If you use silicone the gasket isnt really needed as long as the silicone is thic enough but be warned. It is very hard to get the silicone off and remove the light after. If you don't use the light because you have a headache like mine silicone will work or you should just swap gaskets every few years to be safe.
Before sealing ANYTHING..... Make it easier on yourself and buy replacement bulbs fore the top light (go plug and play LED if you can and replace those) and swap them out!!!! .....Then seal and replace the light. It's a pain to go through a fix only to have to redo it when a bulb goes out in a month.
The fact that we’re spending 50-70k on these trucks and having to take them home and apply silicone is just mind blowing to me. We appreciate the video man, don’t take it the wrong way, but what absolute BS these manufacturers are.
100% !!! First of all this has been an issue on these trucks for years so why haven't they figured it out & why in the H hasn't there been a recall. I am just livid, I took my grandchildren to town & thankfully had a couple of cloths as there was water pouring out of both the front & rear interior dome light sections. I can't imagine how much water has been accumulating under the headliner. The service manager joked when I took it in "you got the waterfall feature" ha ha, not funny! Like you said Billy B...we've spent a boat load of $$$$$$$$, now I wait for new parts 🙄
Part of the 50-70k is the assembly line workers thinking they need more n more money because thier job is soooo hard..😢😭 I had two family members that worked assembly an they said they screwed off more than they worked an got paid stupid cash for barely working!
@@JPandher Wait till you see how much a headlight assembly is,lifters failing taking out pistons,touch screen failing,slider overheats from defrost in it blowing glass out,radiator, AC condenser, ground wires...I know theres more cant remember all of them!
Noticed water damage on headliner of my 2015. Popped light off and saw crappy seal with debri. Just sealed with silicone and probably saved hundreds. Thank you.
Thank you for this video, this is EXACTLY what I have been looking for for DIY. I unfortunately have have both the Shark Fin and the 3rd Brake light leaking. I took the Fin off and cleaned it, sealed it and tighten it back down and now my 3 brake is leaking so I will definitely be doing this! Thanks for the Amazon links for the gasket replacement as well!
I had already used the silicone on my 'shark fin' antenna to keep water out. However, thanx for the tip on the third brake light. I added silicone to that one and I am confident it is now sealed as well. One thing to note. The 2019-20 Silverado 'shark fin' antenna does not have the hole in the back like the 3rd gen Silverados. I guess GM just decided to fix it. Love your channel dude!
Just did mine. If you can manage to hold a pretty good bead you’re actually going to get better results by doing the outside edges of the lenses around the frame of the light. And it doesn’t look bad at all
I have a 2017 3500, and thankfully, no leaks yet. It does have very low miles and rarely sees rain though. I plan to do this quick fix as q precaution. The first time I checked out the roof of the truck when it was new, and noticed that gasket opening in the XM radio antennae, located on the uphill side of the sloped roof, I thought "what was GM thinking!". Thank you for all of your great advice.
It's an eventual problem on most trucks no matter the year. My 2006 Silverado did this, my friend's 2007 did this, my dad's 2011 did this. You'll see this on plenty Fords and other makes. I don't know why it's so hard for every auto manufacturer to realize "hey, maybe we shouldn't have a 1-2 foot gaping hole in these roofs that drain directly into the cab!"
You are right. Seems like there could be a better solution. Probably only there because of safety regulations. Tempting to fill it in completely because my headache rack has lights anyway lol
I simply used a foaming/lifting type upholstery cleaner to remove 100% of the severe water stains on my 07 Silverado liner. Looks brand new with little effort. Just my $0.02...
GM fixed my antenna leak. Fast forward 2-1/2 years now my 3rd brake light is leaking and i pulled the light and sure enough this damn seal is junk. ordering a new light as I have water in the light as well so may as well update it. Drives me insane you spend 60-80k on these and have to worry about water leaks in first 5 years.
I just bought a used 1500 and was looking in storage under rear seat behind driver and a ton of water was in it...looked on the forums and BOOM....here we are...this should be a recall
Great video, very helpful. FYI, I could not get the light out on my '15 today without some pry tools. I used the tools on the bottom rather than the top and very lightly pulled the lamp out. I did not have separation issues and was able to get the lamp out far enough to finish the job with my hands.
My 2016 GMC 3500 antenae leaked and was fixed under warranty. I see that the little hole is now facing the opposite way than originally installed when I bought it. My friend just told me about his rear lamp problem. Thanks for showing how to fix it. Gonna do it asap!
That's interesting that is is flipped around. Although now I'd be worries about water getting pushed into it from the front when driving. I wonder if they installed it wrong or if that is the fix 🤔 and no problem! Hope it helps you out
Rained all day yesterday and after about a minute of driving my '14 Silverado I felt water a drop or 2 of water land on my left leg. Started feeling around and emergency brake pedal was wet. Pulled over(wasn't raining) and saw water drops along fuse cover and near drivers side speaker. Will try to seal the Fin Antenna and hope that is the problem and not something else. Headliner shows no water stains anywhere.
thank you for this! I'm about to buy a used truck and I already see some water stains so thanks for helping me get an idea of how much it'll cost to repair
Thanks for the tip. I just bought a 2016 and am finding your channel very helpful. I changed out my fin antenna to a body colored one and the hole is in front now like it should have been from the factory. I have some 3M rope tape I've used for some weather strip on other cars and it works pretty well. I'm going to try that stuff on my new aftermarket LED 3rd brake light that I just bought for it instead of the sealant.
