Rain leak

[diesel freak]

My 1986 VW Golf diesel has water running down behind the instrument panel on to my clutch pedal after a hard rain. I cannot seem to find where it is originating from. The water pours over my foot. When I pop the hood there does not seem to be any accumulation of water anywhere.

[82vdub]

These era VW's are horrible at leaking around the windshield. I put tape around my entire window on the glass and another piece on the steel, used some lighter fluid to degrease the area, and used black silicone to seal the surface between the tape. Pull the tape off while the silicone is still wet and let it sit overnight. 99% of my water leaks were solved by this, and one side benefit is that after a few months, I didn't have to go buy any RainX to get that silicone coating making the rain bead up on the glass

[TylerDurden]

I did the masking/sealant too. It still kept leaking like crazy until I got the sealant on the glass where the metal trim is attached.

[82vdub]

I siliconed from the glass to the sheet metal, creating my own seal for the windshield. Doing only one side (weatherstrip to either the metal or glass) is only doing half the potential leak area. It could still be coming from the heater control area inside the rain tray. If your drains are plugged, or if the caulking inside is missing, or the raintray cover is missing too.

[joat]

and that rain drips onto the fuse box and its internals.....put a piece of plastic bag over the fuse box till you get it sorted out.... or you will have to replace the fuse box down the road ...

[damac]

Interesting, for whatever reason I don't get this leak in my jetta. I can see some loose wire looms through the firewall as well that I should plug. This is my first vw diesel and I did find that although my car actually looks sound, I can't find breaks in the weatherstripping, that the trunk leaks and the doors fill with water, lol!

I should probably do something about that but I don't see signs of water damage or wetness on the door panels, etc.

[82vdub]

The door drains get plugged and the doors can fill with water. Finding the windshield leaks can be quite the task. I have one leak where it can mist out and I have water on the passenger side floor, and when a storm comes through with 4" of rain, the floor is dry. I have never ever figured out that one.