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Cracked Rear Window Trim

Chief

Chief

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So did some hardcore 4WD on the Oregon Sand Dune during the Seattle/Portland area meet. Several situations required 4-Lo and on one occasion almost required a tow truck. Did some serious bouncing around and some sand dune hopping (nothing intense - 20 to 25 MPH) catching a small bit of air.

The next day I was washing the Avalanche and my son started frantically pounding on the window. He then showed me a massive crack in my rear window trim on the passenger side right at the lower corner. Water was flowing through the crack when I sprayed the back window.

So my theory is due to body flex while going off-road across the bumps and jumping around I flexed the rear window and it cracked at the trim. I know the crack was not there earlier. Has anyone experienced this? My Avalanche was built in October of 2001 and came with the "second generation" back glass with the copper contacts, so the spontaneous cracking of the frame should not be an issue on my window.

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
 
Actually, if I want to get REAL technical there are three generations of back glass.

Generation One: No tint with silver contacts for the rear window defroster. Many of these experienced cracked window trim as outlined in a TSB. Only on the earliest model Avalanches.

Generation Two: Tint with silver contacts for the rear window defroster. Many of these also experienced trim cracks as outlined in a TSB. I believe these were used on Avalanches built through June of 2001.

Generation Three: Tint with copper contacts and new design to trim. I believe this went into manufacturing in July of 2001. These changes were due to oxidation on the silver contacts (not real silver but look silver) and cracked trim on the rear windows.

Hope this answers your question. God I am such an Avalanche geek!
 
Similar situation with different results.

Got back from the Death Valley trip (see links below) and the next day noticed a crack in my windshield across the upper left corner (driver's side). The crack ran from upper left side to the upper left top of the windshield and in the upper left corner of the windshield it created a "triangle" that was about 4" down from the corner and 4" to the right from the corner (I'm not a geometry wiz so I'm trying to describe the size of the crack).

There were no impact marks so I can only assume that chassis flex caused it.

I took it in to the dealer and they confirmed the lack of impact marks so there was no obvious cause of the crack. They replaced the windshield under warranty and now I'm good to go.

Of course, as "luck" with windshields go, my brand new windshield has a small impact mark and a crack in it (I was hoping that one benefit of my lifted Av would be minimal-to-no windshield damage but that is not to be :6: ).

Take your Av to the dealer Chief. You should get a new one under warranty. Good luck!
 
Hmmm,

Well Chief I have taken my AV on trails now that I would consider to be about 6/10 rating and have not noticed any problems in my windows. I have the copper contacts for my rear window.

I know and Bigred can testify to what i was doing at Hollister Hills a few weekends ago. I have now taken the AV on manmade obstacles and natural obstacles that I never though I would try. There was a manmade staircase there that I took pretty fast the second time and had the front end jumping up and down the whole way up.

....and so far i have been real lucky as not to sustain any damage to the rig....yet....
 
Chief!

I had the exact same thing happen, in the same place. After some pretty "flexy" rock crawling (often had one or more wheels off the ground) I discovered the rear window frame was cracked (2nd gen winodw I think...based on your extensive knowledge! ;) ) I took it in to the dealer and they replaced it with no problems.
 
yeah i will 2nd flyinhigh, intence... i will just say my non-lifted av bottomed out on the first staircase... as i watched flyin go to the top of about 9 levels.... very very intence

now for cracked windows... i have first gen... and it cracked twice... chevy put new trim on it no questions asked. both cracks came before i ever took my av off roading (hard core)

~BIGRED
 
"second generation", with a "2" along the top?

Reminds me of Silverados and sliders. GM finally gave up and removed the option.
 
Yo Chief About three months after buying my AV. I had really up to that point never had taken it Hardcore off road. But I was washing it and noticed when cleaning the rear window that I also had a crack along the bottom corner drivers side molding. Of course the warrenty took care of this. But I tend to disagree with body flex. I think it just might be a glitch in the design or mabye the batch of plastic they used that day Hahaha. I thought mine might be the only one guess not huh ?>:D
 
Today while I was waiting on my car to be serviced I took a stroll in the used car lot at my dealers. They have two 2002 AVs on the lot. One with 38000 and the other with 46000 mile. I checked the rear windows and both had the frame cracked in the center on the bottom.
You would think a dealer would be aware of the problem, after all they replaced mine. Maybe they just want to pass the problem on to the next owner. You can beat there are thousands of 02 AVs out there with cracked frames on their rear window.

Roger
 
Discovered recently on my '06. I'm guessing this is from a different Av, and that they swapped it for mine and never replaced it. That's what happens when you buy the last one on the lot. (My floormats were missing too) Service Dept. accepted that and ordered a new one which is now in house.
 

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i noticed the back window frame was cracked on the right side in my '02 today when i took the window out to put decals on.  since i bought it used, i doubt anything can be done unless i do it myself.  i haven't been off road too much and  don't know when it happened, could have been that way when i bought it.  it's not leaking...yet.        :B:
 
I have no idea on when mine happened... I'm still looking for a rear window!
 
Same thing just happend to mine... passengers side lower corner.... I dont think this is a "off road" issue... its a defect... taking mine to dealer this week.
 
My window looks the same, I have been trying to get it repalced over in Germany, I am told there is a repair kit for it?? Will follow up in about a month, When I get back from Iraq.

Sam
 
Replaced my 2002 cracked with no questions asked at the dealer.  At 42000 they replaced my gas gage free also, read full for 300+ miles.
 
I don't think the rough ride had anything to do with it.  My 2002, purchased 9-8-01, broke in July 2002.  I figured it didn't like the high heat of the desert and hoped it would not be a recurring problem.  Dealer warranteed it and no problems since.
 
Just got off the phone with Dealer.. they say it is a "TRIM" problem and not covered...  I say its a "Body" problem just like the front windshield gasket and the rear window weather stripping.

Hell, I could call it an electrical problem too if it interfears with my rear deforger operation...
TomaYto, Tomato..

 
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