Leak in cab

Hi

I have bought my 1999 Harmony within the last few weeks and have discovered that there is a small puddle of water in the passenger step well used to get in the van.

The person I bought it from has said he will cover the repair once I find out what is causing it as he gives a parts and labour warranty.

The windscreen from what I can make out has been replaced perhaps recently and some bits of it look like it is not a great job with silicone showing in a few areas on the outside.
Problem is I dont know it is the windscreen for sure.
On my drive into Peak District this weekend it was raining and I noticed a few drips dropping down off top of windscreen on the inside around a foot in from the nearside front pillar but then it stopped and didnt restart !!

Any ideas guys and guyesses?

sounds like the windscreen rubber surround has either been trapped or needs replacing.we had the same prob on our rambler.windscreen out a new retaining surround fitted cured it. g

I have the same problem with my 1995 Harmony. I too had a new screen fitted probably 15 years ago, but the problem first showed-up five years back, and only when driving into heavy rain.

My suspicion is that the seal between hi-top and van body has degraded and is letting water in at the junction. The rubber seal above the screen between top and body has shrunk with age and probably needs replacing. That said when I do address this, my first idea is to inject all cavities in that area with Sikaflex.

I'm most interested whether others who have never changed their windscreen have had this problem. One would assume that, in addition to Harmony and Rambler, this problem would apply to any Boxer hi-top such as Symphony and Symbol, or does it only happen with the SWB types?

Hope this helps,


Bartfarst

I had a very similar leak in my 1995 VW Trophy, that has the high top fibreglass roof fixed to the van body with the plastic gutter all around except for the central part of the front windscreen. There was a drip of water onto the black plastic wheel arch just to the left of the passenger footwell. After much investigation and a return to the dealer we found that the culprit was the two retaining screws that hold on the gutter at the front on the left side. These are hidden by the plastic tape in the centre of the gutter but I think also the ones at the front have a cover on them. The screws had rusted away, leaving a small hole in the roof, allowing water to seep in. It then ran down the plastic moulding the goes over the door and along the left edge of the windscreen, eventually puddling where it dropped off the moulding. Webbs motor homes in Warminster were really good in tracking this down under warranty, after a little bit of firm but polite nudging...they also took out the windscreen and resealed it. Touch wood, we have not had any leaks since. Leaks are really annoying! Hope that might help.
Regard, Chris

this leak is one of the most common and the most difficult to solve.

Water comes off the roof gutter and the side of the windscreen and flows into the gap between the top 1/4 light and the windscreen pillar but it is where it penetrates the cab that is the mystery.

When you really look hard it is clear and you kick yourself for not seeing it before.  

The water is getting inside the fixing channel of the rubber draft proof strip at the top of the door where it is leaning backwards .It then flows down the rear edge of the wing panel (vertical) still inside the draft strip channel hidden from view.
When the draft strips reaches the front wheel arch it changes direction again at which point the water which is inside the draft strip channel is then discharged out of the strip channel both sides of the welded seam.
FIX
To prevent this particular leak you can either fix a discrete plastic gutter to the windscreen pillars both sides to prevent rainwater from entering the gap between the door and pillar or..... better still seal the draft strip.
Pull off the draft strip remove any rust and dirt from the fixing channel ,clean and dry it out thoroughly. Clean the panel seams, treat with rust inhibiter and touch up paintwork as required.
Refit the draft strip with plenty of silicon sealant so that water cannot get into the channel of the strip anywhere.

PROOF

if you wish to verify  the source of the leak simply pull off the draft strip after a heavy shower or just pull off the bottom section and leave it inside the cab on the floor . You'll soon see a pool of water .

I can see I am going to have to do a bit more investigating.

Will come back with findings

Ta

I posted last year about a leak in my symphony and I meant to update it.
I had water coming in above the windscreen, not that much but enough to wet the headlining at the top front corners, I had a new windscreen fitted, (the old one had a few chips anyway), while the old one was out I removed the rubber strip that goes across above the windscreen, this is actually just a push fit and not bonded in, everything was cleaned up and refitted. All seemed fine for a while then a couple of months ago the leak was back and in the same place, after a lot of investigating it turned out that the new leak was from the seal in the top side windows.
The problem is that a leak anywhere in the roof of these vans will show itself just above the windscreen because it runs down to the lip on the inside of the fibreglass to the front because they are usually slightly nose down, the lip seems to end at the front top corners.
I only found my leak by covering the top windows with polythene and taping round. After a night of heavy rain the van was bone dry.
I just ran a thin bead of mastic round the edges and that cured it.
Eventually I will remove them and reseal properly that's why I didn't use Sikaflex this time as its pretty much permanent.
Hope this helps.

