E93 leaking at rear / C pillar
Discussion
I realise there are a lot of posts on this all ready but....
I cleaned all the seals & drain holes out, that fixed the front leaks, the top of the A pillar was totally blocked.
I was hoping cleaning out the rear drain holes would help but it didn’t.
If you are doing those try to use a proper tool like this one for sump plugs
not a pipe wrench like the YouTube guide!
I cleared the top end of the rear drain out too as the channels in the roof still weren’t draining with the bottoms clear.
However it’s still leaking here:
There are a few posts where people say the seals need sticking back down.
I’m assuming thats here:
It comes in quite fast when I direct the hose at that rear window area, nothing comes in if I direct the hose at the point of leaking on the C pillar.
It seems the water is getting behind the seals at the rear window.
I will put that stuff on the seals to give them more flexibility but I can see they are still dry when opening the roof, so they can’t be letting anything past, it must be getting behind them.
There seems to be quite a bit of talk about getting just the right amount of adhesive on. Any tips on that?
I cleaned all the seals & drain holes out, that fixed the front leaks, the top of the A pillar was totally blocked.
I was hoping cleaning out the rear drain holes would help but it didn’t.
If you are doing those try to use a proper tool like this one for sump plugs
not a pipe wrench like the YouTube guide!
I cleared the top end of the rear drain out too as the channels in the roof still weren’t draining with the bottoms clear.
However it’s still leaking here:
There are a few posts where people say the seals need sticking back down.
I’m assuming thats here:
It comes in quite fast when I direct the hose at that rear window area, nothing comes in if I direct the hose at the point of leaking on the C pillar.
It seems the water is getting behind the seals at the rear window.
I will put that stuff on the seals to give them more flexibility but I can see they are still dry when opening the roof, so they can’t be letting anything past, it must be getting behind them.
There seems to be quite a bit of talk about getting just the right amount of adhesive on. Any tips on that?
I should have spent longer with google!
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e93-m3-cab/repa...
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e93-m3-cab/repa...
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e93-m3-cab/repa...
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e93-m3-cab/repa...
Hi,
thanks for the info. Mine is leaking in the same place as yours. Did you manage to identify exactly where the water was coming in? If so, could you post a picture and put an arrow to where the water was getting in. I'm thinking of taping up the area where the leak could be..... is that viable?
I've used krytox on every seal already, it didn't make a difference
Sick of the back of my car being flooded when it rains
I've got towels down on the rear passenger window ledges but they need changing every other day as they get soaking wet
thanks for the info. Mine is leaking in the same place as yours. Did you manage to identify exactly where the water was coming in? If so, could you post a picture and put an arrow to where the water was getting in. I'm thinking of taping up the area where the leak could be..... is that viable?
I've used krytox on every seal already, it didn't make a difference
Sick of the back of my car being flooded when it rains
I've got towels down on the rear passenger window ledges but they need changing every other day as they get soaking wet
Glad you found my old post!
Mine has been fine since I fixed it, it’s been out in the heavy rain recently too, bone dry inside
I don’t think you could get away with anything other than fixing it properly, but it’s not hard & doesn’t require any tools.
In those guides I linked BMW recommends removing the whole seal but I just lifted it up a bit more where my hand was:
With some gentle pulling it’s quite easy to see where the seal isn’t bonded to the car anymore. Just pull off the old sealer thats gone hard then thoroughly clean both surfaces. I used panel prep but methylated spirits or similar may work, it just needs to be properly clean. Then get some butyl sealer, it comes in rolls like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283351022076
Roll it into long tubes so it roughly fits & to make it warm (if you haven’t used it before have a fiddle with some bits first, it needs to be warm work best but too hot & it gets very messy!) also warm that bit of the car with a hair dryer if it’s not a nice warm sunny day. Lay the butyl under the seal & press it down while everything is still warm. It’s hard to judge the amount to use, you’ll probably get a little coming out, mine looked like this after:
Then after I’d cleaned it up
Never noticed that little bit that came out since then, it’s hidden with the roof up or down anyway.
I never did get round to trying any of those products that claimed to make the rubber seal soft again, it was just the water getting under the seal on those corners. As I said it’s been fine ever since.
Mine has been fine since I fixed it, it’s been out in the heavy rain recently too, bone dry inside
I don’t think you could get away with anything other than fixing it properly, but it’s not hard & doesn’t require any tools.
In those guides I linked BMW recommends removing the whole seal but I just lifted it up a bit more where my hand was:
With some gentle pulling it’s quite easy to see where the seal isn’t bonded to the car anymore. Just pull off the old sealer thats gone hard then thoroughly clean both surfaces. I used panel prep but methylated spirits or similar may work, it just needs to be properly clean. Then get some butyl sealer, it comes in rolls like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283351022076
Roll it into long tubes so it roughly fits & to make it warm (if you haven’t used it before have a fiddle with some bits first, it needs to be warm work best but too hot & it gets very messy!) also warm that bit of the car with a hair dryer if it’s not a nice warm sunny day. Lay the butyl under the seal & press it down while everything is still warm. It’s hard to judge the amount to use, you’ll probably get a little coming out, mine looked like this after:
Then after I’d cleaned it up
Never noticed that little bit that came out since then, it’s hidden with the roof up or down anyway.
