[Gvr4-330]

Some punk with a bb gun shot a hole in the rear passenger side door window of my car the other day. Luckily the tint held it together enough that it didn't fall into the car.

I bought a replacement piece of glass, but am looking for instructions on how to replace it. I found directions for the first gen CTS, and it involves removing the window weather-stripping and an internal rain gutter in order to get enough clearance to get the glass out. Was wondering if that was the case for the 2nd gen CTS as well.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sooner-V]

Sorry to hear about your broken window. My previous Gen1 V's driver side rear window inexplicably shattered and I had a great Dallas area auto glass company (Xtreme Auto Glass Pros) come out to my work and replace it. If I remember right, he removed the pieces you mentioned and also removed the interior door panel. This is similar to when I have replaced the window regulator a few times on my daughter's VW Beetle. Removing the panel should provide access portals to the brackets that clamp onto the glass. After removing as much of the broken glass as you can you will need to roll it down to where the clamps match up to the portals to loosen them. Here is a link to a write up for the front door panel, but someone posts that the rear door panel is the same. Door Panel Removal
Make sure to vacuum out as much of the glass that you can from inside the door to avoid rattles when the door is closed after install. Good luck!

 

[RobF300]

ive done this job over the years since my very first car and quite honestly it sucks lol
lining it all back up, making sure it back in properly and operates itself in the track smoothly

 

[Gvr4-330]

Thanks for the info. I am debating having insurance do it vs. me. I talked with Safelite, but they don't have a lead on OEM glass and would only put in aftermarket glass. I was able to get a used window for $65, which isn't much more than my deductible of $50. I just have to install it myself. I've replaced window regulators before, but haven't had to replace glass before.

 

[Gvr4-330]

Just to close the loop, I managed to replace the window. I spent too much time trying to do it via the method outlined in the first-gen CTS manual and that was just wrong. Once I figured out the correct method, it was really easy. The first gen window is removed from the inner side of the door and the 2nd gen is removed from the outer side of the door.

Basically, once you get the door panel off and the rubber door lining off, you have to remove the plastic door frame trim to expose the screws for the exterior chrome window molding. There are 2 screws on either side. Once those are removed, you can pull up on the chrome molding to remove it. I also removed the rubber rain molding on the inner door frame, but I'm not sure that was absolutely necessary.

Then you can loosen the window clamps and lower the window all the way via the window switch. I think you should then be able to lift up the window out of the clamps, lower it to remove it from the window tracks, then pull it out of the door. I tried to just pull the broken window out since I was still doing it the first gen CTS way. Don't do what I did - it chewed up the weather-stripping a bit.

Then slide the window into the door from the outside and lower it past the window clamps to get it past the window tracks. Pull it up into the window tracks and then lower it into the clamps. Raise the window all the way using the switch and tighten the clamps. Then re-assemble everything.