I do not know of any car repair sites so I will post this here and hope it does not offend anyone:
I have an 07 Yukon. The back window has the usual electronic defrost system. The switch on the dash controls the rear window and the side mirrors. The back hatch has two lift-gates. One, lifts the entire gate. The other a smaller glass gate. The defrost is powered by a coiled wire to each side of the glass. The connection to the glass has broken. (In fact this broke on my older Tahoe as well) I took it to my repair guy and he told me I needed to replace the entire window assembly at the tune of @ $500. I am out of warranty.
Is there another way? Has anyone else run across this same problem? Since I have had two GMC vehicles with the exact same problem there must be a less expensive fix than a total window replacement? Could this be a recall item?
The wire in question has a flat copper 1/2×1/2 piece soldered to the wire mesh of the window. My mechanic says a re-solder job will not hold. The stupid coiled wire is not long enough and pulls tight every time you open the hatch finally causing enough fatigue to break.
Thanks for any help. Mike
Replies
Check with auto parts suppliers. They may have a repair kit for this sort of thing. You'd need to glue a new piece (with new wire) to the window, then use conductive paint to make the connection.
Dan has it right.
Auto parts stores have a repair kit for this.
Another suggestion: Instead of 'your repair guy'... Have you considered taking it to a shop that specializes in auto glass repair ?
Mike,
I typed "automotive window defroster repair" into Google. Gat a bunch of hits, here is one of the first ones:
http://www.frostfighter.com/fixit.htm
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
The back glass has been known to break from a rock from the roadway, seems to happen a lot for people that have a zero Comprehensive Deductible on their auto insurance.
Greg
This may not help you now, but if it happens again, some auto insurers offer an additional glass coverage for a small yearly premium. Basically, for $50 a year, they'll replace or repair cracked/broken glass with no deductible. Might be worth looking into.
Have an 84 chrysler and 86 Blazer where the rear defrost did not work. Soldered both of them with 63/37 and both still holding. (> 5 years)
Also had a '74 Datsun where the small traces that are the heaters got scratched open. A dab of conductive epoxy (zinc power in epoxy) fixed that also.
A piece of copper solder wick smeared with silicone (tokeep if from corroding) is very flexible and serves well as a replacement for the 'coiled wire'.
BTW, yu kon fix anything. <G>
Yeah, you definitely don't want to use regular wire for the flexible leads -- it's too stiff and will fatigue and break in a fairly short time. The thing to use is test probe wire, made for the test leads of voltmeters and the like. Or you can probably just buy a set of self-coiling test leads at Radio Shack and use those.Be sure to mechanically fix the ends of the wires, on the insulation, so that they won't fatigue through right where the insulation ends.
As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz
I resoldered the connection on my 99 suburban and it has held up just fine...
Root canal kept me off line for awhile. Thanks for the responses. I will try the kit. Love it when I can fix it myself.Mike