Dave

Did a test with hose pipe at windscreen and side door and no leaks, typical.
But silver screen has got a stain to the back of it at top of windscreen so it is definately coming in.

Think I will contact Autosleeper for some advice

Thanks for you inputs, I will come back with updates

FannyFour wrote:Did a test with hose pipe at windscreen and side door and no leaks, typical.
But silver screen has got a stain to the back of it at top of windscreen so it is definately coming in.

Think I will contact Autosleeper for some advice

Thanks for you inputs, I will come back with updates

looking forward to hearing the advice from AS .
The only thing that I would point out is that most of the leaks are quite small and therefore take a prolonged period, (sometimes hours),  to travel to the point where the water is visible. Especially if the weather has been fine and dry and the van has dried out .

Hose pipe testing is perhaps not the most  effective test because if seals were to let in water in the space of a just few minutes.... our vans would be full of water after an overnight  rain storm

The only real test is to check during a  period of continuous rain for water from some of the tiny leaks to show up at their destination

Hi

Autosleeper said that it is more likely to be the high roof window as there is a gulley within the high roof and top of van where water can run towards the front of van.
Unless somehow it can get to around the top of my windscreen then that isnt the answer[I have staining in the top left passenger side edge of my new interior silverscreens] but I am going to try the hose pipe on the top windows to see.

FannyFour wrote:Hi

I have bought my 1999 Harmony within the last few weeks and have discovered that there is a small puddle of water in the passenger step well used to get in the van.

I've  assumed that your harmony is based on a Mk5 Ford Transit, as is my campervan .

From your description it sounds to me like you have two seperate leaks.
if you watch my video right through you'll see that I identified the source of the leak into the step area together with the seperate source of another  leak onto the floor around the junction of the front wheel arch and cab floor .

These leaks on Mk5 Transits are well documented and there is considerable information on the Ford transit UK forum .

We haven't the benefit of a picture of your campervan nor the areas where the leaks are observed but I cannot see how a window in the HiTop could cause a leak into the step or footwell areas .... unless the window was positioned on the front of the roof above the windscreen in which case it would surely be leaking onto your head

How about a picture or two to help us visualise your van and the windows etc it would be tremendously helpful

Thx Johnnyxs but mine is based on a Peugeot Boxer although i have watched the vid a couple of times.

Anther member also found that the high top window was the problem so I am going to give it a try just to see.
Cant see how it could really come from the door as it would have to run uphill and across the van, but I am still open minded.

My gut feeling is the joint between the high roof and the van above the passenger side but a few more tests needed.

FannyFour wrote:Thx Johnnyxs but mine is based on a Peugeot Boxer although i have watched the vid a couple of times.

Anther member also found that the high top window was the problem so I am going to give it a try just to see.
Cant see how it could really come from the door as it would have to run uphill and across the van, but I am still open minded.

My gut feeling is the joint between the high roof and the van above the passenger side but a few more tests needed.

I really don't understand............... I'm afraid I'm finding your description somewhat confusing.

 I assumed that when you said 'have discovered that there is a small puddle of water in the passenger step well ..... you meant the step under the front passenger door !  I now have no idea where you mean unless you are referring to the side access sliding door step ???  

If water is collecting where you state it is .....why would it have to 'run uphill and across the van,' in order to be coming from the windscreen and A post area at the top of the passenger door ??

I am not familiar with the peugeot Boxer layout , a picture showing where the water is collecting would have been helpful but clearly one is not forthcoming so I'll wish you the best of luck and hope that you find a quick solution.

The water lands just above the step footwell and then runs into it leaving a puddle and the carpet above it damp.
It could be coming from the very top edge of the door seal but the top of the windscreen is at least as high if not higher so water coming in from the door would have trouble travelling across as the leak seams to be about 3-4" in from the main pillar.

yes I am talking about the step well of the passenger side front door.

ok now I think I understand what you mean. If it is landing in the cab area above the step then flowing into the step then it cannot be anything to do with the door seal.
You really should take a picture and upload it . its not difficult ......it would save us all a lot of wasted typing trying to explain.

In that case why not place a large piece of cardboard on the floor the next time it rains and you'll be able to see exactly where it is falling from at least.

Have spoken to AS again, they can check out and repair cause of leak but at £65 an hour +vat I am not sure the warranty I was given when I bought it will cover that.
Can anyone recommend a good AS dealer who perhaps has been successful with a leak problem, or just a good AS dealer.
I realise i am going to have to travel for this I am based north Nottinghamshire on lincolnshire border, but its better to get it done properly. 

Fanny4