Cracked Door Panels

**ima** · 01-10-2006, 12:18 PM

I have a '99 T/A with only 30K miles on it and my door panels are already splitting at the top near the window. This started to happen last year and I have nearly identical cracks on both doors.
This weekend I went to start my car (I'm storing it) and noticed that my driver side door is completely split at the top (from the rubber stripping to the leather part of the door panel)
Has anyone else had this problem before?
Is there anything I can do about it or do I have to get two new door panels?

Thanks

99PontTA · 01-10-2006, 12:37 PM

yep they all crack...mine cracked after about 20k....don't bother worrying about it...GM will replace them free...you know they will....wanna buy a bridge?

**Street Fighter** · 01-10-2006, 03:14 PM

Mines did it at 19,000 and thank god I only drive it every now and than or they would be worse than they are.They all do it.

**ima** · 01-11-2006, 05:48 AM

So I take it that GM won't do anything about this problem?
Do you know what years will fit, I was wondering if any LT1 door panels might work as well? It wouldn't be too difficult to find them in a junk yard.

99PontTA · 01-11-2006, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by ima

So I take it that GM won't do anything about this problem?

GM only replaced Chuck Norris's cracked panel's............they are not afraid of you..........

**MdFormula350** · 02-08-2006, 09:03 PM

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440767

mine is at only 12k miles

its not too bad, i plan to at least fill it with something to hold it together.

**TommySS** · 02-09-2006, 08:22 PM

Thanks for posting the pic. There has to be a way to add support to keep it from doing that.

**MdFormula350** · 02-09-2006, 11:53 PM

yeah i hope so, i need to take them out, and take a good look.

i figured its something easy and mine should be able to fix so u cant see it. black is always easy to hide things

**thirdbird** · 03-03-2006, 08:08 PM

Both of my wifes panels cracked all the way when she left the car outside on a cold night this past winter.
The cracks had started small but cracked all the way on that cold night.
Sucks huh...
The car usually is in a basement garage and never gets too cold.

**third_shift|studios** · 03-31-2006, 12:48 PM

so cold is the culprate? that sucks...fuck, i just noticed my passenger side cracked. Epoxy and paint? lol.

**Wayah-bird** · 03-31-2006, 03:26 PM

[QUOTE=MdFormula350]http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=440767

mine is at only 12k miles

Thank you for that previous thread.
For those out there with NO cracked panels, what are you doing right? Garage kept? Warm weather climate? Not putting the windows down all the way?

**Kyle C** · 03-31-2006, 09:43 PM

Bought my '02 with 27K on the clock and both panels cracked. Dealer replaced them and covered in under warranty. New panels haven't cracked yet but I'm expecting it any day now. I'll have to live with it or pick up the tab this time.

**JehalinTA** · 04-01-2006, 05:53 AM

Dealer said its due to closing the door by the window.... Actually I noticed that the crack expands in the winter and closes when its hot... So if you live in someplace cold it will prolly crack... When I lived in Houston I never had that problem but now that I live in tulsa the problem started

**TheKitchenSink** · 04-01-2006, 01:21 PM

Mines also cracked just the drivers side though. Dealership told me $540 bucks for a new door panel so i said screw that. Im just keeping my eye out for one on ebay, the tan ones are harder to find on there it seems. But from what it sounds like it is a common thing which sucks.

**thirdbird** · 04-01-2006, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by JehalinTA

Dealer said its due to closing the door by the window....

Not true. I have had a firebird of some kind in my garage for almost 30 years. I never close the doors with the window, never have. Firebirds are probably one of the few cars left without a frame around the window. In older models, closing them by the window would lead to rattling windows.

GM should just admit that they have a bad design here. I dont expect them to replace anything, just admit it.
As I stated earlier, my car has been in a basement garage, and never gets too hot or cold. The temps where I live are as moderate and average as anywhere.
They have a bad design, plain and simple.