Windshield water leakage

[Q_BMW]

hey guys
Since the past few months I have noticed that when I am driving (in motion) and there is a heavy downpour of rain i get drops of water seeping into the car from around 3 places in my windshield. I asked the dealer this question like 2 months ago when my car was in for some work and he said I most likely need to get my windshield re-sealed (rubber lining). I took it to an Auto Glass shop last week,and the guy could almost assure me that it wasnt the windshield, but was the sunroof which had lost some tension and was causing the water to seep down to the windshield and then into the car.
Has anyone had this problem ? suggestions ?
thanks
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[CiscoKid]

well, is the water coming in by the windshield or through the roof?

[Q_BMW]

hey
its coming throught the top edge of the windshield. Where the roof meets the windshield....a prime spot is the edge right above the rear view mirror inside (center)
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[Q_BMW]

hey
just trying to revive this thread as it kind of got buried down...anyone had this problem ?
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[jllphan]

No I haven't. But an easy way to figure it out, would be to yank out the overhead light/sunroof switch box. It comes out easily, and you would deffinately be able to tell if water had been draining from your sunroof to your front windshield.

[Q_BMW]

ok is it hard to yank it out ? or just basically pop it out with a screwdriver ?
also the autoglass guy said something about the tension on the sunroof wearing off....basically is the sunroof is completely closed now and i put a lot of pressure on it it presses down...any clue ?
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[jllphan]

Just pop it out with a flathead.

I don't know how they would know the shape of your sunroof tensioner without taking it apart, but sunroofs on an e36 are not my strong suit.

[El Presidente]

it would be easy to tell if the sunroof is leaking. Visually examine the seal. I doubt it is the sun roof also because I have had my sunroof leak when I leave it up and it rains. The water comes down and in between the sunroof gap, not the winsdhield.

Other reasons I think the sunroof is wrong:

1. Physics. As the air moves over the car faster, so does the water. At 84mph, you can drive in the rain with the sunroof open and no water will get in. You can go as slow as 25 and the driver won't get wet. So what does this mean? It is impossible for water to seep through the seal in the sunroof at speed, and if it did, it goes toward the rear of the car, not the front.

2. You have water in three places. You would have to have 3 separate seal leaks and have water flow against gravity. Not only that, but the water is even spreading away from the sunroof.

3. There's more, but I thunk too hard on #1 and forgot

Anyway, the real reason he is telling you that is because the shop stands to make more fixing a sunroof. There is much more labor in it, and thats where shops make their money.

In my pic jlphan posted, you can see a tube in the mirror. Thats GE Silcon II. Go buy some, and run a small bead under the trim where the leaks are. Its a ghetto fix, but it should work. The alternative is replacing the entire seal.

[Q_BMW]

hey El Presidente
thanks
the interesting part is that the auto glass local dealer told me thin and he told me for the sunroof to go to the dealer. so he could have fooled me and re-sealed it but lost the entire job altogether. so its kinda interesting.
where did you buy GE Silcon II from ? menards ? or autozone ?
thanks buddy
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[El Presidente]

wal mart. Home depot carries too, I think.