Leaking front window seal

[commradd]

So I just noticed today that rain is leaking through the front window seal on the top edge just above the steering wheel. I've owned the pickup about a week, and i'm slowly working out all the bugs. It's a 91 ranger ext cab 2wd 4.0L Auto. It looks like someone tried to put silicone over the seem between the plastic/rubber that surrounds the window on the outside, and the cab (along the top of the window). It's pretty obvious that it was an ugly attempt to fix this. I'm guessing I can just remove that plastic piece and use more of the same black sealer that's used to seal the window. Does anyone have any insight on this? Is the plastic trim piece easy to remove, and is there any recommendations for a sealer that can stop this leak? I'm hoping I don't have to remove the entire front window.

 

[TaddeoEG]

This won't be too helpful but I'll throw in my 2 cents. In 2003 I inherited my dad's 92 Ranger XLT extended cab. 145,000 miles as I recall. Had exactly the same situation, including the black silicone sealer. Dad was an architect, engineer, master carpenter, and master stonemason, but couldn't do much more than add gas to a truck.

Anyways, I took it to the local glass/windshield guys. They told me this is common on that generation Ranger and the problem (as I recall - this is the not helpful part) is never where you see the leak. They pulled the trim and the shield and re-bedded the gasket then re-set the shield and all was well. Cost me $58.85 (yeah, I'm anal about record-keeping) but that was 6 yrs ago.

BTW, I seem to recall them telling me that if it's let go it will eventually rust out the entire channel over the shield.

Good luck.

 

[commradd]

Turned out it wasn't the windshield leaking, it was the rain gutters that run the length of the cab above the doors. They had a small crack that ran the length of them. Water must have been leaking inside, then channeling between sheet metal and pooling up in the front, likely the lowest point. A $10 tube of seam sealer appeared to do the trick.

 

[warrior24]

yup same problem here just have not got the tube to fix it haha.

 

[r0meo021]

Same problem here. Thanks for the tips!

 

[scarface]

Turned out it wasn't the windshield leaking, it was the rain gutters that run the length of the cab above the doors. They had a small crack that ran the length of them. Water must have been leaking inside, then channeling between sheet metal and pooling up in the front, likely the lowest point. A $10 tube of seam sealer appeared to do the trick.

Yup same here
every second gen ranger I've seen with a leak
it has been the the rain gutters
including mine