Amazon sells a thicker gasket without adhesive on one side (some claim the leak happens after changing bulbs)and LED brake/cargo light for less than $50. Changing mine today. Hope the this works.
I had this issue with my 2011 Silverado two times. Best thing to do is get 30% vinegar put it in a chemical spray bottle and spray the headliner where the stains are. Let it sit for a couple minutes and then get a microfiber cloth and scrub the headliner and then get a separate microfiber cloth and blot dry. Let it sit for a while if you still see the stains keep repeating the same process. If the stains are stubborn you can get a soft white bristle brush and go over the surface gently with that. Keep repeating the process until the stains come out. My headliner looks brand new once again. You can get to 30% at Home Depot or Lowe's. Comes in a 1 gallon bottle. The vinegar will not harm the headliner. You can also use the vinegar on carpet and upholstery that's cloth and it will not harm it. Been using it for years. Also removed a coffee stain out of my carpet with it. For stubborn stains like that you want to spray the stain really well and let it sit for maybe 20 minutes a half an hour then scrub it and blot it dry.
Happened in my 14 Sierra. Carpets were soaked. Moldy rear seatbelts and headliner was ruined. A great surprise after buying a used truck. I had to gut the back, clean and dry the carpet insulation bleach the seatbelts. Grind rust on the inside and repaint it, just a lot of hell I didn’t sign up for. I silicones the brake light and sprayed water on it and looked for leaks. Pain in the ASS!
The Sundae Drive , just glad it didn’t cause any major electrical damage. Hope your video helps others. Maybe they’ll recall or at least issue a service bulletin
I use o rings on the fasteners. No need for thread sealant. When you changed the color of the lens from black to red it separated and can cause water to get in there too. I would run the silicone more towards the top. It happened to me when changing the bulbs.
The air vents in the back wall of my 2016 silverado 2500hd 6.0 were leaking badly, and the antenna was leaking too so i just took some black Silicone and threw a bead around it and fingerd it flat. Hasn't been an issue since, but the rectangle vents are definitely something to look into. Thanks for the video, 3rd light isn't leaking yet..
Would absolutely apply bead of silicone around outside of lens once re-installed. When I looked very closely at the under-side of my lens there appears to be very small gaps in the top corners of the unit where the outer lens mates with the inner bulb housing. I believe that is where the water intrusion is coming from. It’s well before the gasket.
I’m thinking about doing the same thing as a preventative measure as my 2018 is not leaking. I just don’t want to remove the housing and cause damage to the gasket/seal. My question is can silicone be easily removed if i need to remove the housing to replace a bulb in the future?
2017 Silverado. I have cleaned and siliconed that antenna twice. Then bought a brand new one. It still was leaking so I siliconed the new one. I still have a leak from way up high. But the antenna bolt is dry as a bone. Still drips down on the e-brake peddle. It’s wet higher than the windshield corner so I don’t think it’s there. Only thing else I can think of is it might be the drain for moonroof?? Maybe it’s cracked? Clogged? Or possibly it’s a bad weld under that trim piece between door and roof? I’m at a loss right now.
@@TheSundaeDrive I tore it all apart again... dumped water all over the windshield careful not to let it get anywhere else. Then, I took it to the car wash... seen it seeping through the top left corner of the windshield. Still haven’t fixed it, but I know where it’s coming from now. Should be getting windshield repaired/replaced soon. What a joke.
It's happening to my 08 right now. The water is running down the driver's side rear corner and soaking the carpet on that side (driveway is pitched that way). Fortunately it didn't get onto the headliner, but once I fix the leak, I'll have to dry the carpet and pad underneath. Thanks
My third break light hasn't leaked, yet. But the antenna just took a big wet shit on me... Gonna fix this part too this weekend on my 2015 Silverado after I do the antenna...
Great Video in explaining a problem and solution, thank you for sharing your knowledge and project. I need to stop water leaking into my 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup truck passenger space; however, the cabin pressure vent [GM P/N - 15147611] is discontinued, but thankfully my vent is salvageable. I attempted to make my own cabin pressure vent gasket from a sheet of raw material, but I learned I selected the incorrect durometer rating - it was too hard for me to depress by hand - try, try again with neoprene rubber with a lower durometer rating. I also attempted to make my own third brake light gasket with VersaChem Clear Super Silicone to try to make a gasket - that failed to stop water leaking into my truck, so I ordered a third brake light gasket seal and that was an improvement, but water still leaks into my truck: I am essentially back to step one of isolating the point(s) of water entry. My problem areas include Cabin Air Pressure Vent & Customized Gasket, Sunroof Drain Tubes, Third Brake Light and Third Brake Light Gasket Seal and now I am wondering if it is the rear window. My efforts did successfully impede the amount of water leaking into my truck, but I still need stop it. I purchased caulk strip much like the 3M caulk strips from LMC Truck. I have been considering applying the strips on my third brake light, but are these strips capable of being removed easily? Once I know I have my water leak problem resolved I plan to replace my headliner - that requires removing the third brake light again. I am open to any recommendations, so if interested please visit my UA-cam channel videos ua-cam.com/video/6z-NydYWzjA/v-deo.html
I couldnt figure out where that water mark came from! Thanks!!!! Too late for me but maybe i can find a cheap way to repair that headliner in the back. Hopefully cleaning it will work but hopefully mold/mildew didnt collect
I had this issue immediately after driving my Sierra off the Jim Ellis GMC lot. Ruined the cloth fabric in the back of the cab. Carpet cleaner helped a little, but still have this dark gray wave look from the water. Right, wrong, indifferent, I used Clear Silone. Stopped the leak. Not sure what I’ll do if the bulb needs replacing. The dealership was worthless. At least Jim Ellis. They wanted to charge me for a new gasket and labor for a 3 month old truck.
