If your 4th gen ram has a leak into the rear cab, read this!!

[Rug_Trucker]

Windshield guy told me anytime you use silicone make sure it is PURE silicone. If it has water in it it will rot the steel. That black windshield sealer is GTG.

 

[57buick]

I've had issue with 3rd brake light. Your best option is make sure you have an LED 3rd brake light so you never need to change the bulb again and seal it with silicone or your choice of sealant.

In my case I went and bought a light from JG motorsports with baja S2 lights in it and a NMO antenna mount built into it. It functions as 3rd brake light, turn signals, and I can turn them on manually in the cab. And my HAM radio antenna is performing flawlessly on it.

Also the light is machined out of a solid block of aluminum and comes with a super thick gasket but adding silicone around it will add even more protection.

This option I went with seems expensive at first until you factor in the cost of the light, plus antenna mount (that doesn't need a hole drill in roof) plus the BAJA s2 lights which are typically $200 a piece then the price starts to make sense. i would have bought all those things anyway.

 

[NY Andrew]

Windshield guy told me anytime you use silicone make sure it is PURE silicone. If it has water in it it will rot the steel. That black windshield sealer is GTG.

I used this and it's been on over a year 3rd break light with no issues thus far (preventative when I swapped the light). Haven't used it on shark fin yet. It is a complete B*TCH to get the light out though after, broke one hah, but it's a really good seal. I had it with the weather stripping and stripping threads and screws not reaching far enough in so used this.

NOW as far as your comment, I called the company and just spoke with product specialist and he said there is NO water in it, but mentioned there are some acids. It says it's safe for metals etc. so unsure if this is gonna screw me in the long run...

 

[blackbetty14]

I just bought the one from muscle technologies $9.75 shipped. I dont have a leak that i'm aware of but I have had some water under the factory sub enclosure where the mat was damp. That might be from the vents in the back. I haven't checked it in like a year but I will once it warms up. This one says its EPDM Foam rubber vs just dense foam which is what I see on amazon etc.

https://www.detroitmuscletechnologi...ght-gasket-chmsl-leak-repair-adhesive-backed/

 

[Tahoebronco]

The inside of my cab must have had a pretty bad leak. I ended up resealing my brake light as that was where I suspected the leak was. Now I just need to rent an upholstery cleaner to clean the liner. It sure looks ugly.

 

[NY Andrew]

@Tahoebronco at least you can see when there’s water though on yours! My upholstery is black...can’t tell if there IS or WAS water damage on black.

 

[MMM]

This is what I used to seal my 3rd brake light, that I bought at Lowe's:
10-ft Black Rubber Marine Automotive Weatherstrip
Item #: 161713 Model #: 01033

 

[Slatecreek]

I just bought my 2016 and it got rained on for the first time and of course I have the leak


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RobertusvT]

Perfect thread for me. Starting to get a weird smell after the recent rains here in Texas and I will definitely have to check this out!

 

[Paulo]

The old wet spot! My 2014 Sport had that wetness. Replaced third light with something not factory and looked cooler. High n dry now!

 

[MarineBSP]

What MMM said and what is in this Thread (see DIY video on the MD Weather Seal # 01033 in post #6). I just re-sealed my 3rd brake light today on my 2018 using this black EPDM foam.

My 2018 Laramie had the "new" thicker gasket, and I am sure was not leaking - yet. I was concerned by reports of the foam deteriorating over time. The gray foam my gasket was made of could be consistent with those stories. If the foam for the gasket wasn't re-spec'd, then the thickness only guarantees an initial good seal, and sunlight might chew it up it over time, and since the top of the gasket gets the most sun . . . .

Just reporting what I did - not saying it wouldn't have been okay, but part of my job used to be weathering flexible things and seeing how they turned into brittle dust.

 

[Matt D]

Just had this happen on my 2018 RAM 1500, 8500 miles and still under warranty so I took it to the dealership. They did not seem surprised and knew what the probable cause was. Replaced the third light and resealed both it and the rear window. Seems to have taken care of that problem. They told me they should be able to clean the headliner but after a week it is still showing water lines. Should this be covered under warranty and replaced if it cannot be cleaned? Has anyone else had the headliner replaced?

 

[RamCares]

Just had this happen on my 2018 RAM 1500, 8500 miles and still under warranty so I took it to the dealership. They did not seem surprised and knew what the probable cause was. Replaced the third light and resealed both it and the rear window. Seems to have taken care of that problem. They told me they should be able to clean the headliner but after a week it is still showing water lines. Should this be covered under warranty and replaced if it cannot be cleaned? Has anyone else had the headliner replaced?

Hey Matt D,

If you decide to address this with your dealer any further, please feel free to follow up with us via private message. We are more than happy to connect you with a specialist for an additional layer of support as you work with your dealer on this.

Mark
RamCares

 

[FSimo2]

If you try everything and still have water coming in, pull the back seat and the pad on the back of the cab. There are two vents. All plastic with built on plastic clips, mine were very loose and still had water on them. Because they can’t be removed with the bed in place (at least not that I could see) I sealed them in place. Hopefully this will fix the leaking problem.