Sliding window leak (-NOT a new topic!)

[rod_vw]

That's the culprit !
Unfortunately in the California there's no way of accessing the underside of the track and viewing the dodgy drains. If there was I would be inclined to try some sealant.
I would suggest owners check the rear of the under sink cupboard as the water runs down the side panel and drips over the waste water tank.
SMG are raising the issue with VW.

I wouldn't hold your breath, as I said above these windows have had this problem ever since the T5 was introduced in 2003. I've lost count of the replacement windows I have had in three T5s and still await a version that does not leak. There was supposedly a new version introduced a while back which I have had fitted but I have still seen water ingress.

Dismantling the furniture cannot be that difficult as access must be possible for a dealer to change the window unit the removal method is with a cheese wire type cutter through the bonded area. My furniture being my own build means that I know how it's put together and so how to take it apart. Not as though it's worth doing as there is still no fix. The water drips onto the top of my fridge or down the door trim on the opposite side.

Rod

 

[ArunAlec]

I wouldn't hold your breath, as I said above these windows have had this problem ever since the T5 was introduced in 2003. I've lost count of the replacement windows I have had in three T5s and still await a version that does not leak. There was supposedly a new version introduced a while back which I have had fitted but I have still seen water ingress.

Dismantling the furniture cannot be that difficult as access must be possible for a dealer to change the window unit the removal method is with a cheese wire type cutter through the bonded area. My furniture being my own build means that I know how it's put together and so how to take it apart. Not as though it's worth doing as there is still no fix. The water drips onto the top of my fridge or down the door trim on the opposite side.

Rod

Luckily or not, depending on how you look at it, the window can be replaced without touching the furniture. It's glued in from the outside. All cheese wiring done externally. Have you tried applying a sealant around the drain assembly .. Above your finger nail in the photo? When I looked at one at the dealer it appears that the drain is bonded/glued in place and I can only guess that it's this joint that's failing.

 

[FellRunner]

Having just fixed a leaking side window I thought others might find my solution helpful.

I recently bought a Cali and discovered that the sliding window above the kitchen was leaking, a lot.

My vehicle is out of warranty so getting it fixed (albeit temporarily) for free was not an option. After trawling the forums I came to the conclusion it was a 2 fold issue:

1) There is a tiny amount of play at the front end of the sliding window meaning that the rubber seal doesn't seal properly against the glass. In theory this shouldn't be an issue as there is a drainage channel with 2 drain holes on the inside of the window.

2). The drain holes leak into the van. Using a syringe I injected water into each of the drain holes. The front one was fine and all of the water came out at the bottom of the window outside. Not so the rear drain hole (middle of window, obscured from view) some water went out and some went into the van.

You either fix 1 or 2, I decided taking the cupboards and/or window out to fix 2 was not going to happen. My plan was to improve the seal on the window.

Steps:

1) Buy some 10mm*2mm self-adhesive closed cell foam tape (10m roll on ebay £3.50). This is also great for fixing rattles etc inside the van, e.g. the cooker lid.

2) Pop the window out of its runners using trim removal tools (£10, I already had these). The window is held in by 4 metal pegs, I think I just popped the bottom two out. Take care not to mark the interior trim, I put some plastic cut from a milk carton in between the metal pegs and the interior trim. Then I pulled the window into the van slightly so that I could access all of the glass where the seal on the sliding window touches the glass. Starting from the top middle I applied a single continuous strip of the tape (to the glass!). The tricky bit is doing the rear vertical edge as the seal is inset by 10mm or so, on the other 3 edges the rubber seal meets at the edge of the window opening and it's very easy to apply. Then, using a scapel, I trimmed the bits of tape that stood proud (top & bottom of window), done.

It's been on two weeks now, and last week it rained loads here in Mid-Wales, dry cupboards - woo hoo.

My solution is cheap, easy, effective, completely unobtrusive and allows normal use of the windows.

Enjoy dry cupboards!

 

[Yorkie]

Having just fixed a leaking side window I thought others might find my solution helpful.

I recently bought a Cali and discovered that the sliding window above the kitchen was leaking, a lot.

My vehicle is out of warranty so getting it fixed (albeit temporarily) for free was not an option. After trawling the forums I came to the conclusion it was a 2 fold issue:

1) There is a tiny amount of play at the front end of the sliding window meaning that the rubber seal doesn't seal properly against the glass. In theory this shouldn't be an issue as there is a drainage channel with 2 drain holes on the inside of the window.

