Thanks to those who replied to my post on leaky windshield a couple of weeks ago: http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=859905&show_all=1

I went ahead and got the Permatex product, as it was the only brand mentioned I found over the counter locally. Well, the can said Loctite 5923, I dunno, it was a brown, tar-like substance, like syrup in consistency.

First I rinsed the gap between glass and trim with alcohol, and dried with compressed air. Then I tried to get the stuff behind the trim with a thin brush. Ha ha. Even wedging a putty knife to get a larger crack did not help much. What a mess. Compressed air turned out to do the job perfectly though. But alas, even if the water flow decreased, I had not managed to stop the leak.

My next move was to get a windshield sealant kit from Hermetite: Clear silicone in a small tube, and a very pointed tip. Ah, finally, no water dripping from the dash! But what the-! There was still a puddle forming on the floor!

Closer examination proved that the water entered via the hood cable – it turned out there was more than the one leak. And no wonder: In the engine bay, Volvo has made a pool for the cable: In heavy rain, the grommet is submersed under water; an accident waiting to happen. Just to be sure, there is a hole for a cable there too.

Now everything is sealed with a serious amount of silicone, the car is watertight (for now, at least) and the carpets and seats are back where they belong. And my back is hurting.

Thanks for listening,
Erling.
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