Water leaks in when it rains - revisited

[Micallen]

See original post from April: post6772537.html?hilit=leak#p6772537

So I removed the A-pillar trim piece on the driver's side to see if I could get a better idea of where the leak was coming in. What I had been seeing was water coming in at bottom of dash and dripping on driver's door speaker and floor.

I got in and my son sprayed water. After a few seconds of him moving it around a little, it started pouring in from the top corner, and dripping/pouring in my lap. At this point I assumed it was coming in from the top corner of the wind shield. I suspected that area anyway. I bought a tube of black silicon. I peeled back the long weatherstripping along side the windshield, and I removed the side windshield trim. The screws were not tight. When you remove the screw, you can see into the inside of the car through the hole. BINGO. That HAS to be it. I siliconed around the plastic grommets (screw holes) and in the holes themselves. I replaced the windshield side trim, and I added silicon to the top of the side trim piece where there is a rectangular "hole" naturally there by design for some reason. I let it cure for 24 hours.

Excited, I got someone to spray the garden hose today at that top corner of the windshield, and it was holding! Then he moved it to the back of the roof wind deflector, aiming back toward that corner. The water POURED in again at the same spot.

Sigh.

So, it seems to be related to the roof seam, the roof rack mounting, or the wind deflector.

Am I the only one to ever have this issue? I have looked all over the interwebs and come up empty.

[Micallen]

The yellow circled area is where I thought (before today) it had been coming in at.

[Rockwood]

This youtube video might be of help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL3e1C2L3RU

His leak is in the same area as yours.

[Micallen]

This youtube video might be of help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL3e1C2L3RU

His leak is in the same area as yours.

I have no sunroof.

[Rockwood]

No sunroof, but you can drop the corner of the headliner down like he does in the video and see right up in there. So I think you can actually watch the water leak in.

I think you drop the upper door trim down, and remove the sun visor. Then maybe a couple of plastic retainers to snap loose.

Let us know what you find!

[Micallen]

So Saturday, I removed half the interior to get to the headliner. I removed the headliner. I then removed the roof rack (suspecting it could be involved. ) There was no rust under the roof rack. The holes are designed not to let water in (raised walls around holes.) I reinstalled roof rack and poured water. It was dripping in from several spots at the top of the windshield. When the headliner was installed it was running it to each corner. AND, with everything installed, the A-pillar trim was diverting it to come out beside the dash, dripping on the floor and a little on the door speaker.

So, I took it to Safelite. They inspected it and saw signs of rust and told me they couldn't touch it because of their nationwide lifetime warranty. But they recommended me to another local company that would. They called ahead and explained the situation.

Company "B" pulled windshield, and there was a lot of rust. But it was surface rust. No metal damage really. At the top part of the windshield, the old bead they run was sticking to glass, but not Pathfinder. So that explains the leak.

Company B sanded the windshield frame area, primed and sealed it, and installed a new windshield. HOPEFULLY problems is solved. I will leak test it Wednesday.

[jehlo]

Please let us know how it turns out! Mine is doing the same thing, though I've been suspecting my sunroof. Also curious as to what region of the country you're in. Wondering if that could help explain the rust.

P.S. Thanks for the thread! ☺

[Micallen]

I did leak test it last night. NO LEAKS!! I will run it through a car wash after work today for further testing.

I am in the SE, but just bought the Pathfinder in April. From the history I was able to dig up, it spent a few years in north east, and several years in Virginia.

[Rockwood]

That was some good detective work!

Have you checked to see if the strut tower rust recall has been done on your Pathy? You qualify if it was a Northeast vehicle. They also have an open recall on the passenger side airbag. It's all free.

[Micallen]

That was some good detective work!

Have you checked to see if the strut tower rust recall has been done on your Pathy? You qualify if it was a Northeast vehicle. They also have an open recall on the passenger side airbag. It's all free.

Airbag recall completed about a month ago. Strut tower inspected and OK.

[Micallen]

Ran it through the car wash last night. No leaks. I am thrilled.

[Micallen]

2021 UPDATE:
(knock on wood) STILL NO LEAKS!!!

I am so glad this nightmare is over. (if only the RMS didn't leak)

[Buzzman]

I had this problem for years on my now deceased 2002 Pathfinder.
When my windshield cracked a few years back, I took it in to be replaced at a glass shop.
They wouldn't touch it.
The top of the windshield area where it meets the roof was completely rotted out.
I had to have about the first 3 inches of the roof replaced with new metal. Had to be done at a body shop.
They did a great job, and I never had a leak for the rest of the life of the truck.

[doode]

I know this thread is old, but I thought I would share my work around.

My 99 was leaking as well, top of the windshield was pretty bad with rust.
My windshield is cracked all the way across and I was going to make an insurance claim to replace it but 2 shops I talked to said the rust at the top of the frame might be enough to write off my car. They wouldn't know until they pulled the windshield. That was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

My solution = Ground down the rust with a wire wheel, primed part of the roof with primer, used permatex windshield sealant along the entire top edge of the windshield then went to town with flex seal.

It has been 2 years now and still good. I do add a coat every fall as the flex seal dries and cracks a bit.



It is an ugly fix, but my truck is a beater so it doesn't but me.