REAR COMPARTMENT WATER LEAKS (APPLY SEALER)

SUBJECT: REAR COMPARTMENT WATER LEAKS (APPLY SEALER)

MODELS: 1994 CADILLAC SEDAN DE VILLES 1994 CADILLAC DE VILLE CONCOURS

CONDITION:

SOME OWNERS MAY EXPERIENCE WATER LEAKS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT AREA.

CAUSE:

THIS CONDITION MAY BE DUE TO THE FOLLOWING:

I. DISTORTION OF THE REAR COMPARTMENT GUTTER, LEAKS AT VERTICAL JOINTS OF THE WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING FLANGE. REFER TO FIGURE 1.

O REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW A. ON SOME EARLY PRODUCTION 1994 SEDAN DEVILLE CONCOURS THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING FLANGE WAS ROLLED OUTBOARD (IN THE AREA WHERE THE QUARTER EXTENSIONS MATE TO THE QUARTER PANELS) TO RELIEVE A BINDING CONDITION AT THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID INNER PANEL.

ROLLING THE WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE OUTBOARD CAUSED SOME OF THESE EARLY CARS TO HAVE INSUFFICIENT COMPRESSION OF THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE DECK LID INNER PANEL. THE PLASTISOL SEALER AT THE QUARTER EXTENSION TO THE QUARTER PANEL JOINTS MAY HAVE HAIRLINE CRACKS AND/OR SPOT WELD BURN- THROUGHS.

II. IMPROPERLY SEALED VERTICAL JOINTS IN THE UPPER REAR COMPARTMENT GUTTER. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW B.

III. SEALER VOIDS INSIDE THE REAR COMPARTMENT WEATHERSTRIP.

IV. PINHOLES OR SKIPS IN THE SEALER APPLICATION AT THE QUARTER PANEL TO THE REAR SHELF. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW C.

V. SEALER SKIPS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE LICENSE PLATE POCKET OPENING; MISSING PLUGS IN LOWER CORNERS OF OPENING. REFER TO FIGURE 2.

VI. THE OBLONG TOOLING HOLE LOCATED IN THE LEFT SIDE REAR END PANEL MAY NOT BE SEALED PROPERLY. REFER TO FIGURE 3.

CORRECTION:

NOTE: IDENTIFICATION OF WATER LEAKS CAN BE DONE BY VISUAL AND/OR LOCALIZED WATER TESTING METHODS. IN SOME CASES, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO INSPECT FROM INSIDE THE REAR COMPARTMENT WHILE WATER TESTING WITH A HELPER. BEGIN THE WATER TESTING AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE POINT OF WATER ENTRY AND WORK YOUR WAY UP TO THE SUSPECTED LEAK PATH. AS ALWAYS, WATER TEST THE AREA AFTER MAKING THE REPAIR TO ENSURE THE CONDITION HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

I. LEAKS DUE TO DISTORTION OF THE REAR COMPARTMENT GUTTER AND WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING FLANGE:

1. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW A. CHECK WEATHERSTRIP COMPRESSION TO THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID INNER PANEL. APPLY 3M LEAK DETECTION POWDER, P/N 08951 OR EQUIVALENT, TO THE SEAL SURFACE ON THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID INNER PANEL AND CLOSE THE DECK LID. THE TRANSFER OF POWDER TO THE WEATHERSTRIP INDICATES GOOD COMPRESSION; A VOID IN THE POWDER TRANSFER WILL HIGHLIGHT THE LEAK AREA. IF THERE IS GOOD COMPRESSION OF THE WEATHERSTRIP, PROCEED TO STEP 3.

2. TO INCREASE THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP COMPRESSION, DETACH THE WEATHERSTRIP FROM THE RETAINING FLANGE IN THE AREA INDICATED BY STEP 1. REFORM THE WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING FLANGE IN AN INBOARD DIRECTION JUST ENOUGH TO OBTAIN A GOOD SEAL. (KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ORIGINAL BINDING CONDITION AT THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID INNER PANEL MAY RECUR IF YOU OVERCOMPENSATE.) REINSTALL THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE RETAINING FLANGE AND REPEAT STEPS 1 AND 2 UNTIL GOOD COMPRESSION IS INDICATED.

3. IF THE AREA SHOWS GOOD WEATHERSTRIP COMPRESSION (STEP 1) AND A WATER LEAK IS STILL EVIDENT AT THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP, DETACH THE WEATHERSTRIP FROM THE FLANGE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LEAK AREA AND INSPECT THE LOCAL PLASTISOL JOINTS FOR SKIPS AND/OR CRACKS AT THE QUARTER EXTENSION SEAM AND FOR SPOT WELD BURN-THROUGHS. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW A. RESEAL THE FLANGE JOINT WITH 3M P/N 08655, OR EQUIVALENT. USE 3M P/N 08302, OR EQUIVALENT, TO REPAIR THE QUARTER EXTENSION SEAM SEAL AND ANY PINHOLES OR BURN-THROUGHS IN THE SPOT WELDS. RESEAL THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE RETAINING FLANGE BY APPLYING A BEAD OF 3M P/N 08302 SEALER INTO THE CAVITY OF THE WEATHERSTRIP AND REINSTALL TO THE RETAINING FLANGE.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATION T6765 AT .4 HOUR.

