of panel #3 latched :0:? Water will come in if one part is not latched.
 
I have been meaning to post this picture.. which clearly shows that water can get inside the panel itself. If one of your panels seems heavier it may have water in it.

Just prop it up on its side, and wait.. if water is in the panel it will run out.

I have since had the panel replaced..

obx

 

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Warranty took care of this right? OBX?
 
Good Morning Everyone,
I have found that if the Av is parked so the water can run back and not forward it builds up in the rear channels and finds its way into the compartment while lying there. ?If I park with the nose down the driveway all the water runs forward and down the drains and my compartment stays dry all the time. ?It appears there are not rear drains to run off. ?Let me know if you guys and gals find the same thing with yours.
Hope this makes sense,
Hi Ho Eddy "O"
Forest Green and love it so far had it since April
 
I've noticed this problem when at the car wash more so than the rain. I too think the seals should be better at channeling out water. Has the dealership made any mention to a design change?
 
Warranty took care of it.. they actually replaced it with a new style cover.

Despite the mismatch.. it seems to be pretty water tight now..
 
obx said:
Warranty took care of it.. they actually replaced it with a new style cover. ?

Despite the mismatch.. it seems to be pretty water tight now..

They didn't replace them all to match? Two are old style and one is new style? :eek:

When I picked mine up one panel was damaged. They tried to swap just the damaged panel out with a new style from another AV.

No deal was made yet so I "convinced" them to swap them all out so they matched.
 
The finish is comming off of my #3 pannel. I haven't asked the dealer to replace it because I don't want a miss matched set. Any body else losing the finish?
 
Just replaced Number 3 panel a couple of weeks ago. they did good job at matching it, only thing is when the 303 is dried up and gone the 2 old ones are dull compared to the new one. I was wondering how the plastic was going to hold up and i now have an idea.
Just have to buy more 303
Zeeya..........
 
My truck is only a couple of months off the lot.. so the replaced panel - even though new style - looked like the others, except for the new style raised number..

No biggy though.. color matched and that was the most important..



 
Received '03 Z71, Oct 10 (Sept 28 build), right off the hauler. ?I had only opened the tailgate and never touched the panels, and noticed some drippage a few inches in from right side of the leading edge of the #3 panel. ?Everywhere else was fine. ?Left it alone and checked again after another rain. ?Same puddle of water in the same location. ?I removed the panel today and noticed the weatherstrip along the forward edge on the right side of the #3 panel looked deformed. ?Actually, it looks like the strip got pulled off and pushed back on. ?PDI perhaps? ?I'll bring it by the dealer tomorrow and see about a replacement. ?Happy with the vehicle otherwise.
 
ChR1s said:
Received '03 Z71, Oct 10 (Sept 18 build), right off the hauler. ?I had only opened the tailgate and never touched the panels, and noticed some drippage a few inches in from right side of the leading edge of the #3 panel. ?Everywhere else was fine. ?Left it alone and checked again after another rain. ?Same puddle of water in the same location. ?I removed the panel today and noticed the weatherstrip along the forward edge on the right side of the #3 panel looked deformed. ?Actually, it looks like the strip got pulled off and pushed back on. ?PDI perhaps? ?I'll bring it by the dealer tomorrow and see about a replacement. ?Happy with the vehicle otherwise.

That sounds exactly what I've seen on my 03 (9/09 build). Leaking same place with same look to the weatherstripping. I have not taken mine back in yet. Please let us (me) know what happens at the dealer.
 
Be careful on those panels that are getting ordered. Check them over REAL good. I am on my 5th panel being ordered :eek:

First panel was great except for where it had been dropped :cry: in shipment.

Second panel has a white area that won't come off.

Third and fourth panels have a rubbed (scratched) area across the middle of the panel.

