REAR COMPARTMENT WATER LEAKS (DETECT AND SEAL LEAKS)

REVISION 12/16/93

THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REVISED TO INCLUDE THE 1994 MODEL YEAR. PREVIOUS DIVISIONAL PUBLICATION NUMBERS WERE: CADILLAC T-93-118 GM OF CANADA 93-10-238 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- REVISION: 10/13/94

THIS BULLETIN IS BEING REVISED TO ADD DCS MESSAGE AND INCLUDE THE 1995 MODEL YEAR. ----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUBJECT: REAR COMPARTMENT WATER LEAKS (DETECT AND SEAL LEAKS)

MODELS: 1992-95 CADILLAC ELDORADOS AND SEVILLES

DCS MESSAGE:

********************************************************************* SOME 1995 CADILLAC ELDORADOS AND SEVILLES MAY EXPERIENCE WATER LEAKS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT AREA WHICH MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY NOTICEABLE BECAUSE THE WATER CAN ACCUMULATE IN THE SPARE TIRE WELL. THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY PIN HOLES, SKIPS OR CRACKS IN THE SEALER IN THE BODY SEAMS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT AS LISTED IN SERVICE BULLETIN 311504 PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 1994. BASED ON EARLY 1995 WATER LEAK REPAIR INFORMATION, THE MOST FREQUENT LEAK AREAS CONTAIN WITHIN BULLETIN 311504 IN ORDER ARE:

ELDORADO-- TAIL PANEL SEAM/OPENING (FIGURE 4). BODY SEAM BELOW THE BACK LIGHT AND FORWARD OF THE DECK LID OPENING. DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE (FIGURE 1).

SEVILLE-- TAIL LIGHT POCKET SEAMS (FIGURE 3). BODY SEAM BELOW THE BACK LIGHT AND FORWARD OF THE DECK LID OPENING (FIGURE 2).

TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR THE VARIOUS WATER LEAK CONDITIONS, USE THE MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES LISTED IN BULLETIN 311504.

END OF DCS MESSAGE. ******************************************************************

CONDITION:

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

CAUSE:

THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY THE FOLLOWING:

O DISTORTION AND/OR MISMATCHED METAL ON THE DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE.

O DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP SEALING VOIDS TO THE WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE.

O LACK OF COMPRESSION AT THE DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE DECK LID.

O PIN HOLES OR SKIPS IN THE SEALER APPLICATIONS IN THE BODY SEAMS AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS:

- BODY SEAM BELOW THE BACK LIGHT AND FORWARD OF THE DECK LID OPENING (REAR SHELF TO QUARTER PANEL). - TAIL LIGHT OPENING SEAMS. - TAIL PANEL SEAM.

CORRECTION:

MATERIALS NEEDED FOR REAR COMPARTMENT LEAKS:

O 3M LEAK DETECTION POWDER, P/N 08951, OR EQUIVALENT.

O FOR DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP SEALING USE 3M P/N 08302, 3M P/N 08405, OR EQUIVALENT.

NOTE: IDENTIFICATION OF WATER LEAKS CAN BE DONE BY VISUAL INSPECTION AND/OR LOCALIZED WATER TEST 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 AGAIN AFTER MAKING THE REPAIR TO ENSURE THE CONDITION HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

I. DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP LEAKS (FIGURE 1, VIEWS A AND B)

O THE DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE IS COMPRISED OF SEVERAL WELDED JOINTS WHICH ARE SEALED WITH A THUMB GRADE SEALER. IF THESE JOINTS ARE NOT SEALED PROPERLY, IF THEY ARE DISTORTED BY WELDS (VIEW B), OR MISMATCHED METAL (VIEW A), WATER LEAKS MAY RESULT.

TO CORRECT A MISMATCH AT THE FLANGE JOINT REMOVE (BY FILE OR GRINDING) ONLY THE METAL WHICH STANDS ABOVE THE ADJACENT FLANGE. APPLY A ZINC-RICH PRIMER TO THE BARE METAL TO PREVENT CORROSION.

TO CORRECT LEAKS CAUSED BY WELD DISTORTION OR BENT FLANGES, STRAIGHTEN THE METAL WITH PLIERS.

RESEAL THE FLANGE JOINTS WITH 3M P/N 08655, OR EQUIVALENT. APPLY A BEAD OF 3M P/N 08302 SEALER, OR EQUIVALENT, INTO THE CAVITY OF THE DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP FOR FOUR TO SIX INCHES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LEAK AREA AND REINSTALL TO THE FLANGE.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE: LABOR OPERATION: T6740 0.5 HOURS

NOTE: DO NOT USE BLACK TYPE SEALERS THAT REMAIN SOFT OR "UNCURED" FOR SEALING THE DECK LID WEATHERSTRIP TO THE FLANGE.

O WATER LEAKS MAY RESULT DUE TO A LOSS OF COMPRESSION TO THE WEATHERSTRIP AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE DECK LID. THIS CONDITION SOMETIMES OCCURS WHEN THE DECK LID HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARD IN THE OPENING TO ACHIEVE A BETTER FIT.

APPLY 3M LEAK DETECTION POWDER, P/N 08951 OR EQUIVALENT, TO THE SEAL SURFACE ON THE DECK 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.

TO CORRECT, DETACH THE WEATHERSTRIP AT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE DECK LID OPENING AND REFORM THE WEATHERSTRIP FLANGE FORWARD. RESEAL THE WEATHERSTRIP TO THE FLANGE BY APPLYING A BEAD OF 3M P/N 08302 SEALER, OR EQUIVALENT, INTO THE WEATHERSTRIP CAVITY AND REINSTALL TO THE FLANGE.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE: Q LABOR OPERATION: T6741 0.3 HOURS

II. POTENTIAL BODY SEAM LEAK AREAS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT

O LEAKS AT THE REAR SHELF TO QUARTER PANEL. REFER TO FIGURE 2.

CHECK THE SEAM BELOW THE BACK LIGHT AND FORWARD OF THE DECK LID OPENING (REAR SHELF TO QUARTER PANEL) FOR PIN HOLES OR SKIPS IN THE SEALER. RESEAL AS REQUIRED USING 3M P/N 08302, OR EQUIVALENT.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE: LABOR OPERATION: T6742 (RIGHT SIDE) 0.2 HOURS T6743 (LEFT SIDE) 0.2 HOURS

O WATER LEAKS AT THE TAIL PANEL SEAM AND AROUND THE TAIL LIGHT OPENINGS. REFER TO FIGURES 3 AND 4.

IF A LEAK IS DETECTED IN THE TAIL PANEL SEAM/TAIL LIGHT AREA, REFER TO SECTION 10-8 OF THE SERVICE INFORMATION MANUAL AND REMOVE THE DECK LID FILLER PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS.

CAREFULLY CHECK FOR PIN HOLES OR SKIPS IN THE SEALER ALONG THE TAIL PANEL SEAM PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE SEAL AT THE LOCATING TABS. THE TAIL LIGHT POCKET ON THE SEVILLE (FIGURE 3) AND THE AREA AROUND THE TAIL LIGHTS ON THE ELDORADO (FIGURE 4) ARE POTENTIAL LEAK AREAS.

SEAL ANY DETECTED LEAKS WITH 3M P/N 08655, OR EQUIVALENT, AND REINSTALL THE FILLER PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS.

WARRANTY INFORMATION:

FOR VEHICLES REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, USE: LABOR OPERATION: T6744 (RIGHT SIDE) 0.7 HOURS T6745 (LEFT SIDE) 0.7 HOURS FIGURES: 4

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 1994 CADILLAC MOTOR CAR DIVISION, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.