Not easily. I was not worried about changing the bulb because of my headache rack. If you are, try a thicker gasket that we posted recently in another video.
i have to fix this on my 2015 chevy with 40+kmiles on it. the inside headliner is a real soggy mess and we've had a lot of rain this year in massachusetts. i'm gonna put new bulbs in also so once i silicon it maybe i won't ever have to change them. i'm also a bit worried about how much water got in and where did it go, like are there body drains to let any othe water out. what do you think? thnx for the help.
Mine happened to me twice and I just put the gasket u have on my aftermarket light and the gasket is around the the whole thing and the light is a little out where it should be but I looked and don’t see any openings on either side
So I did this. Not saying it doesnt work but a week or so later went through car wash and was wet still. I'm now replacing the seal. But a not is that silicon is a PAIN to get off if it doesnt work.
The other day on my 2014 Chevy Silverado it was leaking up towards the control panel for the garage door opener and lights, is this a common place for a leak if your antenna has an bad gasket?If so can I use JB Weld high temp red silicone for the job?
Mine just started the other day in the same spot. Wondering the same thing. Truck was facing down hill so I am trying to nail down the which one it is. Any luck figuring it out?
I purchased one of these gaskets from a seller on ebay [seller name is TBA] - guess what I still have water leaking into my truck; however, I may have multiple points of failure permitting water leaking into my truck. I do feel lucky that I didn't experience this problem or problems until my truck was almost 15 years by calendar year.
I replaced the light but it still isn’t working. Is there a fuse that went out that I need to change? The cord connection from the truck looks fine to me. Wtf do I do now?
PSA: be very careful with how tight you fasten the light back on. I barely tightened it and as the silicon hardened it put enough pressure on the brake light screws that it cracked. Need to order a new one now.
With all the technology now days this shouldn't be an issue on chevy trucks. Then again they used cheap materials to save a dime just get the product out the door let the owner deal with it attitude.
Since I’m going to have the light off I may as well change the bulbs so I don’t have to take it off again after using silicone. Are the bulbs 7443? Thanks for the informative videos Cliff
I woke up with condensation in my 2014 GMC Sierra. Looked back and the headboard was soaked all in the back. I can’t believe GM would leave the headboard open like that to a single seal!
I am of the mind set of. "if it aint broke don't fix it " the first 2 min of this video are a prime example, its also known that replacing the gasket doesn't always solve the problem.
you are going to have to spend a long time cleaning of silicone lol. because of my headache rack blocking the light, I wasn't worried about it. Still better than a water leak tho.
I'm going to have to look at my 2018. I tried too remove it to install a bracket for 2 way radio antennas, but the light was stuck by the wiring harness and I just reinstalled it.
So being that the brake light was a little tricky to remove in the first place......what are you going to do when one of your bulbs fail now that it's held in with silicone??
My brake light isn't visible because of my headache rack which has built in lighting :) and the silicone should peal away... Hopefully lol. Either way, I would rather struggle getting the fixture out then having my headliner wrecked
This is not a GMC or CHEVY specific issue. My F150 had the same leak on the same gasket. It was so bad that after a rain when I'd drive the truck a waterfall would pour down on the back seat from all the water sitting in the roof liner.
Ok, so had this happen at 41k miles. 2000 after my bumper to bumper. Go figure. I have water inside the light fixture itself. Replacement part at $107. Anyway to avoid replacement?? Pls help. Pls advise. Thank you for this topic video!
That stinks! I took a silicone bead around the outside of the entire light fixture so that I wouldn't have to worry about water getting inside from the crack I caused in the housing. You can find these lights really cheap at junk yards and in the Facebook groups. I got a used one shipped for $35
I've had my 14 since 2015. As much as I like the truck, I'm wildly disappointed with the build quality. I've done both of these fixes plus a myriad of other expensive parts that should not have failed so soon. It'll be my last GM.
The best seal will be applying it while wet so that it can bond to the truck. It will make it harder getting off but it will help protect the headliner
You might have a defective cabin pressure vent allowing water to leak inside from the back of the cab. There are 2 vents in the cabin between the back of the cab and the bed.
GMC sould be ashamed as this problem has been around for at least back to 2006. I've had rust 3 times now in the third brake light of my 2006 Sierra truck.
@@TheSundaeDrive I had watched a UA-cam video on it. It's been about a year but I used LA's Totally Awesome as an APC and then used my extractor to suck most of the stain out. I blotted with some microfiber towels to get the rest out and dried most of it with a heat gun/ hairdryer. I can't even tell that it was ever there now. The stain line is gone and looks brand new. Be careful to not burn the headliner with the heat gun and make sure to dilute the APC and I replaced the seal with some normal window seal weather stripping and its held up since!
Thanks! Correct, they should have just make it a little bit thicker like the aftermarket ones you can purchase. Should have swapped it from the factory as soon as it started being an issue
Silicone?? Not a good idea,you'll end up breaking 3rd light if you ever need to replace a bulb.. you could just put some in the outside like you did for the antenna..
