Window Leak

[cpurick]

Leaking above the fixed side window on the driver's side, the long window in the back, over the cargo area. Vehicle is a 2000 Sport. There's no visible body rust, though I have seen some rust on the unfinished clips that fasten the rear hatch to the closing dampers. The car's never been in the snow belt.

Is this a job for the dealer, a body shop, or a glass shop? My daughter has the car out of state for the winter, and I have to figure out where to tell her to take it. Are there any known leaks in this area?

 

[sjr033]

Yes this is a somewhat common problem. There is many threads on the side window leak issue. Just search for " side window leak" You will find that under the trim panels there is mutiple clips that hold the window in. You may be able to solve your leak just by tightening these clips. If not you will need to remove the clips and push the window out, so that you can replace the seal. It is similar to the windshield seal. A black sticky, tar like rope.

 

[cpurick]

Can you tell me more about the clips? It sounds like metal tabs that fasten around the edge of the glass, and which have a bolt on the interior face. When you seat the window on the seal, I imagine the bolts go through to the interior where they can be tightened down from inside (assuming the tabs are in the correct location. Is that correct? I could really use a picture!

I called an auto glass shop. Not being familiar with this particular problem, he said he wasn't sure he could remove the glass without damaging the trim. Another glass shop said they remove the quarter windows for the local dealership all the time, but she didn't think a bolted-in window should ever leak unless it's been tampered with. I'm not the original owner, but it sounds around here like the seal just breaks down over time -- is that correct?

Do you think I should have both sides fixed, or just the one that's leaking now?