2). The drain holes leak into the van. Using a syringe I injected water into each of the drain holes. The front one was fine and all of the water came out at the bottom of the window outside. Not so the rear drain hole (middle of window, obscured from view) some water went out and some went into the van.

You either fix 1 or 2, I decided taking the cupboards and/or window out to fix 2 was not going to happen. My plan was to improve the seal on the window.

Steps:

1) Buy some 10mm*2mm self-adhesive closed cell foam tape (10m roll on ebay £3.50). This is also great for fixing rattles etc inside the van, e.g. the cooker lid.

2) Pop the window out of its runners using trim removal tools (£10, I already had these). The window is held in by 4 metal pegs, I think I just popped the bottom two out. Take care not to mark the interior trim, I put some plastic cut from a milk carton in between the metal pegs and the interior trim. Then I pulled the window into the van slightly so that I could access all of the glass where the seal on the sliding window touches the glass. Starting from the top middle I applied a single continuous strip of the tape (to the glass!). The tricky bit is doing the rear vertical edge as the seal is inset by 10mm or so, on the other 3 edges the rubber seal meets at the edge of the window opening and it's very easy to apply. Then, using a scapel, I trimmed the bits of tape that stood proud (top & bottom of window), done.

It's been on two weeks now, and last week it rained loads here in Mid-Wales, dry cupboards - woo hoo.

My solution is cheap, easy, effective, completely unobtrusive and allows normal use of the windows.

Enjoy dry cupboards!

Hello. Well done.
My wife; a nurse, says "he's a surgeon " a scalpel, a syringe. Who else would have those things.

 

[Custardtart]

My windows leaked from new but cleaning and lubcricating the seals with silicon grease has kept me completely dry for over 4 years now. I had it done once by the dealer and I've done it a couple of times since myself as a precaution. Worth trying before moving on to more serious measures.

 

[FellRunner]

My partner is a midwife...

Custardtart - Can you still use the windows when they've been siliconed or do you have to keep them closed? Also, I use the fly screen inserts which would probably get covered in grease too.

I fixed the window in my lunch hour, so 1 hour tops.

 

[Custardtart]

Yes it's just a thin smear of silicon grease on the seals. Just enough to make the seal look shiny.

I try not to use the rear sliding windows but they have been opened a few times and still don't leak.

 

[ArunAlec]

The "official" silicon grease for the window seals is Krytox made by DuPont. It's like liquid gold price wise and from what I can see it's more liquid than grease. I gather that it is more than a basic silicon and given its price it would have to be! Anyone used it?

 

[westfalia]

The "official" silicon grease for the window seals is Krytox made by DuPont. It's like liquid gold price wise and from what I can see it's more liquid than grease. I gather that it is more than a basic silicon and given its price it would have to be! Anyone used it?

Wow............ 86 € for 50ml.
I think i´ll try a different silicon grease first.

 

[cbdubs]

Having just fixed a leaking side window I thought others might find my solution helpful.

I recently bought a Cali and discovered that the sliding window above the kitchen was leaking, a lot.

My vehicle is out of warranty so getting it fixed (albeit temporarily) for free was not an option. After trawling the forums I came to the conclusion it was a 2 fold issue:

1) There is a tiny amount of play at the front end of the sliding window meaning that the rubber seal doesn't seal properly against the glass. In theory this shouldn't be an issue as there is a drainage channel with 2 drain holes on the inside of the window.

2). The drain holes leak into the van. Using a syringe I injected water into each of the drain holes. The front one was fine and all of the water came out at the bottom of the window outside. Not so the rear drain hole (middle of window, obscured from view) some water went out and some went into the van.

You either fix 1 or 2, I decided taking the cupboards and/or window out to fix 2 was not going to happen. My plan was to improve the seal on the window.

Steps:

1) Buy some 10mm*2mm self-adhesive closed cell foam tape (10m roll on ebay £3.50). This is also great for fixing rattles etc inside the van, e.g. the cooker lid.

