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 a piano wire.
- Use seat covers to avoid damaging any surfaces.
- Do not damage the rear window defogger grid lines or the terminals.
- Glass adhesive can be efficiently cut with a commercially available auto glass tool. See the tool manufacture's instructions for details.

1. Remove these items:

- Tailgate spoiler trim:
- '07 model
- '08-10 models Service and Repair
- - Rear window wiper motor Rear Window Wiper Motor Replacement

2. Disconnect the rear window defogger connectors (A).






3. If the old rear window is to be reinstalled, make alignment marks across the glass and body with a grease pencil.

4. Apply protective tape along the inside and outside edges of the tailgate. Make a hole with an awl or similar tool through the adhesive, at a corner of the rear window. Push the piano wire through the hole, and wrap each end around a piece of wood.

5. 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 tailgate, and carefully cut through adhesive (C) around the entire rear window.






Cutting positions





6. Carefully remove the rear window.

7. Scrape smooth the old adhesive with a knife until there is 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.

8. Clean the tailgate bonding surface with a shop towel dampened in isopropyl alcohol. After cleaning, keep oil, grease and water from getting on the surface.

9. If you are reinstalling the old windshield with a putty knife to scrape off all of old adhesive, the fasteners and the rubber dams from the rear window. Clean the bonding surfaces on the inside face and the edge of the rear window with isopropyl alcohol. Make sure the bonding surface is kept free of water, oil and grease.

10. Apply glass primer to the inside of the rear window (A) where the dams and the fasteners attach. Let the primer dry for at least 10 minutes, then attach the upper rubber dam (B), the lower rubber dam (C) and the fasteners (D, E) with the adhesive tape as shown:

- Make sure the fasteners, and upper and lower rubber dams line up with alignment marks (F).
- If necessary, cut the excess side molding along the lower edge of the rear window.
- Be careful not to touch the rear window where the adhesive will be applied.





11. Attach the fasteners (A, B) with adhesive tape to the tailgate as shown.






12. If you are installing a new rear window, set the rear window (A) in the opening, and center it. Make alignment marks (B) across the rear window and the body with a grease pencil at the four points shown. Be careful not to touch the rear window where the adhesive will be applied.





13. Remove the rear window.

14. Apply a light coat of glass primer to the rear window (A) along the edge of the upper rubber dam (B) and the lower rubber dam (C) as shown, then lightly wipe it off with gauze or cheesecloth:

- Apply the glass primer to the corner areas of the rear window with the printed dots (D) on the rear window as a guide.
- Do not apply body primer to the rear window, and do not mix up the body primer applicators and the glass primer applicators.
- Let the primer dry at least 10 minutes.
- 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 surface.





15. Carefully apply a light coat of body primer to any exposed paint on the windshield mounting flange. Let the body primer dry for at least 10 minutes:

- Do not apply body primer to any remaining old adhesive on the flange.
- Be careful not to mix up the body primer applicators and the glass primer applicators.
- Never touch the primed surfaces with your hands.





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






17. Put the cartridge in a caulking gun, and run a continuous bead of the adhesive (A) on the rear window (B) around the edge of the upper rubber dam (C) and the lower rubber dam (D) as shown:

- Apply the adhesive within 30 minutes after applying the glass primer.
- Make a slightly thicker bead at each corner.





18. Hold the rear window with suction cups over the opening, align it with the alignment marks you made in step 12, 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.

NOTE: Do not open or close any of the doors for about an hour until the adhesive is dry.

19. Remove the excess adhesive with a putty knife or a shop towel dampened in isopropyl alcohol.

20. Wait at least an hour for the adhesive to dry, then spray water over the rear window, and check for leaks. Mark the leaking area, 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.

21. 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).