Dear bcg,

Hope you're well. Generally, windshields and back windows should be replaced by auto glass specialists. A defective job means water leaks, which lead to corrosion, electrical problems, and other collateral damage (e.g., damaged carpets).

Thus, the rear window's seal - which joins the windshield to the metalwork - should not be touched unless the window leaks or there's rust up to and under the seal.

Volvo VADIS - the superseded dealer parts/service database - does not show parts for rear window trim. The diagrams and parts lists show only the rear window and its seal.

If real window trim parts supplied do not fit, it is possible that the wrong parts were supplied. Here, too, an auto glass specialist should be able to figure out if that's the case.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Before you take on your rear window, find out how much a replacement costs.

I had a tint guy crack the rear window on our '90 744 TI - a replacement was $1200!!! It was the type that had fine wires in the glass. More than 6 times the cost of a new windshield.

My insurance company took pictures and told me that they were going after the shop that refused to repair my car.

One could clearly see that just the inner sheet of glass had a spider that began at a slot in the rear window trim.