Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / BMW Cars / June 2007

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

2001 E46 rain leak @ top of back window

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
David - 08 Jun 2007 01:17 GMT
After a hard rain, my headliner is wet at the top of the back window
above the third brake light. I ran a strip of electrical tape across
the entire top of the back window seal overlapping onto the roof, but
the leak is still there. It leaks even if the car is stationary, and
drips down onto the back seat between the rear headrests. I've found
lots of posts about water ending up on the floor from drains drom the
sunroof, but nothing about the rear window. Is there anything like a
drain tube behind the headliner? I've been told that to reseal the
window, it would have to be removed and probably break the glass, Any
siuggestions?

Thanks,

David
Jeff Strickland - 08 Jun 2007 02:19 GMT
Do you have a sun roof?

Do you suppose water could be getting in at the back of the sun roof and
running down to the 3rd Brake Light?

> After a hard rain, my headliner is wet at the top of the back window
> above the third brake light. I ran a strip of electrical tape across
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> David
Jeff Strickland - 08 Jun 2007 02:21 GMT
Unless the rear window has been replaced in the past, I would not suspect it
is leaking now. The factory equipment that does this operation works very
well, that is, the automobile industry has been installing windows for a
very long time, and they have a good idea on how to do it so windows don't
leak.

> After a hard rain, my headliner is wet at the top of the back window
> above the third brake light. I ran a strip of electrical tape across
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> David
David - 08 Jun 2007 15:16 GMT
> Unless the rear window has been replaced in the past, I would not suspect it
> is leaking now. The factory equipment that does this operation works very
> well, that is, the automobile industry has been installing windows for a
> very long time, and they have a good idea on how to do it so windows don't
> leak.

I bought this car used, but when the BMW dealer called up the service
history, it showed that the window had been resealed under warranty at
a BMW dealer in St. Louis. The car does have a sunroof, but the wet
area is only at the area of the third brake light, all the way to the
back. So if the leak is not at the rear window, it would have to run
along something inside the headliner all that way.

I've also noticed that some e46's have a little antenna mounted right
where the leak seems to be. I thought maybe there a predrilled hole
for a cable that is supposed to be plugged and isn't, but I didn't
want to try to open the third brake light cover until it has dried out.
Erik - 08 Jun 2007 19:45 GMT
>> Unless the rear window has been replaced in the past, I would not suspect
>> it
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> for a cable that is supposed to be plugged and isn't, but I didn't
> want to try to open the third brake light cover until it has dried out.

Hi guys,

Every factory installed sunfoor has 4 draintubes, at each corner of the
suroof casett.
If you have a leak under the headline the only way to find out where and why
is to remove the headliner. That take about 45 minutes at a Webasto H700
sunroofinstaller. The know how to take it out and install it again.

In Europe companys like Carglass use a high frequency devise to check gleud
windows for leaks.

Met vriendelijke groet,

Racefotos.nl
Erik van der Schaaff
Winde 109
3892 HD  Zeewolde
David - 09 Jun 2007 00:35 GMT
> Hi guys,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Winde 109
> 3892 HD  Zeewolde

I will try spraying some water around the sunroof at each corner to
see whether the drain leaks. I removed the cover for the third brake
light but wasn't able to see past the headliner.

Dank u zeer! (I hope that's right).

David
Erik - 09 Jun 2007 04:54 GMT
>> Hi guys,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> David

Great start, but try to work from under the car Look for the drainpipes at
each of the rear corners and feed a 1mm2 electronicswire through it. This
will push the blokkage up into the sunroof casette.

Graag gedaan (your welcome)

Met vriendelijke groet,

Racefotos.nl
Erik van der Schaaff
Winde 109
3892 HD  Zeewolde
hsg@h-gee.co.uk - 09 Jun 2007 08:55 GMT
>> Hi guys,
>>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
>David

Had a similar problem on a old 1974 Ford Granada (UK) and a 1976 E3 BMW 3.3Lia.
Both cases involved water on the floor at the front passenger side (left).

I used a piece of curtain wire - plastic coated - to push down the drain tubes -
all 4 - and you would be amazed at the shite that came out.

I know space is limited but I really think the tubes are too small.
Signature


Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen
hsg@h-gee.co.uk
Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

Jeff Strickland - 09 Jun 2007 16:34 GMT
>> Unless the rear window has been replaced in the past, I would not suspect
>> it
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> for a cable that is supposed to be plugged and isn't, but I didn't
> want to try to open the third brake light cover until it has dried out.

Well, it sounds like you do not have a leak from the sunroof.

Having said that, if you slide the sunshade open, there are 3 small Torx
screws on each side that adjust the window on the drive mechanism. The
sunshade sliders are a bit problematic -- they are known to break -- and to
replace them, one must remove the glass panel (the part held in by the
aforementioned Torx screws), and if the panel is not raised well in the
opening, it will leak.

I replaced the sliders on my daughter's car, and we had trouble with leaks
at the car wash. I recall that our leak may have been a bit different than
the one you are having -- our roof was leaking in the immediate vicinity of
the roof opening.

Just a thought ...
 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.