The Sundae Drive My 2012 Tundra & 2018 Silverado have XM without that Antenna. Neither have GPS. But very good answers, it’s probably used and/or enhances all 3
OneTw0 Either of you happen to know if there’s a way to play UA-cam videos on the stock 7” touchscreen via a kit or screen mirroring from an IPhone? Jeep Wranglers can play DVD via the CD player slot. There’s also a DVD icon next to the CD slot
For sure if it's under warranty. Only downside is they are most likely using the same thin gasket. I would suggest providing them with a thicker gasket to install when they replace it to help you avoid the issue in the future
Funny you posted Do not use a pry tool and during your video there sits a pry tool. Thought it was funny. Do we need it to pop the two center clips or not?
So I figured out that using a pry tool to press out on the light caused an internal crack. This was my first time doing it so I was learning on the fly but didn't want someone else to make the same mistake. You need to release the clips but make sure you don't pry outward like we did.
if you are under bumper to bumper you should be able to get it fixed. Only way to replace the liner is pulling the back glass tho from what I understand.
Thicker 14-18 Replacement Gasket: amzn.to/3kHfCHo
You recommend using the gasket then layering silicone on top or just around the light once it’s installed?
If you use silicone the gasket isnt really needed as long as the silicone is thic enough but be warned. It is very hard to get the silicone off and remove the light after. If you don't use the light because you have a headache like mine silicone will work or you should just swap gaskets every few years to be safe.
Thanks for the link, hopefully I can get the stains out of my headliner.
I went with the gasket. almost a year and no leaks. Thanks for the tip.
Just ordered a new gasket. Thanks for the link!
2015 Silverado owner here...Only 107k kilometers on it and both the sharkfin and 3rd break light leaking. Appreciate the videos ! Cheers from Canada
Before sealing ANYTHING.....
Make it easier on yourself and buy replacement bulbs fore the top light (go plug and play LED if you can and replace those) and swap them out!!!!
.....Then seal and replace the light.
It's a pain to go through a fix only to have to redo it when a bulb goes out in a month.
Man you probably won’t see this, but this is exactly what’s goin on with my 2014 Silverado. Thanks for the info brotha!
No problem man! Hopefully you caught it before it got too bad!
@@TheSundaeDrive Yes...same here! Thank you for the video...this saved me a lot of money!
The fact that we’re spending 50-70k on these trucks and having to take them home and apply silicone is just mind blowing to me. We appreciate the video man, don’t take it the wrong way, but what absolute BS these manufacturers are.
Couldn't agree more!
100% !!! First of all this has been an issue on these trucks for years so why haven't they figured it out & why in the H hasn't there been a recall. I am just livid, I took my grandchildren to town & thankfully had a couple of cloths as there was water pouring out of both the front & rear interior dome light sections. I can't imagine how much water has been accumulating under the headliner. The service manager joked when I took it in "you got the waterfall feature" ha ha, not funny! Like you said Billy B...we've spent a boat load of $$$$$$$$, now I wait for new parts 🙄
Part of the 50-70k is the assembly line workers thinking they need more n more money because thier job is soooo hard..😢😭 I had two family members that worked assembly an they said they screwed off more than they worked an got paid stupid cash for barely working!
Wait till you hear about the transmission that fails before 100k
@@JPandher Wait till you see how much a headlight assembly is,lifters failing taking out pistons,touch screen failing,slider overheats from defrost in it blowing glass out,radiator, AC condenser, ground wires...I know theres more cant remember all of them!
Noticed water damage on headliner of my 2015. Popped light off and saw crappy seal with debri. Just sealed with silicone and probably saved hundreds. Thank you.
Just be warned, if you ever want to remove again it stinks. I just did for wrapping the roof lol
@@TheSundaeDrive I can’t imagine caulk applied to paint being too tough. Also, I used a small amount
Thank you for this video, this is EXACTLY what I have been looking for for DIY. I unfortunately have have both the Shark Fin and the 3rd Brake light leaking. I took the Fin off and cleaned it, sealed it and tighten it back down and now my 3 brake is leaking so I will definitely be doing this! Thanks for the Amazon links for the gasket replacement as well!
No problem! That stinks they started leaking on you 😞
I had already used the silicone on my 'shark fin' antenna to keep water out. However, thanx for the tip on the third brake light. I added silicone to that one and I am confident it is now sealed as well. One thing to note. The 2019-20 Silverado 'shark fin' antenna does not have the hole in the back like the 3rd gen Silverados. I guess GM just decided to fix it. Love your channel dude!
Awesome 👍 and thank you for that info!
Just did mine. If you can manage to hold a pretty good bead you’re actually going to get better results by doing the outside edges of the lenses around the frame of the light. And it doesn’t look bad at all
I did that as well after. No leaks for me!
I have a 2017 3500, and thankfully, no leaks yet. It does have very low miles and rarely sees rain though. I plan to do this quick fix as q precaution. The first time I checked out the roof of the truck when it was new, and noticed that gasket opening in the XM radio antennae, located on the uphill side of the sloped roof, I thought "what was GM thinking!". Thank you for all of your great advice.
It's an eventual problem on most trucks no matter the year. My 2006 Silverado did this, my friend's 2007 did this, my dad's 2011 did this. You'll see this on plenty Fords and other makes. I don't know why it's so hard for every auto manufacturer to realize "hey, maybe we shouldn't have a 1-2 foot gaping hole in these roofs that drain directly into the cab!"
You are right. Seems like there could be a better solution. Probably only there because of safety regulations. Tempting to fill it in completely because my headache rack has lights anyway lol
I simply used a foaming/lifting type upholstery cleaner to remove 100% of the severe water stains on my 07 Silverado liner. Looks brand new with little effort. Just my $0.02...
