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As mentioned prior, I too have some type of leak like @JettaRed . Same side, etc. As it was still "real winter" at the time I wasn't washing my car, because I never really drive during winter unless it is dry and non winter like outside. Anyway, I had the opportunity to wash my car a week ago at one of those you spray it washes and my drivers side inside was again wet. I wasn't able to see where the water was coming in, but my inside window did have water on it. This week, or next I will go through a car wash were I sit inside the car as it gets washed, so I should be able to watch and record any water dripping, etc. No point of washing the car today, as its gonna rain all day Saturday. The window seems to go all the way up tight and I see no rubber trim damage, etc. The passenger side as zero leaks. My gut says it has something to do with the drivers side door being used way more than the passenger side and the trim/weather stripping has somehow been effected.
Side note - I remember last year my car was in the shop and when I went to pick it up a week later I noticed my drivers side seatbelt was wet. It had rained hard that day, or the day before. The windows were up completely when I picked up my car, but I thought the shop left the window cracked open during the rain, or when they washed my car. I even pointed out the wet area to that shop. They said they hadn't left the window cracked, so I just noted it and said ok, as they seemed genuine. I am very glad I did not accuse them of anything, because it clearly is an issue someplace.
I will update when I can do a drive through car wash this week, or next.
Last edited by ThatsMyDawg; 03-07-2024 at 07:35 AM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
I believe what is happening is as @crconsulting suggested -- water is infiltrating at the window seals. Last week when we had a lot of rain, I found small puddles of water next to the rear side windows. The ceiling above and the inside of the windows were dry. Then I noticed that the side windows curve inward and the top is right above the water. Since the windows appear tight, I need to find some really good rubber treatment. I'm thinking o-ring silicone used by plumbers. I have applied Gummi Pflege about every 6 months, but maybe I need to try something else.
Who knows? Plus nothing is ever wet in my car but the drivers seatbelt.When I sit inside during the wash I will find the guilty party!
I thought you took your car to MB to find out what was up?? I remember a thread some time ago that mentioned treating the trim around the top. It was something that was costly and in a tiny tube. I still have that product at home someplace. It was a preventative product to treat and keep the rubber pliable or something. It was sold at Amazon the cheapest, but it wasn't a cheap product for the tiny size of the tube. Do you remember that thread? If so I wonder if that product would help the window trim, because I know I still have some. The thread was to help protect the roof trim, but it should treat any trim. I will grab a pic of it tonight when I get home and find it.
Originally Posted by JettaRed
I believe what is happening is as @crconsulting suggested -- water is infiltrating at the window seals. Last week when we had a lot of rain, I found small puddles of water next to the rear side windows. The ceiling above and the inside of the windows were dry. Then I noticed that the side windows curve inward and the top is right above the water. Since the windows appear tight, I need to find some really good rubber treatment. I'm thinking o-ring silicone used by plumbers. I have applied Gummi Pflege about every 6 months, but maybe I need to try something else.
Last edited by ThatsMyDawg; 03-07-2024 at 05:29 PM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Yes, I remember the thread. I use Gummi Pflege about twice a year to keep the rubber healthy. the dealer could not test for the leak at the time because it was too cold out to do the wash test. I used some of the silicone grease on the top seal of the rear window and will see if I get any more leaks.
I don't fully remember, but I think the water only happens at my front drivers window, not the drivers rear side window. I should be able to find the cause of the issue soon. I also forgot to grab a pic of the product that I used or the roof trim prior. I'll set a reminder now for when I get back home from work. (already at work)
Originally Posted by JettaRed
Yes, I remember the thread. I use Gummi Pflege about twice a year to keep the rubber healthy. the dealer could not test for the leak at the time because it was too cold out to do the wash test. I used some of the silicone grease on the top seal of the rear window and will see if I get any more leaks.
Well, its been raining all day here and at some points like right this second it is raining very hard. When I get home from work shortly I am going to get in my car via the passenger side and look over at the drivers side. I should easily be able to see where water is coming in.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Well, much drier than before. No leaks on the leather, but my driver side seatbelt was wet. I found where the water was coming in, so I applied more silicone grease. The leak seems to be right at the hinge between the roof and back window. There's a little cup-like part of the window seal intended to catch the water and drain it somewhere. We'll see tomorrow if I fixed it.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
The passages seemed to be clear when I ran a stiff coat hanger wire down all of them. I will try high pressure air just to confirm. This really may require tension adjustments to the rear side windows.
This is the product I have at home that I was speaking of prior. I thinks its the one that was talked about online here some time ago in another thread. I am going to hand wash our vehicles in a few hours at home, so I will get my wife to spay the windows while I am sitting inside to see if I can see whats up. 6 or 7 days of Sun after all that rain yesterday. Finally a clean SL again!
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
I blew some compressed air through the drain channels and a little bit of water did come out. I didn't see any gunk or anything that might have been clogging it, though.
I've never seen this problem when washing my car, only when there has been a lot of rain.
Drain channels along the windows? Or you went around the whole car hitting all channels? I'll have to look up where are the channels are.
I do not think it has anything to do with the drain channels though, but maybe you mean that you are just checking everything while you try to figure things out? My car does the same thing and others mentioned the same thing on the same drivers side? I see zero reason why only a drivers side would be affected and cause the water issues, unless MB did something wrong on all the drivers sides only. Anything is possible, but seems fishy..
Originally Posted by JettaRed
I blew some compressed air through the drain channels and a little bit of water did come out. I didn't see any gunk or anything that might have been clogging it, though.
I've never seen this problem when washing my car, only when there has been a lot of rain.
Last edited by ThatsMyDawg; 03-11-2024 at 04:54 PM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
It has happened to both sides. I only blew air through the channels on the seals around the rear side windows. I think crconsulting had it right about adjustments to the windows.
Oh. I thought you mentioned earlier in the thread it was on the drivers side? Anyway, mine is only the drivers side.I’ll check the channels I guess to see.
Originally Posted by JettaRed
It has happened to both sides. I only blew air through the channels on the seals around the rear side windows. I think crconsulting had it right about adjustments to the windows.
03-07-2024, 07:32 AM