2) Pop the window out of its runners using trim removal tools (£10, I already had these). The window is held in by 4 metal pegs, I think I just popped the bottom two out. Take care not to mark the interior trim, I put some plastic cut from a milk carton in between the metal pegs and the interior trim. Then I pulled the window into the van slightly so that I could access all of the glass where the seal on the sliding window touches the glass. Starting from the top middle I applied a single continuous strip of the tape (to the glass!). The tricky bit is doing the rear vertical edge as the seal is inset by 10mm or so, on the other 3 edges the rubber seal meets at the edge of the window opening and it's very easy to apply. Then, using a scapel, I trimmed the bits of tape that stood proud (top & bottom of window), done.

It's been on two weeks now, and last week it rained loads here in Mid-Wales, dry cupboards - woo hoo.

My solution is cheap, easy, effective, completely unobtrusive and allows normal use of the windows.

Enjoy dry cupboards!

As I understand this, the factory seal is fixed to the sliding window and you applied the tape to the glass edge of the fixed window. Rather than partially remove the sliding window, would it not be easier just to open the window and apply the tape to the edge of the opening from the outside? I'm just asking as I plan to do this but want to get it straight in my head how you did it. Thanks

 

[ArunAlec]

As I understand this, the factory seal is fixed to the sliding window and you applied the tape to the glass edge of the fixed window. Rather than partially remove the sliding window, would it not be easier just to open the window and apply the tape to the edge of the opening from the outside? I'm just asking as I plan to do this but want to get it straight in my head how you did it. Thanks

The gaps are so small that fixing any tape to either part of the window without removing the sliding section would be nigh on impossible, especially if you are going to clean the glass before taping.

 

[KGCali]

This video is worth a look if your sliding window seals are leaking ...

 

[EddieEagle]

This video is worth a look if your sliding window seals are leaking ...

Have watched this very informative video already and am frustrated to be unable to access the top runner on the kitchen side.

 

[ArunAlec]

Have watched this very informative video already and am frustrated to be unable to access the top runner on the kitchen side.

Have watched this very informative video already and am frustrated to be unable to access the top runner on the kitchen side.

The chap in the video is having a good go at fixing the leaky window seal but is wrong to say there are no window drains.
@EddieEagle .... do you have a leak?

 

[EddieEagle]

The chap in the video is having a good go at fixing the leaky window seal but is wrong to say there are no window drains.
@EddieEagle .... do you have a leak?

yes!
noticed water on floor from the kitchen window. Taped it up from outside now dry but frustrated not to be quite on top of how the drains actually do ( or do not) work.

 

[ArunAlec]

yes!
noticed water on floor from the kitchen window. Taped it up from outside now dry but frustrated not to be quite on top of how the drains actually do ( or do not) work.

There are drain holes at each end of the window guide slot. The slot/gap between glass and plastic is less obvious and only about 1mm x 10mm so

I doubt that it does much! Also I think its a "feature" that only appears on newer windows The picture attached is my replacement side window my original window on the side door just has the drain holes.
The round hole is both the locating hole for the window catch and the drain to outside, or in mine and a few others cases a drain to the kitchen cupboand.

 

[EddieEagle]

There are drain holes at each end of the window guide slot. The slot/gap between glass and plastic is less obvious and only about 1mm x 10mm so

I doubt that it does much! Also I think its a "feature" that only appears on newer windows The picture attached is my replacement side window my original window on the side door just has the drain holes.
The round hole is both the locating hole for the window catch and the drain to outside, or in mine and a few others cases a drain to the kitchen cupboand.

I’ll have another look. Didn’t manage to get any water to go away from the round hole when I syringed it. I concluded that mine was not a drain

 

[EddieEagle]

This is my solution, not very elegant but it works.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 52789
This is my solution, not very elegant but it works.

I presume you should be able to see exactly where the water comes in to the inside? I would concentrate on that initially. The whole seal cannot have failed.

 

[ArunAlec]

I presume you should be able to see exactly where the water comes in to the inside? I would concentrate on that initially. The whole seal cannot have failed.

Trouble is seeing the inside of the window, the frame makes it hard to view.

 

[WelshGas]

Trouble is seeing the inside of the window, the frame makes it hard to view.

I suppose you could tape up one side externally at a time to narrow it down.
If it was dry initially then I don't see how the drains could suddenly fail, get blocked with dirt, yes. But that would presume the window was letting in water all the time and blockage of the drains allowing it inside.