Pouring leak from the roof of my 2019 Big Horn: NOT HAPPY

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Posts
68
Reaction score
44
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
What a week, it poured rain on and off for days and it wasn't until one morning when I was getting items from my backseat I noticed it was soaked. The water is coming from inside the headliner and drips out either side right below the ceiling "air bag" plastic markers.

I pulled the upper tail-light and the gasket looked good and was "stuck" on there decently. I didn't see any residue behind it so I don't think it was leaking. I couldn't see anywhere to trace the leak back to visibly inside the headliner\roof, but the water was definitely INSIDE the headliner so I'm 100% sure it's not the sliding rear window seals. I also PAINSTAKINGLY pulled the sharkfin antenna to look under it as I feel like it is the most likely culprit. Let me tell you, it is possible to undo that antenna without dropping the headliner by going through the brake light access hole, but if you have big hands like mine it will be very painful. It took nearly 30mins of turning 1 click at a time with a 1\4drive rather and a shallow 10mm socket to get the damn bolt out of the antenna. My hands are swollen, cut, and bruised all along the tendons from this maneuver. The main reason I did it this way is I see "AIR BAG" marked all over the back, 2 on the ceiling, 2 on the B pillars, but I have no idea where those bombs are actually hiding and didn't want to risk setting them off pulling the liner.

After un-seating the antenna I didn't see water under it but I applied a bead of RTV around the hole it passes through anyways and then painstakingly tightened it back down. The 10mm bolt needed a ratchet the entire way on and off, it was impossible to turn by fingers. I also applied a skim of RTV to the tail light seal along the top and to the screws that hold it in "just in case". I covered it to prevent rain getting in while curing and it should be done curing by today. So a few questions come to mind...

1) Where are the airbags actually located in case this doesn't fix my problem and I need to drop the liner? I know I can disco the neg cable to theoretically "disarm" them but I still want to know where they are so they aren't set off with residual charge or damaged by me.
2) Has anyone found leaks like this and fixed it?
3) The black trim strips on the roof that run front to back on either side. Are they held down with glue? Are they "pressed" into a groove to hold them? They are the only other spot I can see that would potentially leak but I have no clue what they hide or how they are attached and I didn't want to butcher them by prying with a screwdriver.

Really hoping I already fixed the leak. It was a steady stream leak in heavy rain and I have no doubt it will destroy the back seat if left unchecked.
 

Pops4163

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2022
Posts
17
Reaction score
11
Location
DFW Texas
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Crickets?

Rained lightly today. Nearly half a gallon of water poured into my backseat. 60,000$ truck can't even keep water out. Absolutely pi$$ed.
Wow, that's tough, I'd be POed to. Man I don't know, you already looked the two most likely suspects that I can think of. I'm sure some here would have an better solution to find it, or maybe have already experienced it. If it were me, I would seal up my shop vac hose to a slightly open window with duck tap. Use the exhaust side of vac, clean the thing out good first and at the least get a squirt bottle with soapy water and start spraying everywhere. With it leaking that bad, it's got to show up pretty easy, I would think. A smoke generator of some kind would be very helpful, never used one, don't know if they have an odor or not. Hope you figure it out quick and keep us posted.
 
OP
OP
Guyfromthenorth
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Posts
68
Reaction score
44
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Wow, that's tough, I'd be POed to. Man I don't know, you already looked the two most likely suspects that I can think of. I'm sure some here would have an better solution to find it, or maybe have already experienced it. If it were me, I would seal up my shop vac hose to a slightly open window with duck tap. Use the exhaust side of vac, clean the thing out good first and at the least get a squirt bottle with soapy water and start spraying everywhere. With it leaking that bad, it's got to show up pretty easy, I would think. A smoke generator of some kind would be very helpful, never used one, don't know if they have an odor or not. Hope you figure it out quick and keep us posted.
Tnx for the reply. I was absolutely PO'd and went outside and taped off the entire back window and threw bucket of water at the antenna. Same water poured into my backseat. Warranty ran out 1000mi ago. Guess I'm tearing out the headliner because my hands just can't take the abuse they did a few days ago through the brake light hole. I'll disco the battery. Sure hope I don't get killed by an airbag. No idea where they are but God knows there's signs everywhere.
 
