Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Upholstery, floor mats, seats, window tint and anything inside the vehicle and not electronic
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coppens1
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Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2016 10:14 am

Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by coppens1 »

:cry: Dear Fellow Vibe Owners: I had previously posted that Water was leaking from my driver side headliner, and that the car has no sunroof.

I experimented and used a little tape to cover the end of the long rubber grommet on the roof, as I thought that was the source of the leak. It worked, but is only a temporary fix. Now both sides of the headliner are leaking.

It appears the problem is that the black rubber grommets on the roof are deteriorating right where they end, near the top of the windshield.

Who else has had this problem, and what is the permanent fix? JC, 2005 Vibe
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vibrologist
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by vibrologist »

picture, please.
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'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

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coppens1
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by coppens1 »

Dear Vibrologist, sorry, I missed your reply before, but will reply now. Actually, a photo will show nothing but a wet spot where the front windshield posts meet the headliner. The leaks are showing up right at the juncture.

What is amazing is that there is no water till you move the car after a rain. When you move forward, you get a flood.

My analysis is that the hollow windshield posts fill with water and overflow when you move the car.

I have tried caulking the front part of the channels that run from the luggage rack forward to the windshield, to no avail.

I took the car to an auto leak specialist this morn, and he looked it over, noticed the windshield is an aftermarket glass, and told me the leak is from an improperly installed windshield. He said the windshield has to be removed and reinstalled, and if it breaks, I have to pay for a new windshield, too.

I am going to try caulking the long joint between the top of the windshield and the roof, all the way across the roof, around 4 feet. What do you think?
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vibrologist
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by vibrologist »

There is a windshield surround. I am not sure how exactly it is put in place. I would try to get caulk under the windshield surround. Take a Popsicle stick or a chopstick and try to lift it off the A pillar and roof line. Inject the caulk in the gap. Try to do that along the top and the sides of the windshield. I am surprised that the specialist did not offer caulking as a first measure. I suppose he wants to make sure it will be a done right the first time, regardless of cost.
I would also be concerned to get all the water out of the place where it accumulates. This would likely require removing some interior trim. Maybe you can find a Vibe or Matrix in a junk yard and investigate if there is anywhere a grommet or plug that can be removed to drain the water.

I consider Derf on these pages to be most familiar with the body structure. Maybe he can give you a hint.

Do you have insurance for the glass? (I am not suggesting anything, or do I?)
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'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

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Derf
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by Derf »

Their is weatherstripping around the outside of the front windshield. It intersects the body body panel seam atop the front A pillars. Looking at mine appears any sealant or deterioration issues would quickly lead to a leak since all the water off the roof is basically channeled to the windshield weatherstripping. Had a minivan with a similar but smaller leak, had to lift the weatherstripping up, silicone under it, then silicone over the top the weatherstripping to hep the water run over top the weatherstripping rather than run into and under the remaining weatherstripping. Trying to repair the issue from inside the vehicle might create a water dam that could contribute to rust and other issues.

If you do have to silicone the seal, few tips. Most of the sealant silicone's are $5-8 for a small tube for about $14 you can get auto grade black silicone in a caulk gun tube which will make it easier to apply evenly over a long distance. Apply all the silicone at once, if it dries it will not stick to the next layer. Make sure to apply the silicone over the entire weatherstripping to prevent peeling or gaps. Once applied use a latex glove spray the finger with WD-40 then run your finger over the silicone to smooth, reapply the WD-40 to the glove as needed to reduce finger drag and create a smooth finish. Can also spray a rag with WD-40 for cleanup, just do not spay WD-40 directly onto the silicone. The WD-40 will eventually evaporate leaving a smooth clean seal. You can use the rest of the caulk gun around the house to seal windows etc like regular silicone, it will just be black.
2005 #10,524 Neptune Vibe "Bandit" Auto, Moon & Tunes 235k :D
1991 Pontiac Bonneville 3.8L "Granny's Whip" 142k (33nd Anniversary :o )
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Derf
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by Derf »

Tried to find the exact weatherstripping or fill channel part number, this was as close as I could find WFSD1489. Appears to be a generic fill strip used across many makes and models.
https://www.buypgwautoglass.com/SundryC ... ShipToNo=0
2005 #10,524 Neptune Vibe "Bandit" Auto, Moon & Tunes 235k :D
1991 Pontiac Bonneville 3.8L "Granny's Whip" 142k (33nd Anniversary :o )
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coppens1
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Re: Water now leaking from both sides of headliner!

Post by coppens1 »

Vibe User Group 270516 Water leaking from headliner at joints with front roof pillars

Dear Vibe Owners, I have read of several other owners also having difficulty with Water leaking from headliner at the joints with front roof pillars.

In my case, I finally went to an auto repair shop that specializes in fixing leaks. After a few seconds the expert there informed me that my windshield had been replaced and improperly installed. He quoted $200 for taking the windshield out and installing it again. He also said that frequently when taking the windshield out, it would be damaged, and have to be replaced, quoting $350.

I bought silicon caulk and filled the 1/4" gap between the top of the windshield and the roofline. I have had no leaks for the past month.
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