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After much frustration in finding VERY little information on the rear glass windows on the CLK Convertible, I thought I'd offer up some useful information on what I've learned through my rear glass window replacement.
Fallacy #1: The window glass cannot be purchased as an individual unit.
This is incorrect. As of 4/15/2015, the heated window glass is available from the following company and for the quite reasonable sum of $139 US plus shipping ($15 shipping for me!)
2. Fallacy #2: The glass can only be replaced by a professional glass shop.
Unlike most convertibles which have the canvas of the top overlapping the glass, that is not the case with the W208 CLK. If you inspect your rear window from outside the vehicle, you will clearly see that all of the window edge is exposed. THIS is a GOOD thing when it comes to replacement. Replacement is much the same as with replacing a windshield I'll offer some basic detail of the procedure:
a) Fill a jar with Acetone and use a QTip to apply acetone to the Urethane sealant visible around the outside of the window glass.
b) Then use a utility knife, or equivalent, to slice the Urethane sealant around the entirety of the edge of the glass. Repeat application of Acetone and cutting with a utility knife until you've successfully released the window from it's frame. Use of a large flat head screwdriver, or chisel, will aid immensely in releasing window and the urethane adhesive is strongly bonded.
c) The window glass simply sits inside a metal frame and is secured with a sealant similar to typical windshield sealant There is a rubber gasket between the glass and the metal frame that can be purchased from the stealership for about $100us. (I chose to us a standard 1/2" rubber weather seal gasket picked up at Lowes for $5)
That's basically it for the glass removal. This is most easily accomplished with the top in the closed position
Installing the new glass is basically as follows:
a) Seal gasket to metal frame inside the window frame channel, then the glass to the frame and gasket. (The Lowes rubber gasket is a few mm thicker than the original, so it's imperative to apply pressure to the glass so that the urethane bonds to the frame.)
b) Apply 3M 08682 Single Step primer to the outer edge of the inside of the glass (this helps the sealant adhere properly, you only need to paint on about 1/3 inch around the entire inside edge of the glass.) Let dry for 15 minutes
c) Apply 3M08609 Window Weld Urethane Sealant with a cauking gun around the entire inside edge of the glass which you just applied the primer to. No need to cover the entire 1/3rd inch you just primered. Just a normal single bead of urethane laid down around the entire inside edge of the glass is sufficient.
d) Insert the freshly cauked window into the frame, applying pressure all around the edges to promote adhesion. This Urethane becomes tacky quickly so you've only about 10 minutes to sit the window in place (which should be plenty of time) . Then grab a couple of telephone directories and sit them on the glass so as to apply continuos pressure for the next 2 hours (The sealant adheres quicker than that, but this is just a safety measure to ensure a watertight seal applies.) The Urethane is said to be fully hardened in 48 hours. Ideally you'd not drive the vehicle during that time, but realistically you should be good to go after a couple hours. If you must drive during the first few hours, definitely do so with the side windows in the raised position to prevent a Parachuting pressure effect working against the rear window.
e) Final step is to apply another bead of Urethane Sealant in the channel between the glass edge and the canvas of the convertible top. Then use a small flathead screwdriver to evenly smooth the caulking out. This leaves you with the professionally applied appearance of your original factory installation and offers yet another safety barrier against leaks. Ir after 48 hours you notice an unevenness of the Urethane, you can use a razor blade held at an angle to carve evenly around the glass for a factory new appearance.
That's it. You're done. My insurance company was told by numerous shops that the window glass alone was unavailable, and that upholstery shops did not want the risk of liability of trying to install a window glass only and risk liability of potential leaks. therefore the overwhelming majority of insurance replacements will only replace the entire canvas top with window preinstalled from the factory. I refused to believe this was the only solution for glass replacement, and went about my search. Insurance paid me $2800 for a new top with installation. It cost me less than $250 in obtaining the glass noted above, and the necessary supplies for installation.
Hopefully this is helpful for others who need to replace their rear window glass in the future!
Last edited by Aussiesuede; 05-10-2015 at 04:50 PM.
Asking years later - how well did this hold up for you? It seems like I am going to have to attempt this soon, but I worry about using a cheaper/makeshiftt gasket down here with the heavy Florida rain
04-19-2015, 06:17 PM
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