OP
OP
Guyfromthenorth
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Posts
68
Reaction score
44
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Done, and didn't even eat $h&t from an airbag. Even made a very crude youtube video for it in case anyone else needs.

 
OP
OP
Guyfromthenorth
Joined
Jan 2, 2019
Posts
68
Reaction score
44
Location
Ontario
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
UPDATE:

So when I originally did the water testing I taped off the entire rear tail light to remove it from the equation and I slowly poured water around the shark fin. Water poured into the back seat from both airbag plastic markers on the liner top. Ok so it's the fin. Clearly I pulled and re-sealed that, let it cure since I posted this video. There's a ton of rain coming today so I went out to test my seal job. Poured water and sure enough doesn't it DUMP into my back seat.

Furious I pull down the liner top to see how it can possibly be coming from the antenna and there it is. It's coming in from just the top of the drivers side rear window glass seal. Not the sliding portion. Literally from the portion of glass that should be permanently glued to the chassis. I'm out of warranty and the dealer is 500mi roundtrip from me.

Idk is FCA or Ram reads these forums but I'm really PO'd. The truck is still "new", it's ever so slightly out of warranty and a rear window delaminates? I've never in all my life had that happen. Even sketchy glass shops who've replaced windshields for me manage to glue them in proper. I'm betting this leak has been there for a very long time and since I don't ride in the backseat who knows when it started. It's not like I damaged it.

If they don't cover it under warranty I'll be livid. I'm already going to have to spend 200$ in fuel just to get them to assess it. Unbelievable.
 

Daw14

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Posts
2,027
Reaction score
2,077
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 hemi
Nobody officially involved with ram monitors these sites that I am aware of , however you could dm @RamCares and maybe explain your situation to them, they might be able to offer some assistance. Be nice ,they could be a lot of help.
 

RamCares

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
3,782
Reaction score
1,513
Location
Michigan
Ram Year
n/a
Engine
n/a
UPDATE:

So when I originally did the water testing I taped off the entire rear tail light to remove it from the equation and I slowly poured water around the shark fin. Water poured into the back seat from both airbag plastic markers on the liner top. Ok so it's the fin. Clearly I pulled and re-sealed that, let it cure since I posted this video. There's a ton of rain coming today so I went out to test my seal job. Poured water and sure enough doesn't it DUMP into my back seat.

Furious I pull down the liner top to see how it can possibly be coming from the antenna and there it is. It's coming in from just the top of the drivers side rear window glass seal. Not the sliding portion. Literally from the portion of glass that should be permanently glued to the chassis. I'm out of warranty and the dealer is 500mi roundtrip from me.

Idk is FCA or Ram reads these forums but I'm really PO'd. The truck is still "new", it's ever so slightly out of warranty and a rear window delaminates? I've never in all my life had that happen. Even sketchy glass shops who've replaced windshields for me manage to glue them in proper. I'm betting this leak has been there for a very long time and since I don't ride in the backseat who knows when it started. It's not like I damaged it.

If they don't cover it under warranty I'll be livid. I'm already going to have to spend 200$ in fuel just to get them to assess it. Unbelievable.
Hey Guyfromthenorth,

We are terribly sorry to hear about this experience with your truck, as it's never the ownership experience that we'd want for you. Please send us a direct message so that we can look into this for you and see how we can assist.

Callie
Ram Cares
 

RamCares

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2016
Posts
3,782
Reaction score
1,513
Location
Michigan
Ram Year
n/a
Engine
n/a
Nobody officially involved with ram monitors these sites that I am aware of , however you could dm @RamCares and maybe explain your situation to them, they might be able to offer some assistance. Be nice ,they could be a lot of help.
Hey Daw14,

We really appreciate the tag! We try to be where we can with monitoring our forums, but the best way to get in contact with us is always to tag us or send us a DM!

Callie
Ram Cares
 

Jerrybob

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2019
Posts
7,684
Reaction score
11,727
Location
USA
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7 hemi
Sorry to hear about te leak.....RAM should cover this expense.....this is a poor quality issue for which they are responsible. With all that water you describe......I would also be worried about mildew and or rust issues......better make sure that interior is really dried out or you may have other issues down the line. Good luck......
 

