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Rear Window Yellowing and Bubbling

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  SouthernComfort 
#1 ·
Hi all, long time lurker first time poster. My rear window on my W123 has started to bubble and yellow for a while now, anyone experienced anything similar? Any idea on what is happening and how I should fix this as it makes the rear of the car look horrible. Cheers
 

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#2 ·
Automobile glass professionals who I've encountered over the years have referred to the phenomenon you are describing and showing as "delaminating". I think I have seen it on every W123 I've encountered, including the couple of my own. Seems to be a rather common occurrence with age, like skin wrinkles showing up as one makes one's way through life.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I am no expert on these cars, but I do work in the glass industry and my first thought was that it looked like delamination.
My understand is that the front glass is laminated but the rear glass is not, if I have that correct then it is something other than delamination.

It looks like the trace heater wires are laid onto the inside of the glass and then protected by a thin film of resin or film of some sort and it looks like it is this that is breaking down, I expect through a combination of age, UV damage and possibly moisture.
 
#5 ·
I am no expert on these cars, but I do work in the glass industry and my first thought was that it looked like delamination.
My understand is that the front glass is laminated but the rear glass is not, if I have that correct then it is something other than delamination.

It looks like the trace heater wires are laid onto the inside of the glass and then protected by a thin film of resin or film of some sort and it looks like it is this that is breaking down, I expect through a combination of age, UV damage and possibly moisture.
Yeah that seems to be the case, feels sticking to the touch from the inside of the car
 
#7 ·
That is caused by moisture entering the seal window channel. The seal or sealant are giving up and allowing water to collect between the glass and the seal. The only way to fix it properly is by replacing the seal and window.

If the seal isn’t cracked, you can stop it from getting worse by having the seal re caulked.

All C107, W116, W126 and C123 all suffer from this problem.

By the way, if the seal is leaking, it may be allowing water inside the trunk and under the parcel shelf. It’s a matter of time before it begins rusting.
 
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