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Bubbling Sail Panel Issue for Dummies
https://ls1tech.com/forums/paint-body-work/884432-important-repair-information-sail-panel-paint-issues.html
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CALL GM and use patience.
I received word from pjb that his ’98 car was built in May of ’98 per his build sticker. This is in-line with what my research has shown to date about the 1998 cars and which months seem to have the condition.
Just to recap, so far I’ve discovered that only 5/98 and 6/98 built 1998 cars have this condition. My 3/98 car, and all of the other March or earlier cars built for ’98 that I’ve looked at do not have this condition. The only month that I have not been able to confirm so far is April of ’98.
For anyone reading this thread with a 1998 car:
Please check your build date if you can. It’s located on one of the white stickers on the inside edge of the driver’s door in “MM/YY” format. If your car is 3/98 or earlier, and you DO have this condition (roof bubbles), please post or PM me your build date. If your car is 4/98 or later, and you DO NOT have this issue, please post or PM me your built date.
I’m trying to narrow down exactly when GM changed whatever they changed to cause this condition. I’ve heard everything from it being caused by a change in glue, to a change in primer, to defective roof panels sent by a new supplier after a certain time. We all know that the ’93-’97 cars never develop this condition, but that every ‘99+ car can potentially have this issue, as can late-build ‘98s. So clearly, GM changed something. My question is, what did they change, and do they even really know what the problem was? My reason for concern is, will the cars that have been repaired potentially develop this issue again?
My ’02 Camaro (T-top car) also had this condition. I had the repairs completed two weeks ago by a local GM dealer. But do any of us know for sure if the issue will ever return?
I received word from pjb that his ’98 car was built in May of ’98 per his build sticker. This is in-line with what my research has shown to date about the 1998 cars and which months seem to have the condition.
Just to recap, so far I’ve discovered that only 5/98 and 6/98 built 1998 cars have this condition. My 3/98 car, and all of the other March or earlier cars built for ’98 that I’ve looked at do not have this condition. The only month that I have not been able to confirm so far is April of ’98.
For anyone reading this thread with a 1998 car:
Please check your build date if you can. It’s located on one of the white stickers on the inside edge of the driver’s door in “MM/YY” format. If your car is 3/98 or earlier, and you DO have this condition (roof bubbles), please post or PM me your build date. If your car is 4/98 or later, and you DO NOT have this issue, please post or PM me your built date.
I’m trying to narrow down exactly when GM changed whatever they changed to cause this condition. I’ve heard everything from it being caused by a change in glue, to a change in primer, to defective roof panels sent by a new supplier after a certain time. We all know that the ’93-’97 cars never develop this condition, but that every ‘99+ car can potentially have this issue, as can late-build ‘98s. So clearly, GM changed something. My question is, what did they change, and do they even really know what the problem was? My reason for concern is, will the cars that have been repaired potentially develop this issue again?
My ’02 Camaro (T-top car) also had this condition. I had the repairs completed two weeks ago by a local GM dealer. But do any of us know for sure if the issue will ever return?
I was told by the dealer that GM is claiming the issue is due to hairline cracks forming in the underside of the panel allowing the glue/gasses to leak/vent. So they seem to be claiming that the roof panel was the issue.
Then we have many people here claiming that it's the glue itself. So again, I can't seem to get a consensus on this.
(1) 10240164 APPLIQUE - 12.812
(1) 10240165 APPLIQUE - 12.812
03-08-98-001A
INSTALLED NEW PANEL, PAINTED.
This was on the invoice for the repair, 2002 SS.








