Honda Ridgeline Roof Seam leak

[stockrex]

My Ridgeline has a leak.

I am pretty sure the driver side roof seam (under the molding) has a leak, after I came out of the car wash and pulled my seat belt out, water came out of it and the belt was wet.

What should I use to seal the roof seam?

How is the molding/trim removed, do I just gently pry it off?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

What year is your Ridgeline

 

[Omahaug]

A lot of people with Honda's experience this (other cars too) but with the Honda ones, you'll usually find a bunch of people who own the same model and gen getting it from the same spot (driver side headliner soaked right over the head).

I had it happen too at the same spot everyone else did. I did remove the rubber molding strip they put to cover up the welding and sure enough the seam sealer they used had cracked. I could reproduce the water leak by pouring the water in that way.

You can also pull down gently on the rubber seal of the door frame (on the car, not the door) and look up into that gap above the headliner. If it's been leaking a while you might see some rust that indicates where the water leak is coming from.

I used ACDelco seam sealer to fill the crack, then used touch up paint over the seam sealer, hasn't leaked or failed since and it's been more than five years.

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-10-2013-Joint-Filler-Compound/dp/B007Q0ZQGK

As for removing the molding, it's extremely hard to describe but I think what helps is if you pull it toward you and skyward a little, then look under the molding, you will see the detents that you have to push in with a pick, then the whole thing pops out. Toward the end of the strip they usually make you slide the molding strip horizontally (meaning toward or away from the rear of the car) to unlock it. The front portion of the strip that's on the windshield side is held in by clips, the rear side by the rear windshield is just held down by the fact that you have to slide it horizontally to lock it in.

 

[silveravant]

I don't know anything about a Honda Ridgeline, but do you have a sunroof?

 

[Merek]

Currently I've been fighting with my trunk leaking on my 97 Civic, I took it to the local body shop who has excellent reviews and I wanted them to replace the trunk seal but they used some seam sealer and said they put some water on it... needless to say after the first rain it still leaked. I bought a new seal from Honda and had my local garage install the seal and it still leaked after it had rained again although it was way less water. I took it through the carwash and looked for leaks and found it was leaking on both sides of the trunk opening at the seams, where they had "fixed" it and on the other side, I picked up some sealer and sealed both sides and yes I still have a leak although still getting less. I'm going to check with another body shop tomorrow just up the road from where I work and see if they will look at it for me. I could take it back to the first place but I feel like they dropped the ball, charged me $50 for what? I get that they stay so busy with insurance work so don't have a whole lot of time for these small walk in jobs but I want to eventually get the whole car done when I can afford it but right now this water leak is the most pressing thing right now. I've also replaced the tail light gaskets as well and they are completely dry.

The car sits a lot as I have 2 other vehicles to drive so it has to be coming in from the top down so it's not like it's coming in from all angles as I'm driving it but right now I don't think mine is coming from the roof or the rear window area.

 

[stockrex]

It is a 2007 ridgeline with no roof rack or sunroof, plain joe ridgeline line.

AC Delco seam sealer - amazon has it for $17

3M seam sealer ??

Which one would you guys recommend?

What is the purpose of the roof seam molding, is it purely aesthetic?


Pin Point the leak source - How about a bubble test? I read that bubble test is a good way to find leaks.

I have a air tank I bought from home depot, I can load some air into it and put it inside the truck, and release the air and cover the truck with soap and see where the bubbles originate.

 

[Omahaug]

Quote
What is the purpose of the roof seam molding, is it purely aesthetic?

Yes if you pull the roof molding off, you'll see under it is where they welded the roof to the side and put a bead of seam sealer along that length to cover the gap. The roof molding seals nothing.

You need to pinpoint where the water is coming from. Where's the first spot that gets wet? Next time it rains feel around above you on the headliner.

Alternativel you can use a garden hose and run it over the molding and see if any makes it through.

 

[stockrex]

Yes, I want to pin point where the leak is coming from at the seam,

I will probably clean and reapply seam sealer to the entire seam,

I tried prying the trim molding, it was pretty brittle from being outside for 12 years now.

It snowed again today, so I will have till next week to do my bubble test.