Leaking rear window?

[jbr]

I went out to my truck after a heavy rain storm tonight and found my back seats were soaked. I thought I had left a window open but after looking further it seems the water is coming from the top corners of the rear window where it meets the headliner. Anyone else have this issue? I have read about issues with the third brake light leaking, but I was thinking it was the rear window because of the amount of water that is the back seat area.

 

[Egress]

My 2003 leaked, couldn’t really pin-point the exact location. I removed the 3rd light and sealed around it, installed the light and sealed around the light itself. Also if you’re standing in the bed, on top of the cab at the corners I have rain channels. The rearmost part of those channels that lead down to the rear window seal has some kind of plastic installed, I also sealed around those, but I didn’t just stop there lol. I also sealed around the entire rear window. I used a high quality RTV and made sure I took my time and cleaned up. You won’t see the sealant unless you’re looking for it... did it work? I honestly couldn’t tell you yet. I parked the truck in the garage a week after I applied the sealant and wouldn’t you know it didn’t rain a drop lol. That was all several months ago, so I will have a definite answer later this year when I get home.

 

[shaftman_05]

Contrary to what it appears I still think it's 3rd brake light related. There is channels up there the water can run down. It doesn't necessarily leak right where the light is.

 

[Egress]

I know that on the 3rd Gen's it's a **** poor design, when you remove the 3rd light there is a TON of open area for water to travel. Now why wouldn’t it be a sealed area knowing water could run into it?
I know that just for my own satisfaction, I will be replacing the entire rear window once I get home. I don’t like the sliding glass at all and would prefer a single pane, not to mention but with my truck being 11 years old, getting a new rubber seal would be doing it a huge favor.
For all the Rams I have read that many people will seal the 3rd light and install Butyl rubber to help seal the gap.

 

[Esgordon123]

My 14 goes in Friday for this problem. I will report back with the results.


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[jwheeler]

Look like it's from the CHMSL. Comes in and runs down both sides of the headliner. Remove and apply clear silicone to the stop lamp and reinstall.


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[jbr]

Problem found, it was the third brake light.

 

[jbr]

There was a puddle behind the light when I unscrewed it.

 

[Egress]

Let us know what fix you decide to use, and if it works.

 

[BlownGP]

Yup, it's the 3rd brake light. Mine did the same thing, it would run down either side. It was worse on the passenger side though.

Took off the 3rd brake light and you can see where the top of the gasket/seal is old and flattened down. Put some black silicon around it and its been ever since.

 

[Sir John]

It blows my mind that they cannot design a damn gasket for the 3rd brake lights that won't leak. The Ford F150 trucks have the same exact problem.

 

[Esgordon123]

3rd brake light. Fixed with sealant.


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[BlownGP]

It blews my mind that they cannot design a damn gasket for the 3rd brake lights that won't leak. The Ford F150 trucks have the same exact problem.

Yeah, I was knew to dodge trucks so when this happened I about pissed my pants. I thought I was going to need a new rear window, gasket etc..

 

[jbr]

Unscrewed the 3rd brake light and applied silicone today around the gasket. I put the 3rd brake light back in and applied another bead around it. Hopefully it works.

 

[Sir John]

Unscrewed the 3rd brake light and applied silicone today around the gasket. I put the 3rd brake light back in and applied another bead around it. Hopefully it works.

It will work if the brake light was leaking. Completely ridiculous you have to do that in the 1st place. I haven't done mine but it's not leaking yet. I rather not do it cause I don't want to fight with the sealant to change a bulb.

 

[Egress]

Braided Fishing Line. When you have the light removed, apply the sealant. You then take strong fishing line and lay it lightly around the innermost edge of the silicone (closest to the center of the light). I usually tie small loops on both ends and make sure that both ends are on a corner. I install the light and seal the outer. If I ever need to get the light back off i will take a small pick or scribe and go at the corner that I have the ends of the line. I give those a slow steady pull and the line will cut through the sealant. I learned this on aircraft and have only had it not work for me once. If you were to go nuts with the sealant i could see it not helping you at all, but a nice thin even coat works fine and is removed without much difficulty.

 

[Sir John]

Braided Fishing Line. When you have the light removed, apply the sealant. You then take strong fishing line and lay it lightly around the innermost edge of the silicone (closest to the center of the light). I usually tie small loops on both ends and make sure that both ends are on a corner. I install the light and seal the outer. If I ever need to get the light back off i will take a small pick or scribe and go at the corner that I have the ends of the line. I give those a slow steady pull and the line will cut through the sealant. I learned this on aircraft and have only had it not work for me once. If you were to go nuts with the sealant i could see it not helping you at all, but a nice thin even coat works fine and is removed without much difficulty.

Yeah, I've done something similar too. What aircraft do you work on? When I was in the Army, i was a helicopter mechanic for 7 yrs and when I was in the Air Force I was a C-130 Hercules mechanic for 3 yrs. Good times.

 

[Egress]

f-15, f-16, f/a-22, t-38

 

[NYCruiser]

Just use butyl tape and be done with it.

 

[tysondodge]

The 3rd brake light is not just a problem related to our RAMS. Although my last RAM leaked around the 3rd brake light, my Ranger before that leaked are the light and so did my friend's Colorado. So, it's common among trucks.