Can u tell us what and where did u get them? Thanks in advance
I had an ‘11 half ton, then traded for a ‘15 3/4 ton. Had the same exact issue on both. Thanks for the vid 👍🏼
That stinks. Glad to help!
I was just informed that my 2014 GMC has some water damage to the headliner, in the center front. This will give me some areas to look at, thank you.
Best of luck with it! That is never fun
wanted to thank u on this video my on star antenna on 01 silverado was leaking after replacing windshield for no reason
Glad it helped!
GM fixed my antenna leak. Fast forward 2-1/2 years now my 3rd brake light is leaking and i pulled the light and sure enough this damn seal is junk. ordering a new light as I have water in the light as well so may as well update it. Drives me insane you spend 60-80k on these and have to worry about water leaks in first 5 years.
It's terrible. So easy to make sure that this doesnt happen
Made it so easy, a girl did it. Thank you for telling me what the dealership wouldn't!
I just bought a used 1500 and was looking in storage under rear seat behind driver and a ton of water was in it...looked on the forums and BOOM....here we are...this should be a recall
It should be. Been an issue for years
Lets start a lawsuit against GM!!
Great video, very helpful. FYI, I could not get the light out on my '15 today without some pry tools. I used the tools on the bottom rather than the top and very lightly pulled the lamp out. I did not have separation issues and was able to get the lamp out far enough to finish the job with my hands.
My 2016 GMC 3500 antenae leaked and was fixed under warranty. I see that the little hole is now facing the opposite way than originally installed when I bought it. My friend just told me about his rear lamp problem. Thanks for showing how to fix it. Gonna do it asap!
That's interesting that is is flipped around. Although now I'd be worries about water getting pushed into it from the front when driving. I wonder if they installed it wrong or if that is the fix 🤔 and no problem! Hope it helps you out
@@TheSundaeDrive I wondered the same thing...
Rained all day yesterday and after about a minute of driving my '14 Silverado I felt water a drop or 2 of water land on my left leg. Started feeling around and emergency brake pedal was wet. Pulled over(wasn't raining) and saw water drops along fuse cover and near drivers side speaker. Will try to seal the Fin Antenna and hope that is the problem and not something else. Headliner shows no water stains anywhere.
Aww man that stinks hope you caught it early!
thank you for this! I'm about to buy a used truck and I already see some water stains so thanks for helping me get an idea of how much it'll cost to repair
Glad to help!
So glad I found this video thank you! My cab just started leaking. Going to fix this asap!
Glad it helped!
Thanks for the tip. I just bought a 2016 and am finding your channel very helpful. I changed out my fin antenna to a body colored one and the hole is in front now like it should have been from the factory. I have some 3M rope tape I've used for some weather strip on other cars and it works pretty well. I'm going to try that stuff on my new aftermarket LED 3rd brake light that I just bought for it instead of the sealant.
Sounds good! Best of luck with it and enjoy the truck!
Amazon sells a thicker gasket without adhesive on one side (some claim the leak happens after changing bulbs)and LED brake/cargo light for less than $50. Changing mine today. Hope the this works.
I had this issue with my 2011 Silverado two times. Best thing to do is get 30% vinegar put it in a chemical spray bottle and spray the headliner where the stains are. Let it sit for a couple minutes and then get a microfiber cloth and scrub the headliner and then get a separate microfiber cloth and blot dry. Let it sit for a while if you still see the stains keep repeating the same process. If the stains are stubborn you can get a soft white bristle brush and go over the surface gently with that. Keep repeating the process until the stains come out. My headliner looks brand new once again. You can get to 30% at Home Depot or Lowe's. Comes in a 1 gallon bottle. The vinegar will not harm the headliner. You can also use the vinegar on carpet and upholstery that's cloth and it will not harm it. Been using it for years. Also removed a coffee stain out of my carpet with it. For stubborn stains like that you want to spray the stain really well and let it sit for maybe 20 minutes a half an hour then scrub it and blot it dry.
Thanks so much for sharing! I've screenshot this for future reference
Agreed! My ‘13 leaked and messed my headliner! Can’t believe no new gasket $150 for the whole light!
That's frustrating! I found an aftermarket gasket for the 14-18 that's thicker, maybe there is one for the 13 and older models?
Happened in my 14 Sierra. Carpets were soaked. Moldy rear seatbelts and headliner was ruined. A great surprise after buying a used truck. I had to gut the back, clean and dry the carpet insulation bleach the seatbelts. Grind rust on the inside and repaint it, just a lot of hell I didn’t sign up for. I silicones the brake light and sprayed water on it and looked for leaks. Pain in the ASS!
That sucks man 😕 I'm just happy I was able to avoid that on mine. I've had all the other issues happen but not that one thankfully
The Sundae Drive , just glad it didn’t cause any major electrical damage. Hope your video helps others. Maybe they’ll recall or at least issue a service bulletin
@@andrewwilkinson5220 it really should be a recall at this point with how many as are having the problem. Yes, that's fortunate
I use o rings on the fasteners. No need for thread sealant. When you changed the color of the lens from black to red it separated and can cause water to get in there too. I would run the silicone more towards the top. It happened to me when changing the bulbs.
Alright Cliff! Out here saving lives with the DIY's
Haha just doing my civic duty 😉😂😋
The air vents in the back wall of my 2016 silverado 2500hd 6.0 were leaking badly, and the antenna was leaking too so i just took some black Silicone and threw a bead around it and fingerd it flat. Hasn't been an issue since, but the rectangle vents are definitely something to look into. Thanks for the video, 3rd light isn't leaking yet..
