Windshield Leak

[Tigrbob]

I have a 2006 Tour 40KD. We bought it in April 2017. We have had a water leak coming through the top of the windshield about 6 inches to the left of center line ever since we bought it. Our maintenance folks have been unable to find the source of the leak. So every time it rains we have towels placed at the bottom of the windshield on the dashboard to sop up the water. Maintenance doesn’t think it’s coming from the windscreen because they believe the windshield is glued in and the black rubber weatherstripping cover is essentially there for looks not function. They have re-sealed everything they can think of on the roof. Has anyone had anything similar?

[Morich]

Have not had the problem personally but I do have a neighbor who is fighting the same fight with his new windows on his house! He paid the extra big bucks to have "the BEST" Anderson windows installed but the folks who did the work were not the BEST!
Good help is hard to find? If they are not up on how to find a leak, maybe they are not the best? At that point, I would move to a different shop. Just saying, "we fixed it" and ignoring that it still leaks, doesn't get much more of my business.

[RD Eagle]

There is a test I have heard of that uses air to detect a leak will try to find web for you. Don't know how much it costs but would be worth it to find that leak.

[RD Eagle]

Camping World water leak testing - iRV2 Forums Here is a place that some of the people tried with good results.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by Tigrbob

I have a 2006 Tour 40KD. We bought it in April 2017. We have had a water leak coming through the top of the windshield about 6 inches to the left of center line ever since we bought it. Our maintenance folks have been unable to find the source of the leak. So every time it rains we have towels placed at the bottom of the windshield on the dashboard to sop up the water. Maintenance doesn’t think it’s coming from the windscreen because they believe the windshield is glued in and the black rubber weatherstripping cover is essentially there for looks not function. They have re-sealed everything they can think of on the roof. Has anyone had anything similar?

For a few model years, there was a rash of Winnebago windshield leaks and rusted windshield supports. Here are a few past threads... WINNEBAGO WINDSHIELD LEAKS

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Tigrbob

Maintenance doesn’t think it’s coming from the windscreen because they believe the windshield is glued in and the black rubber weatherstripping cover is essentially there for looks not function. They have re-sealed everything they can think of on the roof. Has anyone had anything similar?

I wouldn't trust "Maintenance's" conclusion about the windshield. Winnies are notorious for windshield leaks even if everything looks sound. I had the same problem and a PO had a full Winnie leak repair job done on the windshield frame. A year ago I cleaned everything up and put a strip of Eternabond over the top edge of my rubber insert. No leaks since then. We just had our first big rainstorm of the season and I checked it yesterday, it's still dry.

You can test this theory with something easier to remove than Eternabond like Gorilla Tape or waterproof, exterior aluminum duct tape. I found that the aluminum tape left less, if any, residue when I removed it after my test. The Eternabond solution is less work and more effective than trying to use sealant under the weatherstripping.

If the leak is coming from somewhere else, this isn't going to affect it since you're not blocking off an exit route. This means that you're not going to get a misleading result, nor are you going to be making the problem worse by trapping water.

[akeagle]

I'd check any and all front cap penetrations above the windshield too, such as the clearance lights. Caulking could be damaged or missing from one of them.

[Tigrbob]

Thank you all for your replies!!! I’ll give all your suggestions a try!!!

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Tigrbob

Thank you all for your replies!!! I’ll give all your suggestions a try!!!

Let us know how it turns out. We often never hear the final story.

[Habit 7]

I solved mine on a 2008 Itasca Latitude by recaulking the position/clearance lights mounted above the windscreen.

[PolarMike]

Ours leaked for a long time. Had a window shop look at it and they caulked all along the top of the front windshields (ours is a split 2 piece)... didn't help, then had one of the front windshields replaced due to a crack and bingo it stopped... until we got moving again... I resealed the marker lights over the front, no help... I just put up with it, with towels and buckets... then after 4 years we had the passenger side window removed and re-installed for some body work, BINGO... that has done the trick for almost a year... how a simple little pin hole in the caulking can let in water and then it run all the way across the top of the windshield frame and then drip over on the drivers side is just simple magic, but it does.

