Chevy Silverado windshield chip concerns during brake light repair

[LeonBigBang]

My third brake light is flaking off like a cheap paint job, it looks absolutely awful! It's giving me serious flashbacks to those crumbling GM truck hoods back in the day. The dealer's thankfully agreed to cover it, but of course, the replacement part is on national backorder with no ETA in sight. So, weeks, at best, and who knows how long it could actually take. And you won't believe this they have to yank out the windshield and the headliner just to get to the stupid light! That sounds like a massive job, and I'm worried about them scratching something or messing up the alignment. Plus, now that I think about it, I noticed a tiny chip in my windshield, probably from a rock. I'm terrified they'll try to pin it on me while they're doing the brake light repair, even though it was there before. This whole thing is turning into a major headache. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of brake light issue? Is the windshield removal really necessary, or are they just trying to inflate the labor costs? I'm thinking about demanding a loaner car, but I'm not sure if I have any leverage. This is way more complicated than it should be for a simple brake light!

 

[Desperado]

It’s not exactly a confidence booster, but the fact they’re diving in and promising to handle it, no matter how tricky, certainly gives a glimpse into how they roll in business.

 

[Tuatha'an]

Those crumbling GM hoods are a painful memory and this sounds just as frustrating. Pulling the windshield and headliner does sound like a massive undertaking for a brake light and why it's necessary. That tiny windshield chip is definitely a red flag so document it thoroughly with photos and timestamps before they touch your car. Demanding a loaner is absolutely reasonable especially with the unknown timeframe and the complexity of the repair. It's worth pushing back and escalating to a regional manager if needed. You;re not asking for the moon you just want your car fixed without creating more problems. I'd also be digging into online forums and repair manuals to see if that windshield removal is truly unavoidable.