Hi all. I've been struggling with this problem for a few weeks now. First thing I want to state, I just got a new windshield and didn't have a water leak before this. I'm positive its just rain water, not AC condensation or coolant. The truck sits most of the week, and the water comes in with pretty much every rain lately.

I first found the water after the first rain after the windshield was replaced. It was entirely on the passenger side, and filled the rubber floor mat and saturated the carpet. Nothing was wet other than the front passenger side floor. I got Safelite to come back and re-mount the windshield again. The guy thought that it might not have had enough sealant, so he used extra that time, however it continued to leak. He told me that he's confident it's not the windshield and that the drains under the cowl must be plugged. Nope, those drains are clear and wide open. I spent an honest 90 minutes with a hose and a 5 gallon pail trying to find where the leak is, but I can't replicate it myself. What's so maddening to me is that I can pour a 5 gallon bucket of water into the cowl in about 5 seconds with the hose also flowing in there, and not get a drop of water in the cab. I can do the same anywhere else on the truck and not get water.

2 or 3 years ago I had a leak in my back window (not the brake light), and I just caulked the channel around it. I spent time back there spraying and pouring water all over the brake light and the window, but not getting any water inside. I also read about the weather stripping on the doors funneling water into the A pillar. I took the handles off, and spent time spraying and pouring water onto the doors without getting a drop inside.

Finally, while it was raining, I found some drops on my HVAC duct. I took the blower out and felt all around in there, but the duct it perfectly dry. After pulling the glove box and the little trim panel on the side of the dash (between the dash and the door), I could see a little tinny bit of water on the outside of the duct. I "puffed" some baby powder in there to highlight where the water was coming from. It's not easy to see in there, but the highest place that I can see water is around where the fresh-air intake is screwed to the duct. I can only see the very front edge. Again though, I can reach in there and feel that the seem and the foam is dry. The blend door (mine still works) is covered with foam and is also perfectly dry.

I'm at my wits end here. I don't want to admit defeat, but I'm about to just pay someone to find and fix it. I'm hoping that you guys can help give me something to look at. If it's the windshield I'm going to be pissed. It could be really bad timing that this happened with the first rain after getting a new windshield, but I can't prove it one way or another. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

One of my local dealers is going to do a test on Monday. It's $80, and if they can't make it leak either, I'm just out the money. I told them that I couldn't make it leak, and asked what happens if they can't either. It's just a flat fee to test. I'm nervous because this dealer has kind of lied to me in the past too. It's now below freezing in northern WI, so I wouldn't know for months if they did find and fix anything.

 

Not saying it is the cause/issue, but I have an '08 Ram 1500 Quad cab. I noticed while driving in the rain water dripping from about 1/2 way down from the A pillar where the door meets the cab frame. Both sides. Seals and gaskets are all good. I noticed the driver's door would bounce up and down going down the road. It was opening enough to let rain water in.
I couldn't figure how to adjust the latch or strike so I used a large crescent wrench to bend the strike post up on both sides. Not enough to hit the door when closing but it stopped my bounce/leaks.

 

Thanks for the idea, but this is only really and issue sitting still.

The dealer told me it's the "Body Seal Retainer". See the TSB below for information on it.
http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2004/23-003-04.htm

When I pressed for details about why I can see water on top of the duct, he relented and told me that they can't actually reproduce it. Well no crap. I told them I hosed the truck down for 90 minutes and he was all confident that they would find the cause. I can't say this is or is not the cause. What I can say is that I can buy that strip and install it myself for about $50. The dealer wants $251 to do it. I'm getting more mad the more I think about all this. I will buy and install the part myself, but I will not know until the spring if this is my issue or not.

Here is the part on Amazon for $44, plus a couple of bucks for the RTV. I might as well caulk it too, though it might not cure at 25 degrees F.