Leaking Windscreen - How to Fix

[lotus]

For those interested,this is the top support plate that causes the water problem. The pedal box bolts to it for support at the top.



You can see the rust where the water runs.



You can see on the pedal bow that the water will run to the front and land on your feet or go towards the firewall and run under your carpet.



This is how they fitted it to the body.Looks ok from the top but underneath tells a different story!! You can see where the water has run on the right side of the plate.



Just spotwelded it on the sides and at the back.Just a bad design.



I put a fluro light at the bottom of the windscreen and flexed the plate with a screwdriver as if you were using the clutch or brake. You can see the light coming through on the next shots.







Getting this welded up all around the plate edge and along the top where possible as well as repairing the broken spot welds and will be giving it a "test" before i fit it all back together.

Hope this has been helpfull to those wanting to know what the problem is. I can see over time that all the spot welds along the side at least will crack due to the having more stress on them as the other's will not be taking any pressure when the clutch/brake pedal is used.

[kjparker]

Instead of re-welding it, could you drill it out, and install some high tensile bolts with washers to seal / re-inforce it? Or am I missing something?

[xddope]

good thread

[balkan_x]

Do you think this could be the same problem in the Ford Territory? (Im getting the water in the same place)

[philbec15]

Lotus ..what happened to your car happened exactly the same to my sons manual au III xr6 tickford sedan...we bought it from a young guy in Vic who hadn't been the gentlest on it and he also installed a heavy duty clutch which really did a lot of damage.The firewall got ripped away nearly and i had to weld up the cable hole through the dash ...plus had to get the spot welds all reinforced by a panel beater ..this is one of fords stuff ups..instead of having a hydraulic clutch pedal assembly (which they did in the Ba on series)the cable stresses out everything , you can see the whole fire wall flexing on my sons car. I have a manual au2 tickford ute which i am going to put a Mal pratt retro fit hyd clutch system on it which should eliminate a lot of these dramas.its not cheap but it means i can put a heavy duty clutch kit in it.

[aublackxr8]

Originally Posted by superroo

There have been a few instances within these forums of what seams to be either a leaking windscreen, or a leaking firewall from a crack, that allows water into the cabin and onto the feet of the driver. This actually turns out to be a faulty spot weld under the wiper cowling. This how to shows you how to inspect and fix this issue.

Cost
For me it cost nothing as I already had the tools required at home, but it could be done for under $20 if you didn't have any silicon, or $40 if you had no tools, or couldn't borrow any

Tools required
Small flat headed screw driver
Medium Philip head screw driver (stumpy version is better)
Ratchet with 10mm socket, 13mm socket and extension bars
Silicon of any colour + Gun (or another type of sealant)

Step 1
Using the small screwdriver, remove the bolt covers on the wiper arms, and using your hands remove the weather seal that is in between the cowling and the engine bay

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Step 2
Using the 13mm socket and ratchet undo both bolts holding the wiper arms to the motor. With draw the arms from vehicle.
Using the Phillips headed screw driver, undo the 5 scrivet's across the front of the cowling cover (2 in drivers side cover, 3 in the other)

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Wiper arm Bolts

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Scrivit location

Step 3
Maneuver cowling covers from the vehicle. This is very fiddle because of the tabs that are on each cover. Begin with the drivers side cover first. There are tabs that locate it to the windscreen (not Clips) and to each quarter panel. You may need to push down slightly on the cowling at the quarter panel to assist in removing it

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Cowling removed

Step 4
Disconnect the wiper motor wiring and push out the grommet that the wiring enters the cowling through. Pull the harness and plug through the hole.
Using the 10mm socket and ratchet, undo the 5 bolts/nuts (3 bolts, 2 nuts) that hold the wiper motor assembly to the vehicle and withdraw from the vehicle (fiddly again)

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Wiring harnes and gromet

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Bolt location

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Nut location

Step 5
Inspect the weld. If you think this is the cause, silicon it up, if not reverse the steps and put your car back together. Or you may want to silicon it just in case

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image

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Silicon in place. I didn't like the look of either weld so i did both

Step 6
Put you car back together in the reverse of the steps provided, taking care to line your windscreen wipers when you re-install them. This is a case of put them on in the approximate position, test them, and re-position if necessary. You should be able to see on your windscreen to approximate place where the wipers wipe.

Step 7
Clean up and enjoy a beer while marveling at your car modding abilities.



Cheers

This is a wonderful fix! Thank you so much. I had a constant stream of water into my XR8 that I have just bought and I had no idea what could possibly be wrong. You are a legend!

[aublackxr8]

this is a wonderful fix! You are a legend. I put the blob of silicon onto the faulty weld spot and then ran the hose inside the wiper motor well and there is NOTHING coming into the car. Great stuff.

[abzy]

Digging up an old thread, I had this problem and fixed it with sikaflex, but after over a week of rain my ute smelled damp again only too find the passenger side is now soaked!!! Anyone else had this?

[pinkywillis]

Thanks for this info. Will be fixing mine this weekend. I'm having the same problem. Water running down the loom, and onto the computer. Cheers

[004t1]

Great thread all fixed now! This is the best site and have learnt a lot of tricks,keep up the good work!!

[Gaski]

Have the same problem with my 06 BF Ute.Had screen replaced and still water getting into footwell bothsides though.Will follow instructions above and take out wiper motor,silicone up and see if that's the problem.Then try and locate leak passenger side.Definately rain water getting in.

[Gaski]

Followed instruction above and took out wiper motor etc.All clean in there and not leaking from seams here.Found the water is coming from though. Ran the hose down in the corner where there is a channel at the low point and water coming out under ute as well as inside cabin from under firewall insulation. How do I go about cleaning out this channel or is it a seam? Thanks

[uniacidz]

I used body sealant over mine.
Corners and channels and removed quarter panels and followed the channels there also

Also changed grommet for the indicators as discovered rain water crept inside from failing grommets into drivers footwell

I basically went to town

Issues discovered as windscreen joint damaged firewall area and possible bonnet closed with a tool underneath causing small amount of movement damaging dried seals and had to find then all and redo

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Sent from my ASUS_Z00AD

[Gaski]

Am going to take front wheels off and take out inner plastic wheel arches and see what access is like from there.Hopefully this will help. While ute is up on jacks see where water channel outlet is and run compreesed air to see if that clears any debris etc.