II. IMPROPERLY SEALED WEATHERSTRIP RETAINING FLANGE JOINTS IN THE UPPER REAR COMPARTMENT GUTTER. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW B:

1. DETACH THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP FROM THE RETAINING FLANGE IN THE LEAK AREA.

2. RESEAL THE FLANGE JOINTS WITH 3M P/N 08655, OR EQUIVALENT.

3. APPLY A BEAD OF 3M SEALER, P/N 08302 OR EQUIVALENT, INTO THE CAVITY OF THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP FOR FOUR TO SIX INCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LEAK AREA.

4. REINSTALL THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE FLANGE.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATION T6766 AT .3 HOUR.

III. SEALER VOIDS INSIDE THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP.

NOTE: THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID WEATHERSTRIP HAS AN INTERNAL SEALER THAT SEALS TO THE RETAINING FLANGE. FOR WATER LEAKS CAUSED BY SKIPS OR VOIDS IN THE WEATHERSTRIP:

1. DETACH THE WEATHERSTRIP FROM THE RETAINING FLANGE IN THE LEAK AREA.

2. APPLY A BEAD OF 3M SEALER, P/N 08302 OR EQUIVALENT, INTO THE CAVITY OF THE WEATHERSTRIP FOR FOUR TO SIX INCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LEAK AREA.

3. REINSTALL THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE RETAINING FLANGE.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATION T6767 AT .3 HOUR.

IV. PINHOLES OR SKIPS IN THE SEALER AT THE QUARTER PANEL TO THE REAR SHELF. REFER TO FIGURE 1, VIEW C:

1. RESEAL AS REQUIRED USING 3M P/N 08302, OR EQUIVALENT.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATIONS T6768 AT .2 HOUR (RIGHT) OR T6769 AT .2 HOUR (LEFT).

V. SEALER SKIPS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE LICENSE PLATE POCKET OPENING AND/OR MISSING PLUGS IN THE LICENSE PLATE OPENING IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID. REFER TO FIGURE 2:

1. REMOVE THE LICENSE PLATE POCKET. REFER TO SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL 10-8-9.

2. USING A MIRROR (REFER TO FIGURE 2, VIEWS A AND B) INSPECT THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY OF THE LICENSE PLATE OPENING CAVITY IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID FOR SKIPS AND OR MISLOCATED SEALER AT ALL JOINTS. PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE RADIUS IN EACH UPPER CORNER OF THE OPENING (VIEW B).

3. RESEAL DETECTED SKIPS OR VOIDS AS REQUIRED USING 3M P/N 08302, OR EQUIVALENT.

4. IF PLUGS ARE MISSING IN THE LOWER CORNERS OF THE LICENSE PLATE CAVITY (REFER TO VIEW A), SEAL THE HOLES WITH 3M SCOTCH ELECTRIC MOISTURE SEALANT TAPE, P/N 06147, OR EQUIVALENT.

5. REINSTALL THE LICENSE PLATE POCKET.

NOTE: THE TWO SCREWS THAT RETAIN THE REAR COMPARTMENT LID POCKET (REFER TO VIEW C) HAVE SEALER WASHERS WHICH SQUEEZE OUT AS THEY ARE TORQUED DOWN. REPOSITION THE SEALER OR RESEAL WITH 3M STRIP- CAULK, P/N 08578, OR EQUIVALENT.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATION T6770 AT .6 HOUR.

VI. LEAKS AT THE OBLONG TOOLING HOLE LOCATED IN THE LEFT SIDE REAR END PANEL. REFER TO FIGURE 3:

1. REMOVE THE REAR COMPARTMENT SILL PLATE. REFER TO SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL 10-8-1.

2. RESEAL THE PLUG AS REQUIRED USING 3M P/N 08661, OR EQUIVALENT.

3. REINSTALL REAR COMPARTMENT SILL PLATE.

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY USE LABOR OPERATION T6771 AT .3 HOUR.

FIGURES: 3

GENERAL MOTORS BULLETINS ARE INTENDED FOR USE BY PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIANS, NOT A "DO-IT-YOURSELFER". THEY ARE WRITTEN TO INFORM THOSE TECHNICIANS OF CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON SOME VEHICLES, OR TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD ASSIST IN THE PROPER SERVICE OF A VEHICLE. PROPERLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND KNOW-HOW TO DO A JOB PROPERLY AND SAFELY. IF A CONDITION IS DESCRIBED, DO NOT ASSUME THAT THE BULLETIN APPLIES TO YOUR VEHICLE, OR THAT YOUR VEHICLE WILL HAVE THAT CONDITION. SEE A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER SERVICING YOUR BRAND OF GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE FOR INFORMATION ON WHETHER YOUR VEHICLE MAY BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION.

COPYRIGHT 1993 CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.