Phantom interior leak found!! UPDATE - found another

[Andrew]

So i have mentioned for some time now that my 98 GP has had an interior leak. I had taken it to a shop(a highly reputed and recommended shop) 3 times to have this found a fixed, but each time they focused on the trunk area because that is where the most water was found. Well, it didnt originate there!

 

My symptoms were: alot of water/condensation in the trunk, and a bit in the back seat floor areas.

 

Since they failed 3 times and I was tired of dealing with them, i decided to do it myself. So i pulled the rear seat, and lo and behold it was soaked! it basically acted as a sponge for ALOT of water. Under the rear seat cushion i found pieces of shattered window glass, so i figured this car had been in a accident and maybe the window that was replaced was not sealed properly. Upon inspection of the rear windshield, it was definitely factory(also confirmed by a local glass shop), so it had to be a side window. I pulled the passenger side panel out first since that was where most of the glass was. Hello leak hole!!

 

pic of back seat interior removed.

 

where the water was initially settling. i had my wife outside with a hose while i looked and listened for the leak.

 

pic up inside the fender, looking up thru the hole in the above pic.

 

the hole is under the trim piece!

 

the wife pointing to it.

 

close up

 

 

 

i really dont know why this hole is there, its not a locater for that side trim as far i could tell. its definitely a factory stamped hole too. anyhoo, i should have replaced that whole double sided tape under the trim piece, but since i am selling this car, i just siliconed it up.

[AWeb80]

strange.

 

nice find though

[rockfangd]

weird. why am i not surprised

[GnatGoSplat]

That is weird, but I read the reason you can't remove the molding is because there are holes behind it from the factory.

I thought the molding attached with clips into the holes, but if not, that's really weird.

 

It's too bad, too... I've seen a few GPs with the molding removed and holes filled, they look much better.

 

[IRONDOG442]

Lovin the mold everywhere on the car in that area, that didnt give you any clues?

[Euro]

Yeah that looks like a factory hole for that trim piece.

[runt]

Good find! I agree, though, it does look like a stock mounting hole for that piece. And I'm sure that the silicone will be a fix that will last quite a long time.

[Andrew]

UPDATE:

 

that was not the only leak. i got pissed when i found a wet trunk only a couple weeks after i thought i fixed it. at least the back seat area wasnt wet this time.

 

anyway, i found the other leak just today. just hosing from the top of the car i didnt see anything but a droplet i couldnt figure out. then i shot down directly thru here and BAM! instant trunk puddle. this was definitely the main source of my leak.

 

where the roofrail meets the rear windshield, drivers side.

 

it ran and puddled down by the rag. notice the water line coming down across the silver strip on the left.

 

heres the body seam the water came thru. Above rear fender well.

 

 

the water traveled all the way down under the windshield trim and found a body seam to get thru that you cant see from the outside. i am going to visit my local body shop and ask for a recommendation on how to fix it.

 

what pisses me off though is i pointed that roofrail problem out to the shop that worked on it long ago, they never even considered it to be a problem apparently!

[Euro]

Damn. I have another one somewhere too. grr

[Addicted to eaton]

I have a few leaks also!! GRRRR

[5speedz34]

The 94 has some leaks also.

[Addicted to eaton]

the 2nd gens leak like a mofo.. must be to put out the L67 BBQ

[Night Fury]

[rockfangd]

i am not going to say a word on this because i dont feel like putting my foot in my mouth and i dont have a piece of wood to knock on lol

[swift13]

drive a vert in the puring rain then come talk about leaks!!!

 

 

oh and with the top up by the way