That’s one way to do it! Your welcome!
Would absolutely apply bead of silicone around outside of lens once re-installed. When I looked very closely at the under-side of my lens there appears to be very small gaps in the top corners of the unit where the outer lens mates with the inner bulb housing. I believe that is where the water intrusion is coming from. It’s well before the gasket.
Yeah I did end up doing that
I did the same
Just had this problem with my 17, thanks for the tips
Hopefully it wasn't too bad before you caught it!
Thanks for the video. You could just run a thin bead of silicone around the light like you did the antenna. Less risk of damage.
I’m thinking about doing the same thing as a preventative measure as my 2018 is not leaking. I just don’t want to remove the housing and cause damage to the gasket/seal. My question is can silicone be easily removed if i need to remove the housing to replace a bulb in the future?
2017 Silverado. I have cleaned and siliconed that antenna twice. Then bought a brand new one. It still was leaking so I siliconed the new one. I still have a leak from way up high. But the antenna bolt is dry as a bone. Still drips down on the e-brake peddle. It’s wet higher than the windshield corner so I don’t think it’s there. Only thing else I can think of is it might be the drain for moonroof?? Maybe it’s cracked? Clogged? Or possibly it’s a bad weld under that trim piece between door and roof? I’m at a loss right now.
my vote would be the moonroof. Hope you got it figured out!
@@TheSundaeDrive I tore it all apart again... dumped water all over the windshield careful not to let it get anywhere else. Then, I took it to the car wash... seen it seeping through the top left corner of the windshield. Still haven’t fixed it, but I know where it’s coming from now. Should be getting windshield repaired/replaced soon. What a joke.
@@richardf3294 that stinks man. Sorry to hear that. At least you found it
It's happening to my 08 right now. The water is running down the driver's side rear corner and soaking the carpet on that side (driveway is pitched that way). Fortunately it didn't get onto the headliner, but once I fix the leak, I'll have to dry the carpet and pad underneath. Thanks
You got lucky. Easier to clean the floor 👍👍
My third break light hasn't leaked, yet. But the antenna just took a big wet shit on me...
Gonna fix this part too this weekend on my 2015 Silverado after I do the antenna...
that stinks. best of luck with it!
@@TheSundaeDrive thanks, and thanks for the video link for completely resealing the antenna.👍
Absolutely!
I was wondering why my ceiling was water stained when I bought it.. of course not before
Great Video in explaining a problem and solution, thank you for sharing your knowledge and project. I need to stop water leaking into my 2005 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup truck passenger space; however, the cabin pressure vent [GM P/N - 15147611] is discontinued, but thankfully my vent is salvageable. I attempted to make my own cabin pressure vent gasket from a sheet of raw material, but I learned I selected the incorrect durometer rating - it was too hard for me to depress by hand - try, try again with neoprene rubber with a lower durometer rating. I also attempted to make my own third brake light gasket with VersaChem Clear Super Silicone to try to make a gasket - that failed to stop water leaking into my truck, so I ordered a third brake light gasket seal and that was an improvement, but water still leaks into my truck: I am essentially back to step one of isolating the point(s) of water entry. My problem areas include Cabin Air Pressure Vent & Customized Gasket, Sunroof Drain Tubes, Third Brake Light and Third Brake Light Gasket Seal and now I am wondering if it is the rear window. My efforts did successfully impede the amount of water leaking into my truck, but I still need stop it. I purchased caulk strip much like the 3M caulk strips from LMC Truck. I have been considering applying the strips on my third brake light, but are these strips capable of being removed easily? Once I know I have my water leak problem resolved I plan to replace my headliner - that requires removing the third brake light again. I am open to any recommendations, so if interested please visit my UA-cam channel videos ua-cam.com/video/6z-NydYWzjA/v-deo.html
Just sealed my recently purchased 2016 Colorado.
Hopefully it helps!
I couldnt figure out where that water mark came from! Thanks!!!! Too late for me but maybe i can find a cheap way to repair that headliner in the back. Hopefully cleaning it will work but hopefully mold/mildew didnt collect
Ahh that stinks. Good luck with it!
I had this issue immediately after driving my Sierra off the Jim Ellis GMC lot. Ruined the cloth fabric in the back of the cab. Carpet cleaner helped a little, but still have this dark gray wave look from the water.
Right, wrong, indifferent, I used Clear Silone. Stopped the leak. Not sure what I’ll do if the bulb needs replacing. The dealership was worthless. At least Jim Ellis. They wanted to charge me for a new gasket and labor for a 3 month old truck.
Class action lawsuit needed. I'm in.
How do you remove down the track to change bulb etc after it has been siloconed?
Not easily. I was not worried about changing the bulb because of my headache rack. If you are, try a thicker gasket that we posted recently in another video.
What if you already have slight staining in the head liner? Should you open it up and dry it out?
Quick question hard will it be to take the light back off to change a bulb if one goes out?
If you silicone it will be a pain for sure.
i have to fix this on my 2015 chevy with 40+kmiles on it. the inside headliner is a real soggy mess and we've had a lot of rain this year in massachusetts. i'm gonna put new bulbs in also so once i silicon it maybe i won't ever have to change them. i'm also a bit worried about how much water got in and where did it go, like are there body drains to let any othe water out. what do you think? thnx for the help.
This has been going on for a while with the Silverado and the third brake light. My 07 had the same issue.
