I needed to replace the original sliding rear window. A local glass repair serice installed a PILKINGTON window. After about nine months the latch for the slider broke. I have been chasing tail with the installer a PILKINGTON ever since. Still not fixed. Any advice?

 

Being in the auto glass biz I can say Pilkington itself does not install anything. Whoever did the install simply used a Pilkington-branded part. If you post the year and model of your truck I might be able to help you.

 

Yes! You are correct. I have been hearing one excuse after another from the local installer who claims PILKINGTON will not support him with a latch. So I contacted PILKINGTON myself and he appears to be correct as they are next to impossible to communicate with in a timely and difinative way. So the "we'll see what we can do" nightmare continues. As of late I've got nothing but empty promises from both. PILKINGTON said they make the window in Brazil and have a guy due to arrive in the states in the next couple of weeks who will try to bring a latch! Are you kidding me? Are we back in the 1800's or what? I would appreciate any help. I own a 1998 F150 Lariate Flareside.

 

Can I not get and replace both sides of the latch with a generic replacement component? I mean, am I the only knucklehead who ever suffered a broken latch? I realize both sides/halves would need replaced/matched.

 

Honestly the aftermarket sliding rear window assemblies are so cheap replacement parts are just not available. Yes those latches on almost nearly every such window are notoriously cheap, easily broken even the Ford OEM types.

Your issue with replacing it will be finding one---I don't know of anyone really offering them. Next is installation as you'll need to most likely drill out old rivets which runs a high risk of breaking one or more of the tempered glass pieces.

What area of the US are you located?

 

I am in Elizabethtown Pa 17022. I just heard from PILKINGTON. The Rep from Brazil gave him two latch assemblies. He is mailing them to me. In his office he experimented. He claims that the hinge pin can be tapped out, broken latch replaced, hinge pin tapped back into place. Claims it should be an easy DIY. I'm anxious about the tapping force and breaking glass. Advice?

 

I gotta add, just to say, this all started over the OEM Original window leaking. The advice I got here was to replace rather than gum it up with appoxy. Wow! But the problem really started with the Idiots @ Ford who were involved with the design of this rear window in the first place. You don't need to be an engineer to see that the concept is super vulnerable to debries, rot, and leaking. Perhaps once you become an engineer you are too smart to see something as so obviously flawed. Hope they dissmissed those guys when they reverted back to proper design.

 

I would say proceed with great caution----only because its free to do so, any excessive force and you're buying a whole new sliding window unit once again. Once you have the parts in hand check them over carefully, see if what you've been told seems possible. Since non-technical people have supposedly been able to do this certainly someone motivated and even slightly adept with tools can do it fairly easily.

Anything can be fixed and while I wasn't part of the original advice suggesting a replacement would be the best option I'm sorry you've had this problem with both Pilkington and your local glass guy---doesn't paint either organization in good light. My questions would have been where is it leaking and do you have any photos of the unit itself.

I''m hoping these latches fix your problems but for future reference keep me in mind, use the PM feature here if any other auto glass related issues should ever arise.

 

In short. The parts came. Used more than my share of FREE CAUTION.. nice suggestion. DONE!

To your other question. The original Ford window was leaking right above the slider. Had Cindy Roew Safelight Auto Glass and Bill's Auto Glass look and estimate. Both confirmed a "Cracked Frame" ! Otherwise pulling and re-installing with a new seal may have worked. That would have been $100+ Further, I was warned that these widows, especially with age, could end up seeing the fram crack upon re-install and thus the $100 for nothing.

Again, based on someone's advice here... "do it right and have it replaced"!

For a few bucks less than Safelight... I went with Bill's Auto Glass at $300+ I'm done... new... and would have never been heard from again if not for the latch breaking.

Cudo's to the guys at PILKINGTON for getting me the part and advice on the fix.

Shame on Bill's Auto Glass who as recently as last week was in his third month of telling me he'd be by to fix it.

Thanks for your help.

Now for my advice to others in the Ford Forum... as they say... you get what you pay for. I should have gone with Safelight and a written warrenty.

 

Glad this is finally fixed for you---I know it was aggravating!

As for Safelite and their BS business tactics----your auto glass installer of choice was merely one small example of a bad businessman, someone obviously not concerned with keeping your business OR fully unaware the damage a dissatisfied customer can bring.

Safelite is NOT your best bet for anything autoglass related because in general their goal is to maximize profit by greatly reducing the quality of the parts they use. The customer suffers in the end.

Fact is their greatest profits are made by being insurance company intermediaries, acting as an agent for glass repair/replacement claims. They will try steering the job to their own installation arm but even if another glass shop is chosen Safelite profits by billing your insurance company for taking the claim etc. Insurance company reduces its staff, Safelite gets paid for answering the phone and the customer more times than not gets stuck with a low grade glass part; win-win for two of the three involved parties huh?

At this point its impossible to know IF Safelite would have honored any warranty on your window for this situation---not saying they wouldn't but its unknown. In many many cases we do indeed get what we pay for however the end cost is not always a guarantee the higher amount is better or of more quality.

Again sorry you were given bad advice here regarding the replacement and even more apologetic another independent glass shop dropped the ball on you.

 

How does the unknowing customer decide on the right Auto Glass repair person/company?

 

Well that's the real challenge of anything we need---who to trust, what's the best source of referral?

I tend to avoid anyone that heavily advertises in any way---the main reason being they need to work. Typically a good outfit doesn't need to advertise too much (if at all) because the word of mouth from satisfied customers keeps them very very busy. An interesting fact of selling to the public is this: on average satisfied customers contact four people, complimenting their experience. On the other hand a dissatisfied customer contacts twenty--think about that!

Being a bit skeptical and more aware of advertising's goal and possibly hidden reasons its easy for me to "read between the lines" in reading or listening to ads. Since I'm in the auto glass biz I know of and have dealt with Safelite's shenanigans however their hype and scare tactics are common in advertising these days--appealing to emotions or raising concerns with at best sketchy "facts" about something.

Have you seen Safelite's ad where they claim to use a robot like device to install windshields just like the factories do, that its safer? Complete and utter bunk BS! Its out there and has to be addressed when/if the unknowing consumer asks which isn't horrible but the intent is at best suspect.

When it comes to Ford repairs and FTE maybe join your local chapter and ask those more familiar with your area. Along with good referrals you might get a few anecdotes with similar situations and their eventual outcome. There's no sure cure for potentially bad experiences which is where sharing proves helpful to the next guy.

Anyway hopefully your rear window is fixed and working again---been a long ordeal and process I know.