I never did get round to trying any of those products that claimed to make the rubber seal soft again, it was just the water getting under the seal on those corners. As I said it’s been fine ever since.
Thanks so much for the info - been struggling to get this fixed for over 6 months.
Can you check your ebay link, it took me to an error 404 page
Just so I know I'm starting in the right place, is this the seal that i need to be checking, across the full length of the back window and partly open the roof up to access like you did?
You can see in this 2nd image that I've tried to use tape to close areas that I thought the leak was coming in from, but it's not made a difference
Can you check your ebay link, it took me to an error 404 page
Just so I know I'm starting in the right place, is this the seal that i need to be checking, across the full length of the back window and partly open the roof up to access like you did?
You can see in this 2nd image that I've tried to use tape to close areas that I thought the leak was coming in from, but it's not made a difference
No problem, odd about the link, try searching just the item number on eBay 283351022076 hasn’t got to be that exact one there are loads but you really want a roll of the thiner stuff.
Yes roof half up, you can just about trace where the water gets in under the from the seal in your top picture from this angle
It seems it’s getting in where you put the tape, but it’s actually that bit higher up.
Yes roof half up, you can just about trace where the water gets in under the from the seal in your top picture from this angle
It seems it’s getting in where you put the tape, but it’s actually that bit higher up.
Jon-k2l47 said:
OK awesome. The link worked when I did copy and paste so I've ordered some of the Butyl tape.
I'll let you know how I get on, thanks again for your help. Fingers crossed I can fix this once and for all!
I was told new seals all round could cost up to £5K
I can imagine all new seals would cost that much, it would be a massive job. Just doing the whole of that top seal would be bad enough!I'll let you know how I get on, thanks again for your help. Fingers crossed I can fix this once and for all!
I was told new seals all round could cost up to £5K
Good luck, you just need to take your time & hopefully you’ll have it fixed for under £10.
Mine was worse one side so I spent long on that, then found I had to go back & re-do the other that wasn’t so bad. It’s better to pull up a bit more of the seal till you get back to the nice clean original butyl its all mucky where the water has been getting under it.
Maybe do one side first & check with a hose before starting the other side.
Sorry to resurrect and old post again!
I have been having the same issue and will be trying this fix. I've just recently taken about 10 litres of water out the back of my car and had to spend a week not driving it, with a dehumidifier and fan in it to dry the thing out.
I just wanted to share my experience with bmw on this issue. I took mine in for them to look at as I don't really have the time to sit and go through it all at the time, and I had hoped that seals would be cheap enough that I could just get them done and not have to worry. Anyway, I got the estimate to replace the roof seals and that came in at.... £5000 including vat etc. Each roof section seal is around a grand for the part alone. With it being a dealer I was maybe expecting £500 -£1000 as seemingly most repairs on this car cost about that. Safe to say I'm going to try anything but that!
If you see this, has that fix continued to work? If it's the same issue on mine that is as easy to fix as that I'll be over the moon!
I have been having the same issue and will be trying this fix. I've just recently taken about 10 litres of water out the back of my car and had to spend a week not driving it, with a dehumidifier and fan in it to dry the thing out.
I just wanted to share my experience with bmw on this issue. I took mine in for them to look at as I don't really have the time to sit and go through it all at the time, and I had hoped that seals would be cheap enough that I could just get them done and not have to worry. Anyway, I got the estimate to replace the roof seals and that came in at.... £5000 including vat etc. Each roof section seal is around a grand for the part alone. With it being a dealer I was maybe expecting £500 -£1000 as seemingly most repairs on this car cost about that. Safe to say I'm going to try anything but that!
If you see this, has that fix continued to work? If it's the same issue on mine that is as easy to fix as that I'll be over the moon!
Funny you should mention this now, I just noticed mine had misty windows again. It’s usually dry in the garage but has been outside for a good few weeks as the E39 has taken its place for much longer than intended with a never ending list of this to fix!
As I mentioned in the last post there its the side that wasn’t to bad that has a very slight drip coming back though again now. It had been absolutely fine up about a week ago. I’ll need to redo that side properly rather than try to patch it up.
As I mentioned in the last post there its the side that wasn’t to bad that has a very slight drip coming back though again now. It had been absolutely fine up about a week ago. I’ll need to redo that side properly rather than try to patch it up.
Hi,
Sorry for bringing this post up again. I’ve recently bought a 2010 e93 and mines leaking on to the cloth at the C pillars. Where to roof meets the body of the car. Was your having the same issue? I’ve ran a hose over the car and it doesn’t seem to leak atall but once there’s heavy rain it leaks into the back where the cloth is just behind where that seal joins 😐 loving the car and don’t wanna get rid of it already! Any help appreciated.
Sorry for bringing this post up again. I’ve recently bought a 2010 e93 and mines leaking on to the cloth at the C pillars. Where to roof meets the body of the car. Was your having the same issue? I’ve ran a hose over the car and it doesn’t seem to leak atall but once there’s heavy rain it leaks into the back where the cloth is just behind where that seal joins 😐 loving the car and don’t wanna get rid of it already! Any help appreciated.
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