2001 E46 rain leak @ top of back window

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

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?






"David" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> 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
>

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.





"David" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> 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
>

On Jun 7, 8:21 pm, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
> 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.

"David" > schreef in bericht
ups.com...
> On Jun 7, 8:21 pm, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
>> 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.

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

>
> 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

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

"David" > schreef in bericht
oups.com...
> >
>> 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
>
> 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



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

On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:35:27 -0700, David > wrote:

>>
>> 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
>
>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
>
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 ****e that came out.

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

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

Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

"David" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> On Jun 7, 8:21 pm, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
>> 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.
>

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 ...