Water leak above passenger sun visor

[John2367]

05 Tahoe. Been chasing a water leak for the better part of a year. It seems to be coming from inside the body seams between the exterior roof and interior sheet metal, up above the passenger side sun visor. I’ve cleared the sunroof drains, replaced the windshield twice, flex sealed everything. Here’s what bothers me…when I dropped the headliner it was clear the hole is big enough for either a mouse to enter, or leaves to flow through. There were literally leaves on top of my headliner.

I park downhill, so the leak could be coming from anywhere

 

[SnowDrifter]

The leaves might be chasing a false indicator. Any hole large enough for that would be large enough to stick your finger in - would be obvious. Could be from having the sunroof open or anything from a previous owner.

When you say you flex sealed everything, what is everything?

As far as finding the leak:
- Sunroof glass alignment (easy check is to seal up the gap between sunroof and body with a reversible method)
- Sunroof drain tubes can get old and crack
- Sunroof drains
- Windshield
- Roof skin seam at the A pillar (I had this one)
- Roof-rack bolt holes
- Antenna mounts

 

[RAMurphy]

Wow, that sure looks like a nest of some sort to me - mouse? But then again I don't see droppings or other indications. Last year I found something very similar inside one of our storage areas inside our camper, that was definitely confirmed as a mouse nest.

I had a similar leak in front of my visor and it turned out to be from the windshield I had installed 6 months before the leak started. Took it back to the installer (life time installation warranty) and they pulled the windshield and resealed it. I know you said the windshield was replaced twice. How confident are you they did it correctly?

 

[John2367]

I’m pretty sure they did a good job with the windshield, I watched the process both times. As far as the sunroof and drains, they seem fine (tested many times).

When you say the roof skin- that’s what I’m leaning towards. The leak seems to be coming from an area behind where the outer skin meets the inner panel…between both prices of metal, where you cant see it. Can you elaborate? Thank you!

 

[Fless]

Start the truck, HVAC set to outside air (not recirc) and blower on full speed. Shut the doors and windows and run some soapy water over the body to see if it produces any bubbles. This might cause enough internal pressure to the cab for the air to try to escape.

 

[MassHoe04]

To me, that fluffy material all balled up does not look like it belongs there. Sure looks like mouse nest. Doesn't mean that there isn't any kind of gap/hole/point of entry for mice, leaves or water...
Mice can squeeze into gaps or openings as small as 1/4"!

I like @Fless suggestion as one possible free way to do some investigation on this.

 

[SnowDrifter]

I’m pretty sure they did a good job with the windshield, I watched the process both times. As far as the sunroof and drains, they seem fine (tested many times).

When you say the roof skin- that’s what I’m leaning towards. The leak seems to be coming from an area behind where the outer skin meets the inner panel…between both prices of metal, where you cant see it. Can you elaborate? Thank you!

If you open your passenger side door, you'll see a torx screw near the bottom of the windshield trim

Grab the rubber there, pull it off, and there will be more of them. Remove those, pop the trim piece off, and you'll have access to that area

 

[ncalvo]

I’m pretty sure they did a good job with the windshield, I watched the process both times. As far as the sunroof and drains, they seem fine (tested many times).

When you say the roof skin- that’s what I’m leaning towards. The leak seems to be coming from an area behind where the outer skin meets the inner panel…between both prices of metal, where you cant see it. Can you elaborate? Thank you!

Did you isolate the leak? I am noticing some drips on my passenger floor mat and sometimes a couple drips on the dash, and it is a little wet sometimes on the liner in the corner behind the sun visor. No sunroof on my model

 

[MassHoe04]

Did you isolate the leak? I am noticing some drips on my passenger floor mat and sometimes a couple drips on the dash, and it is a little wet sometimes on the liner in the corner behind the sun visor. No sunroof on my model

Your door seals could possibly cause that. It may look perfect to the eye, but water has an amazing ability to find its way through almost anything.

Check the weatherstrip seal around the door. If you have access to a pressure washer hit the top and front edges around the door and see if anything starts dripping.
Could also try that at a DIY wash bay too.

I had a pesky leak like that on my 93 S10 Blazer when it was new. They tried futzing with the seal and finally replaced the entire seal around the entire opening. That finally fixed it.

 

[ncalvo]

So I took my roof rack off and cleaned up around the bolts, used ospho, primered, painted, then teflon taped the bolts and put a ring of silicone around the bolts where the rack meets the roof.

I hit the windshield and roof and passenger door with a garden hose for a bit and am still seeing water get the corner of my roof liner behind the pass mirror wet. This is driving me nuts.
My windshield was replaced like 6 years ago or longer and this leak is new, so I don't suspect its the windshield (last few months notice drips on floor mat and wet roof liner in the corner)

edit: I am going to replace the passenger door seal and the upper seal. I do recall hearing wind while driving so maybe that's a clue