Cracked Rear Window Trim?

[AVortec]

Update: This is ridiculous. I'm taking it to the dealership. Another crack has started in the exact same spot on the opposite side. I removed all the epoxy and will take it in like I found it. My defroster contact came loose from the window shifting and rubbed all over the copper strip. My used car warranty said it covers the rear window defroster. Hopefully that will help me get new glass.

 

[AVortec]

Final update Got a full refund on my cheesy used car "warranty" that was riddled with loopholes.

I got a dark tinted heated window at Safelite Auto Glass for $474 (plus tax). Guaranteed as long as I own the vehicle.

 

[chadstr]

Final update Got a full refund on my cheesy used car "warranty" that was riddled with loopholes.

I got a dark tinted heated window at Safelite Auto Glass for $474 (plus tax). Guaranteed as long as I own the vehicle.

Do you happen to have a part number and a phone number. Is it a complete replacement (tinted glass w/defrost as well as the frame)? Mine cracked 2 1/2 years after I got it, still under warranty and my dealership told me it wasn't safety or drive train....long bad story. I have been using RTV like air to keep my truck dry.

Chadstr

 

[AVortec]

Do you happen to have a part number and a phone number. Is it a complete replacement (tinted glass w/defrost as well as the frame)? Mine cracked 2 1/2 years after I got it, still under warranty and my dealership told me it wasn't safety or drive train....long bad story. I have been using RTV like air to keep my truck dry.

Chadstr

Hey Chadstr - It was part #10062 YPY. Total out the door was $499.17 I forgot to look at the phone number. It was in Highlands Ranch on County Line & Holly. There may be one closer to you. It was encapsulated (in the frame), heated and tinted (dark). The only difference is there's no GM logo on the bottom. They'll quote you an installed price. Just say you want the part only (saves $60). Trying to explain to the lady at the Safelite headquarters about Av windows not needing an install was insane. Just say you'll install it yourself. I went in at 11:30 and ordered it. After lunch at 1:35 it was delivered to the glass shop from their local warehouse in a piece of cardboard. After I paid I took it outside and pulled the old one out and slipped it in the cardboard and put the new one in. I tested the heat and headed home. I did save the old window just in case.

 

[chadstr]

Thanks, do you know if they carry any sort of warranty on them? Also, I'm sorry about the trouble with your warranty. I myself have purchased that garbage. I have found that it actually hurt me getting repairs, because when the dealer finds you have it they want you to use the insurance. When you call them, they have a general rule of if it isn't safety or drive train related you are SOL. They didn't care that the Ave had actually become a water bucket on wheels because of seals on the bed and the back window. All of which I have fixed or am fixing constantly. When I bought my wife's new 08 Malibu, they were pushing the extended warranty and I told them if they were to mention it again thoughout the paper signing I would leave the car right where it sat and they can find somebody else to buy it. You could hear a pin drop for the rest of that visit. My thought on warranties...they want you to pay for their inability to design something to last longer than a few years. Once they get their money, its still up to their discretion if they will pay out...reminds me of fighting with insurance companies.

Chadstr

 

[AVortec]

They say they'll guarantee the window for the life of the vehicle on the back of the receipt. But it also says stress cracks not included. I don't know if that means the glass? I would imagine it does because it's their general guarantee for the windshields etc. I hope I don't have to find out the frame isn't covered. When I priced the Av window at the dealership there was a footnote that the window plastic supercedes the original formula so they won't crack as easily as they used to. Hopefully the aftermarket non-GM window frames use the same new and improved plastic as well. I guess time will tell. I'll have to remember your comment on ext warranties the next time I car shop Since I don't have a warranty on the truck, I've decided to kick in a few bucks a month into an interest bearing savings account for any large car repairs. I'll make my own freakin' warranty 

 

[cadboy1]

Mine looks worse than the last time I looked at it 

 

[Monte Carlo Man]

The other day, a guy came to look at the Avalanche - to buy it.

One of his concerns was the back window glass.

I had mine in and out a thousand times and never had a problem - until this winter.

It must have gotten brittle and it cracked sometime over the winter and it now has a missing piece of plastic on the bottom of the glass.

It will be going to a dealer on Monday.

 

[chadstr]

I hardly ever took mine out, I dont think it has anything to do with the amount of uses (removing and replacing), I believe it has to do with two different materials(glass and plastic) in close proximity with each other, with different expansion/contraction variables and not enough space on the plastic to compensate for it. Mine always gets larger in the winter, and shrinks or gets a little better in the summer. Here in Colorado, we have 70 degree weather one day and I would say the gap is 1/4" and the next day it will be 20 degrees and snowing, the gap goes to about 3/4" gap. I will be getting y replacement in the next few weeks.

Monte Carlo, I hope your dealer helps you out...mine sure didn't

Chadstr

 

[ygmn]

Mine looks worse than the last time I looked at it 

Looks like mine...

and mine is a replacement window from chevy way back in 2002..

Gonna fix with epoxy and mix in some glass fibers a bit to add strength...

 

[Monte Carlo Man]

I hardly ever took mine out, I dont think it has anything to do with the amount of uses (removing and replacing), I believe it has to do with two different materials(glass and plastic) in close proximity with each other, with different expansion/contraction variables and not enough space on the plastic to compensate for it. Mine always gets larger in the winter, and shrinks or gets a little better in the summer. Here in Colorado, we have 70 degree weather one day and I would say the gap is 1/4" and the next day it will be 20 degrees and snowing, the gap goes to about 3/4" gap. I will be getting y replacement in the next few weeks.

