Never have I ever made the correlation, because I don't have wet carpets or visible leaks in that sense, but there was this whole fiasco with water damage to the cabin fuse box and running kind of poorly after washing the car and now I think I know why. I always assumed signs of past water leakage were from the PO getting a terrible windshield install that I rectified long ago.

 

That’s the same issue I have. After a heavy rain I’m in limp mode for a half a day and lights don’t work.

so perhaps I’ll seal this up and the windshield just to be safe.

did you seal your windshield from inside or you did the outside? Removed weather strips and then sealed, put them back overtop?

thnx

 

Also just now noticing that not-broken drip edge finishers have this end part fully covering that hole. Mine were apparently snapped off long ago but I didn't think this wasn't normal.

 

Yeah I had a new windshield installed, which solved a ton of water ingress issues, and had them install a new weatherstrip along the top. Just as a patch for now, I just cut two pieces of black plastic pipe strap hangers, slipped them between the metal gutter and drip rail finisher, and used black caulking to adhere it. I'll figure out a more elegant solution later but for now this should do the trick.

 

Most often when I do a temporary fix that I intend to fix properly later, the temp fix is good enough and I never get around to the permanent fix.

 

I feel seen.

 

Just did a water test outside. And I checked first the part I circled in yellow. Then the lower cowl.

Nothing.

then did this spot in red. And there’s the leak. Cause there is a small opening where the weather strip meets the windshield, about 4 or 5 inches I see now.

1. Ok to put the silicone etc outside the strip?

2. Best way to look professional? I’ve never done and rather it not be a gunky and not straight.

I read apply a piece of tape the entire way , calk it, then use a smoothener tool?

any advice I appreciate. Thanks.

 

One problem with tracking down these leaks is that you might need to drive at freeway speeds in a downpour to find any water getting in. That's my situation. I thought I had everything sealed up but then one day driving in those conditions, I got drips. ****!!!
Also, in my case, it seemed pretty clear that having the A Pillar covers properly in place keeps water away from some of the problem area in the first place. If your trim pieces are broken or missing then you aren't getting help from them.

Good hunting.

 

Smal amounts of water, by design, can get into that area from new, it just runs down inside the A-pillar and drains out the bottom. The problem is the amount of water. And the seam sealer gets chalky and breaks down in the 20 years since new. Seal it up with goop, yes.