We have 2002 Av, mid gate has leaked since we have owned the truck. Behind right rear seat. the dealer says they think they have it fixed but it still leaks when it rains. It is starting to smell musty due to being wet so many times. It fogs up inside due to the moisture. Does anyone have this problem,and if solved what was done? Thanks Janie
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mid gate leaks
- Thread starter janie
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TLB
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Check to see what the build date is, the 02 that I had was the first one in at our dealership. The first one's built didn't get a seam sealed in the wheel well, and yes some did have a mid gate water leak.
Have your dealer look up the service bullitins from May of 01 & June of 01 when the AV's came out.
Terry
Have your dealer look up the service bullitins from May of 01 & June of 01 when the AV's came out.
Terry
TLB said:
Took the words right out of my mouth - and the leak location fits the problem described.
Tiger
Full Member
Yeah! Unfortunately you have to just keep bringing it back. 
They've had mine 5 times for that. They have replaced everything imaginable including the carpet (they offered cause it smelled!). Keep it up.
They've had mine 5 times for that. They have replaced everything imaginable including the carpet (they offered cause it smelled!). Keep it up.
Rick M
Full Member
pogo
Full Member
I have found that it is not my midgate seal, i used low pressure water hose on the seals and it didn't leak. I think it is coming in from the cross bar. I won't notice any water until after I drive it. I also noticed drips on the latching mechanisms at the ends of the bar.
Has anyone else had this problem, what is the fix?
All of the dealers say I "should expecct a little water - thats why they put drains by the hinges". Well I'm not buying it and will try to fix it myself when the weather warms up.
Has anyone else had this problem, what is the fix?
All of the dealers say I "should expecct a little water - thats why they put drains by the hinges". Well I'm not buying it and will try to fix it myself when the weather warms up.
ygmn
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make sure you clam the midgate closed.....it has a double latching thingy....and sometimes when new the seals are stiff and with tailgate closed...a PIA to shut properly....
to test...see if you canpush on the midgate or crossbar and if it moves...ya need to close again..the best way is to open tailgate to let the air out when you slam her shut...
HTH good luck
to test...see if you canpush on the midgate or crossbar and if it moves...ya need to close again..the best way is to open tailgate to let the air out when you slam her shut...
HTH good luck
Rick M
Full Member
Yeah in between showers I took all the bed panels off,took the glass out and slammed the midgate closed 
and then put everything back together.I'll check tomorrow and see if it made a difference.
and then put everything back together.I'll check tomorrow and see if it made a difference. Rick M
Full Member
So much for that idea.Went out and looked this morning and sure enough I still had water leaking in from under the P. side crossbar.I can't imagine what the dealership is going to tell me or what they can even do for it on a new AV.
i have a 03 av had the leak looked at and even had a person look at it with all kinds of equipment that finds leaks useing ultra high freq and now after all that i still have a leak now it goes back in to the dealer to have anouther carpet put in on monday ( due to the wife having asmah) wounder how long it is going to take to fix it this time last time it was two weeks
Rick M,
If your midgate was not latched completely when you took out the back window and then lowered and reclosed your midgate - the midgate is still not completely latched to the cross bar and is not completely sealed.
This may or may not be your situation.
Leave the back window in, open the tailgate, then open and reclose the midgate. Check to see if the midgate is closed tightly - should be no give to it.
Could be too that the cross bar is not latching correctly.
Let us know what you find.
If your midgate was not latched completely when you took out the back window and then lowered and reclosed your midgate - the midgate is still not completely latched to the cross bar and is not completely sealed.
This may or may not be your situation.
Leave the back window in, open the tailgate, then open and reclose the midgate. Check to see if the midgate is closed tightly - should be no give to it.
Could be too that the cross bar is not latching correctly.
Let us know what you find.
djfcars
Full Member
Hey everybody-
I had for the first time some water by the front of the drains and almost splattering onto the carpet. Here's what I have found out :
When I pour water along the panel in front of the back window, it drains out without a leak. Next, I sprayed the window and it did not leak. Then I took out the window and poured some water in the rubber track that the window sits in. Guess what? It did not drain well as it leaked from under the crossbar and down the sides as I saw in the morning after a good rain storm .
