cracks in your taillights? Door Panel?

[SexyWS6Mama]

Is it normal for your tail lights to get small cracks? I just noticed mine has one on passenger side.

Also, I noticed my interior has the same crack on the door panel on each side...

anyone in the same boat? Anything you can really do about it?

[third_shift|studios]

audrey, do a search about the door crack-it's common and very unforgiving-but someone posted a fix. It might be in the appearance stickys.

Dunno about your taillight. Is it just the lens cover or the housing?

[SexyWS6Mama]

audrey, do a search about the door crack-it's common and very unforgiving-but someone posted a fix. It might be in the appearance stickys.

Dunno about your taillight. Is it just the lens cover or the housing?

Yes, the crack in the taillight is just the lens cover. I actually thought it was a scratch until I looked closer noticed it was actually cracked.

okay. I'll look under appearance..thanks

[SexyWS6Mama]

Yup, found it (cracked door panels)

http://www.highperformancepontiac.co...air/index.html


his does not cover aesthetics. This fix is all about preventing future cracking. My crack was not very large and all I have to do (after the following fix) is carefully trim the stressed plastic out of the crack and shoot a shot of color matched vinyl paint over it. Further, to fix the crack itself, all I had to do was push the plastic together, throw on some JB Weld with some reinforcing plastic over that.


Hardware: For each Panel- Ten #4-40 screws/bolts and ten #4 washers. The shortest I could find were ½”, I cut them down to about 5/16. You just need to verify each screw (with washer) will go through with just enough thread to mate with the nut when finger tight.

After the panel is off, and before you take any of the staples out, drill your holes for the screws just above each staple except for the staple closest to the speaker - we are going to leave that one in.



Take out the staples, all but the one closest to the speaker.


A rotary toll will make this much easier, but I imagine you could just cut the holes with an exacto or even a small round file. The idea of this step is to not make the hole bigger, but to make each hole an oval - this is what will provide relief for future expansion/contraction.


Now clean up any rough plastic edges left from drilling the holes. I used a small chisel to clean both sides and an exacto to clean up the inside.


Starting from the end with the staple, begin putting your screws in with one washer on each screw. Put the screw in from the back If you don’t you will have fitment problems getting the panel back on.



Make sure you LocTite each nut, and only tighten hand tight.



All done. Like I said, I’m just going to carefully clean up the stressed plastic and spray some color matched vinyl spray over it and it will be as good as new and I am confident it will not crack again.


I don't want people to miss the point of this mod: That the oval holes and washer/screw allow the panel to expand and contract unlike the staples or just replacing the staples with rivets.

[99WS6RAMAIR]

Check these out! Someone needs to start a petition for recall and contact GM

http://rides.webshots.com/album/562650026XVVrXC

I must have one of the few virgin '99 door panels with no cracks. Door panels have never been off the car and they are still perfect! Imagine that.

[SexyWS6Mama]

mine were virgins until 2 weeks ago when I discovered 2 mysteries cracks!!!

[GULLETT17]

mine were virgins until 2 weeks ago when I discovered 2 mysteries cracks!!!

man i guess i better do the preventative mod before mine crack!! as for your tail lights, that almost doesn't make sense!! what would even cause that. . .just the sun?

[99WS6RAMAIR]

mine were virgins until 2 weeks ago when I discovered 2 mysteries cracks!!!

Yeah but mine are 3 years older than yours

[Speed Psychosis]

our door panels crack?

[02cetransam]

our door panels crack?

they sure do!!

[99WS6RAMAIR]

our door panels crack?

I reiterate :

http://rides.webshots.com/album/562650026XVVrXC

[Bouvers]

why don't we make a sticky on this issue?... everyone with the crack post it... maybe gm can see the issue.
Nevermind "lets give GM a reason to make a new TA" lets give them a reason to perfect the last ones... jesus I'm so burned to the fact that I have to replace a panel that they screwed up on and that the stealerships up here are asking 900$ a pop for them!

[SexyWS6Mama]

why doesn't GM do a recall since all do this?

[99WS6RAMAIR]

why doesn't GM do a recall since all do this?

...and while they're at it, how about the crappy headlight motors with plastic gears, super sluggish undersized power window motors, eggshell rear end gears, and ta tink aluminum driveshafts?

[dotcom2000]

Just finished replacing both window motors yesterday. Fixed a headlight motor last summer. Both door panels are still cracked as well as as the passenger side tail light lens. 2003 lenses are supposed to fit, I'll wait till I find some.

[matthewaqui]

Hey Buddy! Where are you at in California. I'm here in Lakewood!

I replaced the driver side motor a couple months ago. Both of my doors are cracked and I should have fixed that crack when I had the driver side off. Didn't think of it though.

What I hate the most is front signal housing for they crack because of the Running light heat......... no matter how I seal the housing, it will always have an area where it leaks in. I guess the heat just deteoriates the cement where I caulk the crack.

Sucks,
Matt

P.S. Your best bet on this issue is to solder the wires to kill the running lights.

Just finished replacing both window motors yesterday. Fixed a headlight motor last summer. Both door panels are still cracked as well as as the passenger side tail light lens. 2003 lenses are supposed to fit, I'll wait till I find some.

[2KTransam]

...and while they're at it, how about the crappy headlight motors with plastic gears, super sluggish undersized power window motors, eggshell rear end gears, and ta tink aluminum driveshafts?

I was just thinking the other day, I should have asked Scott Settlemire at G13, why GM put such little effort into making the cars more reliable.

[tep98ws6]

I just noticed my passenger tail light was cracked and couldn't find a reasonable replacement for just a cosmetic crack so I went with black outs instead... Fixed the problem of my eyesore

[rideon1200]

Good luck finding the 2003 lenses for you bird.

[99WS6RAMAIR]

Good luck finding the 2003 lenses for you bird.

LOL!!!!!