Z28tek

I learned at a very young age, perfection is a non-stop, re-occurring monthly bill!
There are a few very small ones on my 99 on the side panels, haven't decided how much I care yet...and I am pretty picky when it comes to looks.

9T8WS6

Just a note of info in ref to the year of the bubble issue.
Stating "early to mid year 98' model does not have this issue is incorrect.
I ordered my 98 T/A early March and picked it up from the dealer early April 1998. I would call that an early 98 manufactured T/A and I have this bubble issue.
It has shown itself for a number of years and is a bit worse today than a few months ago. It's not awful but it bothers me.
Most people prob do not notice it but, it's there. I notice it's stated that sitting in the Sun adds to this issue. IF you drive your car it has to sit in the Sun for a bit at times however, mine has always been kept under shelter and covered with a quality car cover. Kind of a garage queen I guess. I would say Sun or no Sun, this glue issue is going to take place regardless. To bad Pontiac didn't do a recall on all effected models but I guess that would have buried them sooner than they were.
I see a replacement coming in my upcoming future. At least it looks like there is an aftermarket replacement unit available for it IF MAGG is still in business. (?)
Thanks for all of the info in ref to this issue.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Actually, I think you have misunderstood the quote. You don't have an "early" '98 model. Production of the 1998 model year started around 07/97 for the F-platform. An "early" '98 would have been built in 1997. Your '98 car is from the later part of the 1998 model year, considering the final '98s were built in June or July of that year.

Having said that, yours might be one of the earliest 1998 models to show the issue. My '98 was built on 3/23/98 and does not have the bubbling issue; if you ordered your T/A in early March then it was probably assembled close to mine. Do you know the exact build date of your car? Or at least the month shown on the driver's door sticker (would be in MM/YY format, such as 04/98)?


Sun rapidly accelerates the issue, but any sort of significant heat exposure can do it (including ambient heat where it is stored, if not climate controlled). The problem isn't really the glue so much as the lack of a barrier primer coat on the underside of the panel (a process change that wasn't acknowledged by the GM TSB until the 1999 model year, but that obviously affected the later '98 model year cars too - usually ones built in May or June but it sounds like yours might be one of the earliest to show this condition).