What I'm getting at here is that if water rolls down the window and goes in the rubber channel, it may leak inside. Lets face it the window only sits in the rubber just so tight. My belief here is that if it is not a very snug fit, water can seap down. I will say this in closing,
that water in that rubber channel does not drain out well as it leaks in the cab. Does this test help??
Dino Falabrino
I had for the first time some water by the front of the drains and almost splattering onto the carpet. Here's what I have found out :
When I pour water along the panel in front of the back window, it drains out without a leak. Next, I sprayed the window and it did not leak. Then I took out the window and poured some water in the rubber track that the window sits in. Guess what? It did not drain well as it leaked from under the crossbar and down the sides as I saw in the morning after a good rain storm .
What I'm getting at here is that if water rolls down the window and goes in the rubber channel, it may leak inside. Lets face it the window only sits in the rubber just so tight. My belief here is that if it is not a very snug fit, water can seap down. I will say this in closing,
that water in that rubber channel does not drain out well as it leaks in the cab. Does this test help??
Dino Falabrino
Sounds like you are onto something, djfcars.
When I install my back window, I line up the arrows in the center and then press down on the window into the channel and then latch it.
I have not had any leak issues.
Maybe I'm just lucky.
Then again, my Av rarely sees wet weather.
When I install my back window, I line up the arrows in the center and then press down on the window into the channel and then latch it.
I have not had any leak issues.
Maybe I'm just lucky.
Then again, my Av rarely sees wet weather.
Rick M
Full Member
Thanks for the imfo...
GoldBowTie...I did as you suggested the other day I left the window in and shut the midgate with the tailgate down.Got a little rain after and didn't seem to leak inbut it may not have rained enough to tell yet.
djfcars...I think your theory may be correct in my case also.The water seems to have gotten in behind the base of the window and into the channel and leaking in threw the crossbar latch.I was parked on an angle,slopeing to the P.side and thats where the water came in.
GoldBowTie...I did as you suggested the other day I left the window in and shut the midgate with the tailgate down.Got a little rain after and didn't seem to leak in
but it may not have rained enough to tell yet.djfcars...I think your theory may be correct in my case also.The water seems to have gotten in behind the base of the window and into the channel and leaking in threw the crossbar latch.I was parked on an angle,slopeing to the P.side and thats where the water came in.
djfcars
Full Member
Hey Guys-
My AV never leaked until we had a windy rain last week.
What got me on this was if you pour water in that windsheild rubber channel, it leaks out right under the crossbar as to suggest the crossbar is the culprit.
Here's what bothers me.....If water DOES get in that channel, it seems to drip into the cab. It appears it does not have a way to drain properly. Now bare in mind my test exagerates the leak, but heck, in a wind blown rain up against the window all night, could it be forced in?
Another thought.....I take my AV to the car wash almost every week. Water never gets in down by the drains while the sprayers drench the AV in the rinse cycle of the wash. The rain that came in to my AV had a lot of wind with it. It probably then was blown directly up against that window and rubber channel.
Take your windsheilds out and see what happens when you pour a cup of water in the channel. Pour it on either side of the truck and see if it simulates a leak that looks familiar to you . Is mine the only one that does this??
Dino Falabrino
My AV never leaked until we had a windy rain last week.
What got me on this was if you pour water in that windsheild rubber channel, it leaks out right under the crossbar as to suggest the crossbar is the culprit.
Here's what bothers me.....If water DOES get in that channel, it seems to drip into the cab. It appears it does not have a way to drain properly. Now bare in mind my test exagerates the leak, but heck, in a wind blown rain up against the window all night, could it be forced in?
Another thought.....I take my AV to the car wash almost every week. Water never gets in down by the drains while the sprayers drench the AV in the rinse cycle of the wash. The rain that came in to my AV had a lot of wind with it. It probably then was blown directly up against that window and rubber channel.
Take your windsheilds out and see what happens when you pour a cup of water in the channel. Pour it on either side of the truck and see if it simulates a leak that looks familiar to you . Is mine the only one that does this??
Dino Falabrino
djfcars
Full Member
By the way-I put a piece of rubber weatherstripping along the plastic panel behind the seat. It runs from the crossbar area then down along the bottom and then it ends to the drain. It will keep the water from rolling off into the carpet area. I used some clear silicone to seal the plastic panels where they join each other. (another place where water can roll down and leak into!!!) When I learn to post a picture here, I will do so. I'm digitally challenged right now!!!