Pretty crazy they haven't upgraded the gasket
Mine happened to me twice and I just put the gasket u have on my aftermarket light and the gasket is around the the whole thing and the light is a little out where it should be but I looked and don’t see any openings on either side
So I did this. Not saying it doesnt work but a week or so later went through car wash and was wet still. I'm now replacing the seal. But a not is that silicon is a PAIN to get off if it doesnt work.
Very true, if the silicone isn't done right it is going to be a pain to remove for sure.
@@TheSundaeDrive update. My issue actually turned out to be an improperly sealed rear window. Had to get the seal redone.
The other day on my 2014 Chevy Silverado it was leaking up towards the control panel for the garage door opener and lights, is this a common place for a leak if your antenna has an bad gasket?If so can I use JB Weld high temp red silicone for the job?
Mine just started the other day in the same spot. Wondering the same thing. Truck was facing down hill so I am trying to nail down the which one it is. Any luck figuring it out?
@@Rob-vx2fb jb weld worked.
@@hitmhard you take it off and jb weld the inside or did you jb weld the outside of the shark fin antenna?
So you went to school with ChrisFix? Wooder….. Water ….WAH..Ter lol
😂😂😂 we are both from Jersey
They make thicker gaskets on Ebay for the 3rd brake light, to fix this issue. Just throwing that out there.
I linked to one on Amazon down in the description that seems to have good reviews 👍amzn.to/3kHfCHo
@@TheSundaeDrive nice!
I purchased one of these gaskets from a seller on ebay [seller name is TBA] - guess what I still have water leaking into my truck; however, I may have multiple points of failure permitting water leaking into my truck. I do feel lucky that I didn't experience this problem or problems until my truck was almost 15 years by calendar year.
@@steveoarehero The link doesn't work. Do you have another one ?
@@TheSundaeDrive this link didn't work, Do you have another link ?
Got water in my brake light. How do you open light to get water out???
That stinks. Maybe can drain from the rear once removed from truck
Mine has been leaking for a while but I don't feel like taking mine off my Silverado ltz is 10yeat s old this September 3rd
I replaced the light but it still isn’t working. Is there a fuse that went out that I need to change? The cord connection from the truck looks fine to me. Wtf do I do now?
I would check fuses and the bulbs
Did your antenna every end up leaking? Any video of how to seal that up if it did?
Mine has not. Look at the antenna removal video I just made and it links to another channels video that shows how to seal it in detail
PSA: be very careful with how tight you fasten the light back on. I barely tightened it and as the silicon hardened it put enough pressure on the brake light screws that it cracked. Need to order a new one now.
Good tip! Yes, it's plastic so have to be careful
I agree GMC should be ashamed of this poor quality. I tried yo have it fixed under warrenty but with no luck.
With all the technology now days this shouldn't be an issue on chevy trucks. Then again they used cheap materials to save a dime just get the product out the door let the owner deal with it attitude.
Since I’m going to have the light off I may as well change the bulbs so I don’t have to take it off again after using silicone. Are the bulbs 7443? Thanks for the informative videos Cliff
I couldn't tell but did you remove the seal that was hard and then applied the silicone or did you put silicone on the old seal
I woke up with condensation in my 2014 GMC Sierra. Looked back and the headboard was soaked all in the back. I can’t believe GM would leave the headboard open like that to a single seal!
It is frustrating. All too common
My tail light won’t sit flush after installing the new gasket, any tips?
Any recommendations on cleaning the headliner?
Some others have commented here with some cleaning options. I haven't had to do it yet myself so not sure.
Boat marine hull and carpet cleaner. Works like a charm.
Appreciate the tip!
@@Mysticcc6 any particular brand ?
in the description i see you recommend another sealer that "should work better", why do you say SHOULD?
Instead of removing the brake light and risking damaging it, apply a bead of silicone around the outside like with the fin.
I am of the mind set of. "if it aint broke don't fix it " the first 2 min of this video are a prime example, its also known that replacing the gasket doesn't always solve the problem.
What kind or numer of screws i need ?
Since you removed the break light and wasn’t sure if it would seal properly, why didn’t you just replace it with an LED 3rd break light?
Does anyone know where I can get screw replacements? Link?
Local dealer should be able to help
what happens if you have to replace the bulbs again?
you are going to have to spend a long time cleaning of silicone lol. because of my headache rack blocking the light, I wasn't worried about it. Still better than a water leak tho.
my bulbs have listed since 2014 and 133K miles and still haven't went out tho. if you swap when you seal it, they should easily last another 8 years.
I'm going to have to look at my 2018. I tried too remove it to install a bracket for 2 way radio antennas, but the light was stuck by the wiring harness and I just reinstalled it.
Probably was just snagging. If you wiggle it a lil it should come out.
So being that the brake light was a little tricky to remove in the first place......what are you going to do when one of your bulbs fail now that it's held in with silicone??
My brake light isn't visible because of my headache rack which has built in lighting :) and the silicone should peal away... Hopefully lol. Either way, I would rather struggle getting the fixture out then having my headliner wrecked
Thought about that too but because of my headache rack in ok if they aren't working 👍 definitely not a bad idea to change them to led when you seal it
Ken Call what bulbs would I need? 7443?
So since you did this with the silicone and everything it hasn’t leaked?
0 leaks so far!
This is not a GMC or CHEVY specific issue. My F150 had the same leak on the same gasket. It was so bad that after a rain when I'd drive the truck a waterfall would pour down on the back seat from all the water sitting in the roof liner.
