“Where is this water coming from…”

“Where is this water coming from in my car? I just had my windshield changed so it must be that”. How many of you have ever said that, or rather how many have had this unpleasant experience? Lets face it, it’s aggravating to have your previously water tight vehicle develop a sudden leak, especially after having your windshield or back glass replaced. You had not noticed it before, so that must be what it is. There are many factors, like installer error, which could be the cause, but lets take a deeper look and try to determine the cause of your leak. If you take your car for an oil change and a couple days later your brakes start squeaking that does not mean the technician that changed your oil messed up your brakes. Lets at least go into this with an open mind and allow the technician to diagnose what the issue is and not assume its the glass just yet.

Many vehicles today have a sunroof. Nothing says leak more than a big hole in your roof. That being said, this could be the cause of the leak in your vehicle and it could be coincidence that the leak materialized after you had your windshield replaced.There are a number of issues that could arise with the drip tray (the tray that catches the water that actually DOES enter your vehicle around the sunroof glass). If your vehicle with a sunroof is not garage kept or if your vehicle is parked under trees at home or in your work place parking lot, there is an opportunity for debris to clog the drainage holes in the drip tray and create a leak.

Body seam and wiring grommet (where wires enter your vehicle) leaks can be another issue. Whether it be due to the vehicle being in an accident or due to normal wear and stress, it is possible for the body seams to open, as well as grommets to become displaced and allow water in to your vehicle. Some vehicles have issues with this, even though there was never a factory recall.

Fresh air intakes for the heating and air system are another place water can enter a vehicle, especially if the drainage weep holes where excess water is moved away from the air intakes become clogged with debris.

It’s how you take care of the problem that makes the difference. Finding a leak and fixing the problem is usually something that could be covered under the warranty if its installation related and should be remedied as quickly as possible at no cost to the customer. But if the leak is found to be coming from any of the above mentioned problems, then compensation should be offered for diagnosing and fixing the issue. While no one is perfect, it is imperative to only allow your auto glass installation to be completed by companies with AGCS (Auto Glass Safety Council) or AGRSS (Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards) certified technicians working for them. Their knowledge of best practices for doing auto glass replacements helps to eliminate or diagnose a lot of these issues before and/or after there is a leak issue and insures you get the best installation possible. Only allow certified technicians to work on your vehicle so if you are ever asking the question, “Where is this water coming from in my car?” you will know the company you have called is the one best suited to get the issue fixed.