If GM would of engineered a raised notch to do this same thing, I bet this would of solved some leak problems that we have faced. A raised notch about 1/4" would of done wonders.
Dino Falabrino
If GM would of engineered a raised notch to do this same thing, I bet this would of solved some leak problems that we have faced. A raised notch about 1/4" would of done wonders.
Dino Falabrino
pogo
Full Member
djfcars,
I think this may be my problem also. I will try your test as soon as it gets a litlle warmer around here. I have noticed though that when I go thrugh car washes or it rains real hard, there isn't any water in the cab until after I drive it. I am thinking that it may take turning the truck or leaning to either side before I see the water coming out of the cross bar.
Mike
I think this may be my problem also. I will try your test as soon as it gets a litlle warmer around here. I have noticed though that when I go thrugh car washes or it rains real hard, there isn't any water in the cab until after I drive it. I am thinking that it may take turning the truck or leaning to either side before I see the water coming out of the cross bar.
Mike
djfcars said:
I duplicated this experiment and water spattered down the interior trim. Very familiar. Water dripping from the tapered ends of that seal under the crossbar has long been a problem for me. This helps demonstrate how it gets there.
The "channel theory" might also explain why it doesn't take high volume or pressure water to leak. The continuous presense of water around the boottom of the window will eventually seep into the channel and drip onto the interior trim (where it puddles up in the contour instead of draining through the designated hole).
I've recently noticed something on my crossbar that increases the leaking on the driver's side. The left side molding has detached and any water from that corner or the gutter dumps down the bed-side of the midgate. As on the right side, this molding should form a spout that dumps water into a channel behind the bed side walls.
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sniper
Full Member
I have an '04 and have some cabin leaking at the midgate crossbar.
Water seems to accumulate in the track the rear window fits into and drains out sides, finding it's way inside the cabin.
Seals are doing their job, and everything is closed up tight. I think the crossbar is the culprit, as identified in earlier posts.
As water builds in that channel, it has nowhere to go except puddle and overflow through crossbar to cabin interior.
As a quick test, I am going to run a piece of tape along outside edge of back window to cover where window and seal meets. This should divert water from seal, hence channel. Will do this during next rain and will report.
Maybe someone else can try this if it rains in your area soon?
Water seems to accumulate in the track the rear window fits into and drains out sides, finding it's way inside the cabin.
Seals are doing their job, and everything is closed up tight. I think the crossbar is the culprit, as identified in earlier posts.
As water builds in that channel, it has nowhere to go except puddle and overflow through crossbar to cabin interior.
As a quick test, I am going to run a piece of tape along outside edge of back window to cover where window and seal meets. This should divert water from seal, hence channel. Will do this during next rain and will report.
Maybe someone else can try this if it rains in your area soon?
Sniper
I have the EXACT same thing going on in my '04!I am going to check it out in the morning. We have had some really lousy weather here in Florida the past 2 days. and I noticed a water issue. I have the midgate down, but the crossbar and window up. I observed water entering the gutters along the sides of the bed pannels. But when I decelerated while driving. The water would rush from the back to the front, and come flying into the truck. It was a bit of a bummer. I am going to look at in the morning when the sun comes up and inspect for damage. If I can duplicate, and snap a couple of photos I will, and post them when I get home from work tonight. If you come up with something let me know. Maybe we are onto an '04 midgate leak issue.
JB
I have the EXACT same thing going on in my '04!I am going to check it out in the morning. We have had some really lousy weather here in Florida the past 2 days. and I noticed a water issue. I have the midgate down, but the crossbar and window up. I observed water entering the gutters along the sides of the bed pannels. But when I decelerated while driving. The water would rush from the back to the front, and come flying into the truck. It was a bit of a bummer. I am going to look at in the morning when the sun comes up and inspect for damage. If I can duplicate, and snap a couple of photos I will, and post them when I get home from work tonight. If you come up with something let me know. Maybe we are onto an '04 midgate leak issue.
JB
I have figured it out. Pictures to follow!!!Sorry the picture is a little blurry but here is the deal. Whenever there is rain pooled on the covers or a heavy downpour. that tiny little gutter cup, and that even tinier drain for the gutter start to fill up and then overfill the gutter. The water needs somewhere to go. So it overflows and falls into that tiny little gap.
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