Lil' Rob

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Posts
60
Reaction score
36
Location
Ohio
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7
My 2020 is having the same problem. From what I am being told there is a seam in the metal along the roof under under those black plastic molding strips that go from front to back. I was told that that was where my water is coming through from. All the dealer supposedly did was to caulk/seal that seam somehow and then put the molding back in place. There are some white clips that hold that thing down. The dealer broke one near the rear and I had to take it back in, as the molding wasn't completely secured down.
 

JB Weld

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
Posts
20
Reaction score
15
Location
WI
Ram Year
2019
Engine
5.7
Pull the carpet up and set some fans in for a weekend. That might not even dry it up.

My old GMC had a leak and took a stupid amount of time to dry the carpet.
 

Scybron

Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Posts
31
Reaction score
31
Location
New Mexico
Ram Year
2022
Engine
da Hemi
I dont understand, why doesnt everyone just put a bead of silicone around the antenna, rear light, overhead cab lights to either stop water or preventative maintenance??
 

RAMVT

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
Posts
177
Reaction score
103
Location
Vermont
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Definitely try to work with RamCares. I was way out of warranty when I noticed I had the crack in the rear slider frame. They took really good care of me. Didn't cover 100% of the cost but definitely helped a lot.
 

SwitcherLP

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Posts
49
Reaction score
38
Location
Little Rock
Ram Year
2022
Engine
Hemi 5.7
My 2020 is having the same problem. From what I am being told there is a seam in the metal along the roof under under those black plastic molding strips that go from front to back. I was told that that was where my water is coming through from. All the dealer supposedly did was to caulk/seal that seam somehow and then put the molding back in place. There are some white clips that hold that thing down. The dealer broke one near the rear and I had to take it back in, as the molding wasn't completely secured down.
They actually let you drive it home knowing they did not put it all back together properly???? Man, they would not have liked me when I brought my truck back for something like that. That kind of inattention is infuriating, especially considering how much these things cost.
 

pacofortacos

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Posts
3,564
Reaction score
4,341
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7
I would also put a container of damprid in to help pull any moisture out of the truck.
 

Lil' Rob

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Posts
60
Reaction score
36
Location
Ohio
Ram Year
2020
Engine
5.7
They actually let you drive it home knowing they did not put it all back together properly???? Man, they would not have liked me when I brought my truck back for something like that. That kind of inattention is infuriating, especially considering how much these things cost.
Unfortunately I was out of town working...wife and son picked it up...when I did get home, spotted that almost immediately...can't believe that service advisor still has a job after my talk with the manager...long story short I'll be considering a different dealer for any future work.
 

SwitcherLP

Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2022
Posts
49
Reaction score
38
Location
Little Rock
Ram Year
2022
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I dont understand, why doesnt everyone just put a bead of silicone around the antenna, rear light, overhead cab lights to either stop water or preventative maintenance??
Because this kind of problem is a defect in workmanship, clearly covered in the vehicle warranty. It also, if there are extended issues, documents it to the vehicle specifically, and if you did that mod yourself, and there were "down the line" or related issues, they can-and likely would-claim that "you modified the vehicle, and all related issues to that self-repair are your responsibility, we will no longer honor that aspect of the warranty".
 

RedRam2869

Junior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2022
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
MA
Ram Year
2017
I have a 2017 Ram 1500 Rebel , noticed condensation on the windshield a little bit ago but didn't think much of it. I started driving the truck less due to gas prices and my truck has been sitting. I went into it the other day and water condensation was everywhere and I saw mold spots popping up in random areas. I came onto the forums and found out this is a confirmed problem that many Ram trucks have, either it being from the 3rd brake light or from the window, I found the TSB that talks about where the techs should look. I have 64k miles on my truck and I have the unlimited time / mileage warranty. I brought the truck to my local dealership that I get all my work done ( Planet Dodge Chrysler Ram Jeep ) They said my warranty denied paying to fix it because it doesn't cover water leaks and the dealer would not fix it free of charge even know they agree it was a common issue they had seen a ton of.

If this is such a common problem on these trucks why wouldn't the dealer or my lifetime warranty cover this ? Its a known defect, its bad quality and you would think they would want the customer to be happy with their purchase. This failure isn't mileage dependent , its due to bad quality.
 
Top