another leaking windshield question

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OldscratchGGF

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2007
133
0
Palo Alto, CA
A year and a half ago, I had to have the windshield on my 04 replaced, done by SafeLite. After the replacement, I noticed a leak at the top the the driver's side A pillar. After a year and a half of complaining, Safelite finally did something about it- they tried replacing the windshield again. Now the leak is even worse.

When they pulled the initial replacement windshield off of the car, they showed me the bead of sealant used initially- there were no breaks, cracks, holes, etc in it what so ever, leading them to believe that it was not in fact the windshield that was leaking.

Well, now that they replaced the windshield again, it is leaking even worse. Any ideas how else water could be getting in, assuming that the bead of sealant holding the windshield in place is actually properly laid out? Are there any other ways that water could be getting in around the windshield?
 
KyleT

KyleT

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2007
6,059
8
39
Fort Worth, TEXAS
only use OEM with the land rover oval on the glass.
hate to say but...
every after market glass I have ever seen leaks. I don't know if it is because the glass is thinner or the edge is different where the sealant is or what.

i guess your roof rails could be leaking, but usually it spreads out and ends up leaking all along the edge of the headliner. same with the sunroofs.

do you have a roof rack? my sd put dents(cracks) in the rain gutter and it leaks there sometimes.
 
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OldscratchGGF

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2007
133
0
Palo Alto, CA
I should have mentioned- I had them install Land Rover branded Pilkington glass- the real thing. Also, the leak is very much confined to the front a pillar area, not more spread out like I understand to be characteristic of leaky sunroofs and roof rails. No roof rack otherwise.

I plan on removing the headliner next weekend to track it down but I figured I would check in here first to see if anyone had any bright ideas.
 
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OldscratchGGF

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2007
133
0
Palo Alto, CA
reused trim. worth a shot at replacing?

also, woke up the last couple mornings and there is substantially more condensation on the inside of the windshield than ever.
 
T

terrormachine

Active member
Aug 5, 2005
38
0
Texas
Upper a pillar body seams could be leaking. Right Stuff those puppies on the interior seam. I also squirt some RS on the exterior side where the glass, rain gutter & a-pillar trim meet.
 
gmookher

gmookher

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2004
5,201
0
Grand Canyon State
just had mine done on insurance by safelite, no extra charge for pilkinton branded glass, new side moldings and plastic rivets and and top strip, used etcher and primer then sealed, seems done right
 
KyleT

KyleT

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2007
6,059
8
39
Fort Worth, TEXAS
absolutely need a new upper moulding.

Gem, there is a difference in the Plinkington and the OEM Land Rover Plinkington. the non OEM is thinner. not as thin as the safelite or the even thinner off brands though. just watch for rocks being thrown up.
 
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Bender

Bender

Well-known member
Jun 8, 2004
159
0
Virginia
We had an '04 D2, but I don't recall if the windshield is glued in the same way as on the LR3, but... it took the local guys 1 1/2 years and 5 attempts for Safelite to finally get the damn LR3 replacement windshield in without leaking. Poor seals, twisted trim, and so on. They'll keep trying to tell you it's the sunroof or something else, but if you're sure it's not the sunroof drains then stick to your guns.
 
p m

p m

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 19, 2004
15,630
863
58
La Jolla, CA
www.3rj.org
Hmmm....
Safelite in San Diego replaced my D1's windshield with some Chinese-made glass (they no longer have anything else); it took a few stop-bys, me getting all windshield gaskets from the dealer, etc. - but in one hard rainstorm and a few small ones, it hasn't leaked yet.
 
O

OldscratchGGF

Well-known member
Feb 4, 2007
133
0
Palo Alto, CA
We are expecting more rain in 3 days, so Friday I am going to drop out the headliner and remove all the interior trim up front to try to trace the leak down. Any tips?
 
KyleT

KyleT

Well-known member
Mar 28, 2007
6,059
8
39
Fort Worth, TEXAS
put tape outside the windshield (like heavy wide black tape, not duct tape) and see if the leak goes away or gets smaller. might save you from pulling the headliner if the leak stops with the tape on it.
 
E

etischer

Member
Jun 17, 2007
8
0
Not sure if you got your leak resolved but here is what I found on my windshield leak:

My windshield was just replaced, and after the first rain it started to leak on the bottom passenger side of the windshield.

<img src =http://etischer.com/rover/windsheild_leak/DSCF7766.jpg>

This is a picture looking down between the windshield and dash on my d1 (camera is upside down so I can push the shutter button). Even though there is a bead of sealant around the windshield, it wasn't sealing. My leak is on the bottom of the windshield, which seems odd; how can water flow up and around the bottom of windshield? Well, the trim molding on the outside of the windshield it about 1" tall, it allows water to pool up and syphon to the other side.

http://etischer.com/rover/windsheild_leak/Movie.wmv
 
The Fourth Amigo

The Fourth Amigo

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2009
641
2
I have had the same problem for 2 years. Had the windshield replaced twice. Dropped the headliner sealed the tubes etc., used all new trim on the replacement windshield. The weird thing is I can drive for days in heavy rain, no leaks. I lowered the headliner again and set up the lawn sprinkler to "water the roof" for 3 hours, no leak. drive 5 min to the store in a light rain, leaks. Water dripped from rear view mirror into the OE tape deck and I had to install a new head unit. I'm fairly sure it's the windshield because the last time it leaked I went straight home and quickly lowered the headliner (getting good at it now) and I could find no traces of leaks toward the rear of the vehicle.

I think I'm going to have to remove the headliner again and drive around with out it until I can see exactly what's happening.
 
jeepfiend

jeepfiend

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
110
0
Southeast Idaho
Safelite is shit, pure and simple shit. That's like getting a paint job from Earl Scheib! Go to a body shop or a legit glass shop, ask for a Pilkington or PPG glass. I think even the safelite pilkingtons are made special for them. I am sorry your windshield leaks, but going to safelite for glass is like going to Harbor Freight for tools, sometimes it works okay, but you mostly just end up with cheap chinese junk!
 
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