Monte Carlo, I hope your dealer helps you out...mine sure didn't

Chadstr

Well, I went down to the service department today and talked to my buddy Randy - the service manager.
Now I know that GM is having a hard time right now.  But there was no excuse for the way he acted.  I knew better then to just demand that he replace it free of charge.  But I played dumb and came in and asked him what was up with the technical service bulletin and all.  He wouldn't even look on his computer to see if there was anything that they would be willing to do for me.
His only reply was - "Do you want me to order you another window, and you can come and pay for it and pick it up when it comes in?"
I basically told him that GM knows that there is a problem and you have a loyal customer here and I heard that there was some kind of program where GM would write off a loss to something out of warranty.

He just laughed in my face and gave me the 1 800 number for GM.

I then did some memory jogging and said - now while we are on the subject.  A couple of years ago - when the Avalanche was only one year old.  I came in with a complaint that the tonneau cover faded.  His reply then was that I should go after the man that owned the car wash, because they felt that the soap at the car wash made the covers fade.

Now I got an even better answer.  He asked me if I had a tape recording on the conversation and that I could prove that I came in with a complaint.
I told him that I would do even better than that, if he would look on his computer - he would see a work order for faded tonneau covers.

They inspected them and said that there was nothing wrong with them and later replaced all the seals when they were leaking.

I got another loud laugh and was told to get the fluck out of here and call the 1 800 number.  If they call him, he will see what he can do for me.

I got an even better solution.  I might could take a used Avalanche for a ride and switch my cracked back window for his good back window and he can worry about the replacement bill.

I was over at the glass shop today and I asked how much for a new one.
My buddy looked in the book and said that it was listed for $600

Told me to go home and throw a brick through it and turn it into the insurance company and he would work with the deductible for the new one.  I told him that it sounded too much like insurance fraud and that I wouldn't want my insurance premiums to go up over something stupid like a back window glass.

It sounds to me like as if too many people these days have been using the system and that is the reason this country is in as bad a shape as it is in!

 

[chadstr]

You got just about the same response I get when I take/took my truck in for stuff. Sorry to hear that man. Its crazy how some dealers will work with you and others laugh you out of the shop. Once the sold tag goes on, getting anything from them is dang near impossible.

Chadstr

 

[Texascwgrl]

Looks like mine...

and mine is a replacement window from chevy way back in 2002..

Gonna fix with epoxy and mix in some glass fibers a bit to add strength...

Yeah, I had mine replaced back in 02 by the dealership. 

So, this past weekend while taking window out to put on my new 'Texas Avalanches' decal... doh!  This one is cracked now too after all these years.  I am not going to bother with it at this time, due to decals on the window that cannot be replaced at any cost 

 

[cadboy1]

Looks like mine...

and mine is a replacement window from chevy way back in 2002..

Gonna fix with epoxy and mix in some glass fibers a bit to add strength...

I remember using some kind of sealer on it and looks like it just dissapeared  I guess I will just try some epoxy as well. With my Snugtop now installed water should not be to much of a problem anyway

 

[half-breed]

Well my rear window split again. First time was in Aug 2002, dealer replaced under warranty. Now the replacement has split. Any one have any ideas on if the dealer can do something?

 

[ygmn]

Well my rear window split again. First time was in Aug 2002, dealer replaced under warranty. Now the replacement has split. Any one have any ideas on if the dealer can do something?

They wont for free anymore that is for sure...

 

[marzahld]

I had some time to burn this week so I fixed the rear window on my '03 with JB Weld.  It dries to a gray color.  This stuff is pretty goo like at first and takes several hours to completely harden.  I decided it might look better if I colored it black afterwards so I just used a Sharpie rather than going to buy paint.   It is not that hard to do, but I had to keep flipping my window over on the saw horses to prevent the JB weld from forming a drip (maybe every 15 minutes or so--the stuff is pretty thick).    It will be smooth when you are done... I didn't have to file anything afterwards.

The weld is not completely flush with the trim, but I decided it was enough and I'm not going to apply a second coat.  I'm not sure what would happen if you put jb weld on top of dried jb weld...

Here's some pics for those interested in doing this:

 

[half-breed]

I also repaired my rear window last week with JB weld. Great idea with the Sharpie I need to do that. I used a dremmel to ruff up the surface and put a layer on over the gap to try to get a stronger bond. I also layed the window frame on some wax paper so it would not run out or stick. Then used the dremmel to get it close to smooth.

 

[marzahld]

Yours turned out good.  The biggest challenge for me was trying to get enough weld to hold in place right near the edges of the trim without rolling off as a drip.  I guess that's where the wax paper could be handy.  That was my first experience with jb weld, and now I keep looking for other things around the house to try to fix. 

 

[ygmn]

Black epoxy works well too..

even the clay like epoxy will work...

do check the defrosgger contacts... mine busted loose and I had to resolder

 

[Alaska_AV.]

Black epoxy works well too..

even the clay like epoxy will work...

do check the defrosgger contacts... mine busted loose and I had to resolder

Is that special to the Z-66

 

[obe-kenobe]

I have an '08 Avy with only 6000 miles and the rear window trim is cracked already.   
Right in the middle where the center arrow is.  Its a 1/4 inch gap.  Its sad things break
even when I don't drive it much.   

 

[husker_fan]

I knew there was no way my dealer was going to replace my window, so I didnt even attempt it.

I used MIGHTY PUTTY, it looks like its going to work good, its still drying, but putting it in the cracks and forming it into the cracks was easy. Just gotta wait a little longer and then sand and paint (prolly with a sharpie too).

 

[lsjk94]

I guess I'm joining the cracked trim club Took out the back window today to put on a new decal and found cracks on both sides~

 

[Texascwgrl]

Looks like mine...

and mine is a replacement window from chevy way back in 2002..

Gonna fix with epoxy and mix in some glass fibers a bit to add strength...

Yep, mine is a replacement for 02 also AND cracked