Back Window Glass: Service and Repair

Rear Window Replacement

NOTE:
- Put on gloves to protect your hands.
- Wear eye protection while cutting the glass adhesive with piano wire.
- Use seat covers to avoid damaging any surfaces.
- Do not damage the rear window defogger grid lines and terminals.

1. Remove these items:
- Hatch lower trim panel
- Hatch spoiler

2. Remove these items:
- High mount brake light
- Rear window wiper motor




3. Disconnect the rear window defogger connectors (A).
4. If the old rear window will be reinstalled, make alignment marks across the glass and body with a grease pencil.
5. Apply protective tape along the inside and outside edges of the hatch. Using an awl, make a hole through the adhesive from inside the vehicle at the corner portion of the rear window. Push the piano wire through the hole, and wrap each end around a piece of wood.







6. With a helper on the outside, pull the piano wire (A) back and forth in a sawing motion. Hold the piano wire as close to the rear window (B) as possible to prevent damage to the hatch, and carefully cut through the adhesive (C) around the entire rear window.
7. Carefully remove the rear window.
8. With a putty knife, scrape the old adhesive smooth to a thickness of about 2 mm (0.08 in.) on the bonding surface around the entire rear window opening flange:
- Do not scrape down to the painted surface of the body; damaged paint will interfere with proper bonding.
- Remove the fasteners from the tailgate.

9. Clean the hatch bonding surface with a sponge dampened in alcohol. After cleaning, keep oil, grease and water from getting on the surface.
10. If the old rear window will be reinstalled, use a putty knife to scrape off all of the old adhesive, the fasteners and the rubber dams from the rear window. Clean the inside face and the edge of the rear window with alcohol where new adhesive will be applied. Make sure the bonding surface is kept free of water, oil and grease.




11. Attach the side upper fasteners (A), side lower fasteners (B), upper rubber dams (C), and lower rubber dam (D) with adhesive tape to the inside face of the rear window (E) as shown. Before installing the lower rubber dam, apply primer to the areas between the alignment marks (F), then attach the rubber dam on. If necessary, attach the spoiler fasteners (G) with adhesive tape to the outside face of the rear window.
- Be sure the side upper fasteners, and upper rubber dams line up with alignment marks (H, I).
- Be sure both ends of the lower rubber dam line up with the edge of the glass.
- Be sure the spoiler fasteners line up with alignment marks (J).
- Be careful not to touch the rear window where adhesive will be applied.




12. Attach the side upper fasteners (A) and side lower fasteners (B) with adhesive tape to the hatch as shown.




13. Set the rear window in the opening, and center it. Align the clips (A) of the rear window with the holes in the opening flange. Make alignment marks (B) across the rear window, hatch, and body with a grease pencil at the four points shown. Be careful not to touch the rear window where adhesive will be applied.
14. Remove the rear window.




15. With a sponge, apply light coat of glass primer along the edge of the rear window (A), upper rubber dams (B), and lower rubber dam (C) as shown, then lightly wipe it off with gauze or cheesecloth:
- With the printed dots (D) on the rear window as a guide, apply the glass primer to both side portions of the rear window.
- Do not apply body primer to the rear window, and do not get body and glass primer sponges mixed up.
- Never touch the primed surfaces with your hands. If you do, the adhesive may not bond to the rear window properly, causing a leak after the rear window is installed.
- Keep water, dust, and abrasive materials away from the primed surfaces.




16. With a sponge, carefully apply a light coat of body primer to any exposed paint around the flange where new adhesive will be applied. Let the primer dry for at least 10 minutes:
- Do NOT apply body primer to any remaining original adhesive on the flange.
- Be careful not to mix up the body and glass primer sponges.
- Never touch the primed surface with your hands.




17. Cut a "V," in the end of the nozzle (A) on the adhesive cartridge as shown.




18. Put the cartridge in a caulking gun, and run a bead of adhesive (A) around the edge of the rear window (B) as shown. With the glass primer (C) you applied in step 15 as a guide, apply the adhesive to both side portions of the rear window. Apply the adhesive within 30 minutes after applying the glass primer. Make a slightly thicker bead at each corner.
19. Use suction cups to hold the rear window over the opening, align it with the alignment marks you made in step 13, and set it down on the adhesive. Lightly push on the rear window until its edges are fully seated on the adhesive all the way around. Do not open or close the doors until the adhesive is dry.
20. Scrape or wipe any excess adhesive off with a putty knife or towel. To remove adhesive from a painted surface or the rear window, use a soft shop towel dampened with alcohol.
21. Let the adhesive dry for at least 1 hour, then spray water over the rear window and check for leaks. Mark the leaking areas, let the rear window dry, then seal with sealant. Let the vehicle stand for at least 4 hours after rear window installation. If the vehicle has to be used within the first 4 hours, it must be driven slowly.
22. Reinstall all remaining removed parts.

NOTE: Advise the customer not to do the following things for 2 to 3 days:
- Slam the doors with all the windows rolled up.
- Twist the body excessively (such as when going in and out of driveways at an angle or driving over rough, uneven roads).