[jlr44]

I had the same problem on a 2008 Vectra. They took the windshield out and recaulked it. We put extra caulking around the top and down the sides, still leaked. While getting service I ask the young kid about it and he just laughed and said he would fix it. He took some good silicone and put it on his finger and put around the top 3/4 of the clearance lights. Never had another leak. Do not put it all the way around in case some water gets in it can get out the bottom.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by Tigrbob

I have a 2006 Tour 40KD. We bought it in April 2017. We have had a water leak coming through the top of the windshield about 6 inches to the left of center line ever since we bought it. Our maintenance folks have been unable to find the source of the leak. So every time it rains we have towels placed at the bottom of the windshield on the dashboard to sop up the water. Maintenance doesn’t think it’s coming from the windscreen because they believe the windshield is glued in and the black rubber weatherstripping cover is essentially there for looks not function. They have re-sealed everything they can think of on the roof. Has anyone had anything similar?

Yes that's how the older Winnebago windshields were installed just like an auto windshield. They are embedded in the same black stuff auto glass companies use. The black trim is just that trim, but we now know it too must be sealed.
The hidden problem is the steel windshield frame rusting from exposure to water, which may be detected by removing the black trim for a visual inspection.
That said, I found my leak was around the OEM floodlight mounted on the RF of the cap.


RDeagle, what you are referring to is SealTech leak detection system..
If you have, or suspect you have a water leak, it's the best money you'll ever spend. We bought a new 5er and discovered a leak a week later. The dealer used the SealTech system and located 3 unknown leaks besides the known leak, the source of which was over 21' from the water dripping into the 5er.

[maryinreddin]

If you buy a Winnebago anything you will have a windshield leak at some point. We have a 2005 Winnebago Journey and had one side fixed and now the other side is starting to leak. Sealing the outside does nothing for this leak.

Winnebago has been putting in their windshields the same way from the beginning of time and they are not doing it right. The problem lies in back of the windshield itself. The rust forms in the paint before they put the windshield on causing a break in the seal. No matter how much caulking you put on the outside it will not seal it completely.

The glass shop we took our coach to removed our windshield, found the rust on the metal, ground it back to pure metal, put new calking all around the windshield, replaced the windshield and replaced the seal. No more leaking.


And if you ask Winnebago they will tell you that there isn't any problems with the windshields leaking that they know of......

[Journey39n]

Had a similar leak in a 2003 Itasca Horizon, was the passenger side front cap seal. Recaulked and the leak went away.

2nd year with the 2010 Journey, and had a leak dripping right on the middle of the dash, next to the glass. Looked and looked, could not find leak, dealer even tried pressurizing the coach, no leak found. Then, by chance, I was inspecting the roof caulking near the front, and at the front cap curvature above the entry door, I noticed a strange look to the caulking. With a little poking and examination, I found a flap of caulking that would move inward to let water in when rolling down the roof, but if pushed outward (like when the interior was pressurized), the flap would form an effective seal.

Cleaned out old caulking, reapplied with fresh caulking, and leak over the dash went away these last 6 years. Had nothing to do with the windshield, just seemed like it, for where the water dripped down.

[Tigrbob]

Thanks again for your suggestions! Unfortunately before I could try any of your thoughts our storage facility was ransacked and every motor home was broken into and extensively damaged. I’ll work on the leak when the other damage is fixed!

[BobC]

Wow, what a bummer!

[RD Eagle]

Glad you found it and got it fixed. Thanks for letting us know what it was.

[BobC]

Did they break the windshield by any chance?

[Katblew]

Same fix was used by the glass company for my 2009 Journey. Removed windshield and repaired the rust problem - more sealant and no more leaks. Not sure if I will deal with this again in a few years