These are straight off the truck from GM. Looks like their quality control group is on vacation the last 2 months :7:

It has been taking about 2 weeks to get a panel in because they are always on backorder, jee I wonder why :3:

If anyone runs into the same type of problems, make sure the parts department puts in for an RFI when placing the order.

 
Thanks for the heads up Endeavor.
I had my number 3 replaced and there is a small white spot on one of the corners. I wonder if this happens when dropped. I have seen plastic items do this when hit or bent. :7:
Will check it out closer..
zeeya
 
I am wondering how all you lucky folks got the dealer to provide you with new panels. I have had cargo area leaks smack dab in the middle of the cargo area between the 1st and 2nd and 2nd and 3rd panels. Been to the dealer 4 times over the past 4 months for repairs which he claimed were done in accordance with the TSBs and which involved regluing the gaskets (according to him). Last night we had a steady rain which gave us about two inches and this morning there was water from tail gate to midgate down 2 of the channels of the rubber mat smack dab in the middle of the cargo area right where the leaks had occured before going into the dealer.
When I left the dealer after the 4th repair attempt last week he told me that he had done all he could and would do no more. Further, he said the vehicle is a truck and I should expect water in the cargo area. This is despite the fact that I showed him the owner's manual which says that the "central area of mat is intended to be dry" and the Getting to Know Your Avalanche brochure which came with the vehicle which states "Avalanche's overall water management goal is to ensure the contents of the cargo area remain dry and protected". I further told him that this web site has cited many examples of other owners who have no leaks and other dealers who have replaced the panels.
No comments from him.
I have called GM's customer service center which must be run by human robots because all they do is repeat over and over company supplied fluff which says nothing. One rep said he called the dealer with whom I have problems and the dealer told him-I repeat, told him- that trucks are supposed to be wet in the cargo area and that the truck performed in accordance with GM standards and goals after the TSBs had been accomplished. Therefore the rep said the case was closed. Love it that the dealers know what GM goals and standards are and not the GM employee and that the company has to go to the dealer to verify the same rather than the other way around; and that customer complaints are resolved by going to the dealer who caused the complaint in the first place for a solution. No wonder things are ** up in this country... but that is another issue for another time.

By the way, I do have the newer panels with raised lettering... found one inspection seal which showed a date of 20 Dec 01 for either manufacture or inspection. I also stopped by an independent body shop before the rain yesterday to talk to an employee I know who had worked for another GM dealer for over 10 years. He immediately spoted 2 areas between the two panels mentioned earlier which would leak and of course they did. He said that at the GM dealership where he worked that if there were any leak problems that the first thing the service personnel did was to replace the gaskets with new ones. None of this regluing the old ones.

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas on how I can get my cargo area leaks repaired under warranty short of hiring a lawyer or traveling several hours to another dealer?

P.S. If it were not for wet luggage and groceries, I would say the Avalanche is close to a dream of a vehicle (so far).
 
The dealer that you have gone to is obviously not interested in customer service after the sale. I would contact Chevrolet customer service again and ask for the regional managers name and number. After you explain your situation see if they are more willing to resolve your problem.

If they still are unwilling to resolve your problem take your Av to another dealer.

If you do not have another Chevy dealer in your area but have a Cadillac dealer I would take it there, they might be willing to help you and it would still be under warranty.

The last thing I would do would be to write a letter to the owner of the dealership explaining your dis-sastisfaction and letting them know that you will no longer be one of their customers. Let everyone that you know who might be looking for a vehicle not to go to that dealer.

Be patient and hang in there. Let us know how things turn out :)
 
Having started this thread, I feel that I should chime in again. It has been raining here in Maryland for 3 days now.. non stop.

So as a test.. I also went out.. opened the midgate and crawled into the back of the truck with a flashlight tonight. The only water is small beads down the inside surface of the tailgate. The entire rubber mat was dry.. not a single drop.

Keep up the work with a new dealer. A big part of why you bought this truck is versatility. And a wet bed offers no more versatility than the standard pickup truck.

 
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