Leaking Window (have tried most things in wikis etc)

[dobber82]

Hi guys ... I have a really annoying leaking window.  I have tried the tightening / loosening of the window but under heavy rain (I have been messing with this for months to no avail) the area highlighted in the photo gets totally sodden.  Also the seatbelt then gets soaked and if its really bad the drivers seat 

 

Just looking at both windows and feeling around them, I cant see anything that appears massively different, the pressure to the seal seems good etc with no visible gaps.  Anybody got any ideas to check or try?

 

Thanks

[Lithopsian]

That's not the "normal" area for leaks.  Are you sure the water is coming in through/over the window?  Is it dripping in through a gap, creeping in along the roof lining, or perhaps running in from further forward?  Does the whole top of the window sit snugly against the roof when it is closed?  Does it stay closed or drop slightly over time or bumps?  All I can think of for a leak in this area is to adjust the tilt of the window so it seals properly along the whole length.  Or perhaps the tilt so it doesn't stick out too far at the back corner.

[dobber82]

Thanks for the reply ... 

No, I am not sure it is coming in through/over the window however that is the area that gets wet first.  The window does not move over bumps and I would say the window fits snugly on the window seal.  It doesnt look obviously different to the other window in terms of tilt etc

It is an exige so has a hardtop, not a softtop.

[dobber82]

Thinking I might take the hardtop off, on the weekend and just reseat it to see if that is the problem.

[Lithopsian]

Have to see where the water is coming in, then have a chance of being able to fix it.  Might be sneaking in somewhere unexpected like the back corner of the hardtop itself, and then soaking through the liner.

[MrWill]

Does the Exige have the same two holes in the bottom of the door for lateral window pane adjustment?  picture below of one of the screw holes.   I have to adjust my windows to get a good seal when swapping between the soft and hard tops...in just the same place you've highlighted.  Anti clockwise brings the window closer to the seals. 

Failing that there is an adjust you can make to the reaction channel which involves taking the door card off and undoing two bolts to adjust with window forward and backward.  (There'll be pictures you can get of the mechanism if you need them)

If you have a soft top fitted...Sometimes the problem is with a soft top not the window  - when it isn't sufficiently tensioned using the internal tensioners which run across the front and back edges of a soft top.

Somethings to consider / rule out.

Good luck 👍

[dobber82]

Thanks Mr Will ... I will have a play this weekend ... can't keep having a wet butt on the way to work  :)!

[Trebor_UK]

I'm getting a leak on mine too, but in a different place. Dripping through in the area highlighted.

After 5 or 6 hrs driving yesterday it was more than the occasional drip. The fabric on the door card around the window switch and door release was absolutely.wet through.

Don't recall this in wet weather when I had the hard-top on.  This was with soft-top installed.

 

Did notice this on the outside - the top of this rubber trim is not flush with the glass - could that be the cause of water getting in and then getting around the glass in the seal and dripping inside ??

Or is it more likely down to needing a lateral window adjustment as per MrWill's comment above to seal better against the soft-top ?? 

Thoughts or anyone else had the same issue ?

 

[Lithopsian]

Is it leaking from the top corner of the glass?  That's the typical area and it is hard to stop completely.  Newer cars have improved seals with fancy shaping, but you can still have problems if the window isn't adjusted properly, you park on a slope, or you're just unlucky with the wind.  Make sure the glass meets the roof evenly along the whole length and also presses gently against the roofline all along.  Any gaps and rain will flood in.

If it is leaking from the bottom corner, then that is very strange.  The gap on the cheater isn't the end of the world; it is there for neatness and to reduce water running down inside the door, but it doesn't stop it completely and inside the door is considered "outside" on an Elise.

[Trebor_UK]

Leak was whilst driving but never noticed anything until after a couple of hours of driving in the wet. 

Dripping into interior at the bottom corner, never saw/felt any wet inside higher up. 
But having traced water leaks in houses and roofs I know the problem is often not where you have the damp/wet. 
 

May have to play with the hosepipe next time I wash the car and investigate further.