Where can I find the Amazon links for the gasket replacement?
Here you go **********
14-18 Replacement Gasket (aftermarket): amzn.to/3kHfCHo
On that light, are the white lights reverse lights or accessory/cargo lights? Or something else? I know the red lights are brake lights.
I think they are the cargo lights
Ok, so had this happen at 41k miles. 2000 after my bumper to bumper. Go figure. I have water inside the light fixture itself. Replacement part at $107. Anyway to avoid replacement?? Pls help. Pls advise. Thank you for this topic video!
That stinks! I took a silicone bead around the outside of the entire light fixture so that I wouldn't have to worry about water getting inside from the crack I caused in the housing. You can find these lights really cheap at junk yards and in the Facebook groups. I got a used one shipped for $35
I've had my 14 since 2015. As much as I like the truck, I'm wildly disappointed with the build quality. I've done both of these fixes plus a myriad of other expensive parts that should not have failed so soon. It'll be my last GM.
I hear ya man. It is disappointing
Does the bead of silicone need to be wet or dry before you reattach it to the truck?
The best seal will be applying it while wet so that it can bond to the truck. It will make it harder getting off but it will help protect the headliner
This happened to me. The new assembly does not come with gasket.
Did you get it from gm? Mine came with a new gasket installed.
I have a leak but don’t see it on my headliner it is collecting under my carpet in the back could it be this or am I looking in the wrong place ?
You might have a defective cabin pressure vent allowing water to leak inside from the back of the cab. There are 2 vents in the cabin between the back of the cab and the bed.
@@ditty64 yes that was my next guess, going to check that out thank you
I had a leak it was too late any ideas on what to use to clean headliner tried carpet shampoo didnt work
Aww man that's a bummer 😔 I'm not sure but someone else watching might!
You can use a product called brown out. as an owner of a carpet cleaning company this works on water stains
The 90s Tahoes and Suburbans had the same problem.
Good to know! Seems GM went backwards with this again :(
And he parts are produced where ?
Amazon sells a modified thicker gasket
GMC sould be ashamed as this problem has been around for at least back to 2006. I've had rust 3 times now in the third brake light of my 2006 Sierra truck.
I agree. It is rediculous and it is such a simple thing to fix
Unfortunately my had already leaked in my 2015 Silverado and stained my headliner. I was fortunately able to clean most of the headliner
What did you use to clean it? Just curious because I know they are really hard to clean
@@TheSundaeDrive I had watched a UA-cam video on it. It's been about a year but I used LA's Totally Awesome as an APC and then used my extractor to suck most of the stain out. I blotted with some microfiber towels to get the rest out and dried most of it with a heat gun/ hairdryer. I can't even tell that it was ever there now. The stain line is gone and looks brand new. Be careful to not burn the headliner with the heat gun and make sure to dilute the APC and I replaced the seal with some normal window seal weather stripping and its held up since!
Ok thanks! I'll keep this info in my back pocket if I ever need it
@@TheSundaeDrive no problem! Love your videos!
@@AndrewKellman thanks! :) Trying to keep it interesting
Anybody have a solution to remove the water stain from the headliner?
Pet Furniture cleaner.
I'll try to post product info soon
Thanks for sharing ❤
You got it!
great info video but you are right again poor quality control
Thanks! Correct, they should have just make it a little bit thicker like the aftermarket ones you can purchase. Should have swapped it from the factory as soon as it started being an issue
Silicone?? Not a good idea,you'll end up breaking 3rd light if you ever need to replace a bulb.. you could just put some in the outside like you did for the antenna..
Exactly what I did
Where can I find those little metal clips to replace them? I’ve looked everywhere and can’t find them
I'm not sure 😕 maybe try the dealer?
Have you found out?
Ebay has them or the dealer.
Just happened😅 I watched this months ago and said another time.
Lol sorry man. That stinks 😔
Thanks bro.
So has it leaked for you yet ? Definitely a good video 👍
No leaks :)
What is that roof antenna for? My 2018 LT doesn’t have that
GPS & cell antenna
I also think it is for SiriusXM
The Sundae Drive My 2012 Tundra & 2018 Silverado have XM without that Antenna. Neither have GPS. But very good answers, it’s probably used and/or enhances all 3
OneTw0 Either of you happen to know if there’s a way to play UA-cam videos on the stock 7” touchscreen via a kit or screen mirroring from an IPhone?
Jeep Wranglers can play DVD via the CD player slot. There’s also a DVD icon next to the CD slot
OneTw0 Also either of you know if the Denalis Magnetic Ride Control Suspension would work on a lower trim level?
Take it to the dealer it still under warranty. They fixed mine
For sure if it's under warranty. Only downside is they are most likely using the same thin gasket. I would suggest providing them with a thicker gasket to install when they replace it to help you avoid the issue in the future
@@TheSundaeDrive they fixed mine 5 years ago no issues
@@FranciscoRodriguez-nx8dq that's good!
Funny you posted Do not use a pry tool and during your video there sits a pry tool. Thought it was funny. Do we need it to pop the two center clips or not?
So I figured out that using a pry tool to press out on the light caused an internal crack. This was my first time doing it so I was learning on the fly but didn't want someone else to make the same mistake. You need to release the clips but make sure you don't pry outward like we did.
I saw another video and they pried from the bottom
Has anyone had the headliner fixed under warranty? I have a bumper to bumper warranty.
if you are under bumper to bumper you should be able to get it fixed. Only way to replace the liner is pulling the back glass tho from what I understand.