Water leak right front

[dwebcbceo]

I have a water leak coming down the inside of the windshield on the driver's side. It doesn't happen in the rain when it's parked but does when driving. I've checked the windshield caulking as well as the marker lights and all seems to be well sealed and I can't find a cause. Any ideas?

Thanks for your help.

Dave Weber
Wenatchee, WA
2008 Limited SE 40MDTS

[SteveS]

It could possibly be coming from the front clearance lights and running down the inside...assuming it is not condensation.

[Jim A]

Dave,

Since it does not leak when parked, it implies water hitting the front with some speed. (Although not conclusively.) Can you duplicate the failure with a hose nozzle or high pressure sprayer? If so, careful spraying might help locate it.

I have found the Kool Patch Patching Tape does a good job of temporarily sealing things, even when applied to wet surfaces. CW used to sell it and may still sell it. If you can duplicate the failure, try using it to seal the top of the windshield and test again. That's how I found the bad spot on my side window seal. (At 10:00 at night in a driving rainstorm.)

koolseal.com: Product Detail (Kool Patch White Patching Tape)

If you can't duplicate it, at least in WA you get more chances to find a rain leak than I do in So CA. I might have to wait 6+ months to see if I really fixed a leak.

Good luck!

[Ray,IN]

I experienced this with a MH I owned long-ago. Turns out it was wind speed pushing water UP from the bottom of the windshield through drain holes/gap in the seal. I put putty in the drain holes and gap in the old seal and no more water intrusion. I then remove the putty from drain holes and for some reason never had a water problem there again.

[GMDavidson]

I had the same problem when I was parked. Never knew whether is was condensation or not - happened sometimes in the rain. But I had all my roof seals re-done. They removed all the old sealing material with a hot putty knife. That solved most of the problems - I still get some condensation dripping down on my dash occasionally - but less frequently. Note my 2001 had always been stored indoors. Seems like the clearance lights might be a source as reported earlier.

[dwebcbceo]

Hi Jim A.
The idea of a jet of water aimed at various spots makes sense. Thanks for the idea. The puzzling thing is that I've looked at all the ususal culprits and can find no caulking gaps, etc. I know water can find the smallest opening so I'll use your method and look closely at where it seems to be coming in.

Wenatchee is on the east side of the Cascade and as such we are in the rain shadow of the Cascades. Not quite as dry as SoCal but close.

Dave Weber
2008 Limited SE 40MDTS

[takepride]

Mine had the same, intermittent problem. When I had the windshield replaced, I found that the original seal of glue had a small gap, a little hitch in the mastic bead. Water only came in during a driving rain whilst driving.

Someone suggested crack sealer to creep up into the gap. I purchased it at CW but replaced the windshield before trying.

[dgerstel]

I had the same problem, along with some wind noise, and was concerned about the attachment of the windshield. I had Johnson Glass in Yakima look at it. They found that there was a small gab in the bedding bead, like takepride's and the sealer around the outside of the windshield had some small areas where it was not adhering at the edges, causing the wind noise. They added adhesive from the inside and re-did the outside "caulking," which cured both problems.

[NorCal C&H]

We have the same problem with our coach. WRV tested it in their water leak test facility and thought they had it resolved - in fact I don't think they did anything.

Still have trickles of water running down the INSIDE center of each windshield when we drive in heavy rain. The Pass side is worse. WRV supposedly sealed around clearance lights.

I have heard from other Alpine owners that they too had the problem until the windshields were removed and reinstalled. I haven't wanted to go that far YET.

Harold

[dgerstel]

Harold,

Mine was not removed for the repair by Johnson's Glass.

[NorCal C&H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgerstel Harold, Mine was not removed for the repair by Johnson's Glass.

Someday when I find extra time, or have the coach in the area of a glass shop I will try to remember to have it checked. As you say Dale it MIGHT be a simple fix that WRV couldn't figure out.

Harold

[Old Rv'er]

All, we have had both windows replaced/repaired by removing them and reinstalling them. A shop in Centralia did the passenger side, and it did not leak until we started coming home from Florida this past spring. The driver’s side does not seem to leak. It's not the clearance lights, as behind the metal housing is a rubber O ring which I believe seals that from happening. I am agreeing with the other folks saying is' the windshield and if you have not had it removed and replaced with new materials to hold it in place then that is the problem. I can tell you WRV did not clean the surface area prior to installing the windshields in our coach, and it's a wonder mine did not pop out the first time the coach was driven as the dirt and debris in the cavity where the window is was very dirty.

I also believe, because the coach flexes when leveling, going down the road, it tends to break the adhesion of the material in places so the windshields need to be fixed about 3-5 years, even if a good job was done. I don't know how other brands of coaches wear in this area, but ours does not seem to do so hot. I also have cracking of the front cap between the windshields at the top and so this has to be fixed at the time I do the passenger windshield. Fiberglass cracking might be just an off shoot of the nature of the beast, but I have not heard of others having this issue, but could have missed it. Cannot wait to get an estimate of how much this will cost, but I’m sure it isn’t cheap.

Oh in RV school, we were advised to encourage our clients to remove the windows, clean the surface outside, re-butyl tape, reinstall the windows and then caulk the outside seam of all of them every 3-5 years so water does not get behind them and cause the wall to delaminate. My bathroom windows was leaking when it rained but I silicone caulked all around it, awaiting warm weather and time to do it correctly. The big long windows will take at least three people so it does not flex too much and get cracked. The smaller windows I think I can do myself. If the other windows are installed as poorly as the windshield was, then I need to move that project up the "to do" list so I don't lose one going down the road.

[takepride]

Monty:

The cracking above the center of the windshield has been discussed here. Mine has it. Seems the discussion is that it is not structural and most are ignoring it. I'll re-address it when I get the 'eventual' repaint or touch-ups.

Others?

[Old Rv'er]

Hmmm, did not know that. So I won't worry about it then, and will just have the passenger side window re-done again to stop that leak, or have the company who fixed it, do the top seam again.

Thank you for the information.