Water drips from interior light?

[tt82]

I do not have water dropping from the interior light, only the sloshing sound behind the bulkhead. It does not mean that my windscreen seal hasn't failed though, only that it has failed at the bottom and not the top of the windscreen. But as I cannot prove the bond has failed yet, my car is not the ideal candidate to be mounting a case on.


Again, we need everybody to contact their local dealers about the issue, escalating it to VCUK if neccesary, then if VCUK are refusing everybody help, we can progress to something like Watchdog.

[BL08]

Just a thought but if we take something like this to Watchdog or similar, do we run the risk of devaluing the brand and a little closer to home, the resale value of our own cars?

I was fortunate - my seemingly badly bonded windscreen was only discovered during a replacement following damage - I didn't have any issues with leaks or sloshing sounds so all it cost me was the £75 excess.

If you have a genuine safety concern, what would you say to any prospective buyer if asked today? Have you stopped using the car and made alternative arrangements until it's rectified? If it's an issue relating to cost of repair then a combined approach to VCUK may be the better long term result.

My own opinion of Watchdog and similar programmes or publications is that they can sometimes be somewhat sensationalist and don't let the facts get in the way of a good story so would prefer that if this is something worth pursuing, all approaches to VCUK are exhausted first.

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

VCUK have, in my opinion, never really been "on the ball" when an obvious issue rears its head. ETM is a case in point. ETM was never an issue as far as VCUK were concerned despite the number of years the issues went on. Seemingly.

Anything negative about the "Volvo" brand is the province of Volvo corporation in Sweden, although the do not own Volvo Cars any more they do hold the rights to the name and brand so negativity is taken seriously by them.

Bypassing VCUK and going direct to Volvo Corporation may prove to be more productive and I know they do have people on these forums...

Des. . .

[Topper]

Sorry to keep labouring this point but ... has any one seen this posting on VolvoForums.com ?? ............................
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Extract Reads ............Australian XC60 drivers - leaking windscreen issues
I have this issue with my late 2010 XC60, and am wondering if any Australian drivers have had the same issue and if so, have had success getting Volvo to redoing the seal and if necessary replace the windscreen?

Originally Posted by The Champ

This problem is widespread among several models and years. This is occurring to vehicles that still have their original factory windshield. To my knowledge, the dealerships are handling the problem and covering it under warranty.

The problem is present due to a primer on the glass that is failing. This black primer is applied in a thin layer to the windshield. The adhesive being used by Volvo, requires this primer promote a proper bond between the glass and the adhesive (polyurethane). However, this primer is separating from the glass.There are several possibilities as to why this may occur.

1. UV ray deterioration. 2. Primer defect. 3. Contamination on the glass. 4. Shelf life or working time of the primer. 5. other unknown.

As of yet, no answer has been provided to me, by Volvo, or the adhesive manufacturer.

The biggest concern Volvo owners should be aware of is not the potential of a water leak. The windshield is a structural component of the vehicle. If the windshield is not bonded to the vehicle properly it will compromise the safety of the occupants in the event of an accident. The windshield supports the airbags upon deployment, crumple zone function during a collision, and the roof in the event of a rollover.

All Volvo owners should be aware of this concern prior to seeing any water. A professional can check your vehicle to see if the problem is visibly present by applying pressure to the inside of your windshield. If the glass moves away from the adhesive, you most likely have the same defect. Not visibly finding the problem doesn't mean that it won't occur later.

Volvo does not make the windshields for their vehicles. They supply the factory molds to outside companies that make the glass for them. This problem is the new glass that is being supplied, still has the same primer applied to it, right out of the box. I am not aware of, nor have I been able to find out, by Volvo the shelf life or "working time" of this primer. Most primers that are applied to a surface have to be used within a few hours. These windshields have the primer on them from the manufacturer which may have been on for weeks or even months.

My biggest concern is why wouldn't the same problem reoccur? Therefore, I consider this primer as a contamination present that should be removed prior to being installed.

For those of you who are unsure, it is possible to successfully remove the primer on the windshield and to follow the steps of the adhesive manufacture's procedure on reapplying new primers and adhesive. It is also possible to save and reuse the original windshield.

In many cases, the windshield may break upon removal and need replacement. I recommend that you ask your dealership or installation professional how they are handling the pre-existing primers. My company has completed approximately 20 of these removals and replacements over the last few months and the numbers are growing.

I'm actually surprised that this is not a recall. They appear to be treating this on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. I will be glad to explain further and in detail.

703-929-4151
championautoglass.net

Electrical and interior damage may also occur. However, the safety issue is much more important.

As of 02/17/2014 I received new information from the Volvo dealer in our area. If the vehicle falls under the standard warranty of 4 years or 50,000 miles and develops a leak as mentioned in this post, it is covered by Volvo. Since there is no "recall" for this repair, there may not be any other eligible coverage if beyond the standard bumper to bumper warranty that Volvo offers. Some warranties do vary, so please check with your dealership in regards to the warranty that is present on your vehicle.

...End of Extract.
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So, it would appear that, there is not only a serious technical query here in need of solution but also financial and safety issues, not just here in the UK and not only on one model, but on numerous models, in various countries, over some considerable time. This surely requires Volvo's immediate intervention and recall.

As it stands, this is leaving current owners a). likely to discover the problem shortly, or b). be an owner who has paid out of their own or insurance company's pocket, for Volvo's lack of recall and "owning up". The concerns are both major and are currently being, or have been, experienced by UK Volvo owners.

Perhaps it is also time for this thread to be renamed to something more appropriate than " Water drips from Interior Light" ... with due respect to the original poster........ as this issue is a far greater problem in safety and cost and now has considerably more serious ramifications, affecting not only the minority checking this thread, but an unknown, but possibly massive, majority number of Volvo drivers.

Topper

[tt82]

I keep saying it but unless people go to their dealers and raise the concerns, VCUK will brush it off. If nobody complains, nothing will happen!

[wilbydoughboy]

I approached my local dealer as regards my leaking screen and asked if there was a recall for the problem and was told no, I asked if sorting the screen leak out was something they could do and again a no. My car was only a few months out of warranty. My concern with your 5 question is that if the other glass fixed to the car has also used the same materials and methods maybe they are also a problem. Could it be the bonding doesnt flex enough to cope with the stresses placed upon it and it gives at the weakest point, this being the top. It obviously cannot be a safety issue as Volvo has a very good reputation for building safe cars and wouldnt let an issue like this ruin it.

[tt82]

After speaking to my dealer, I phoned VCUK direct. I was told that as my car was over 6 years old they wouldn't offer any goodwill. If yours is younger than 6 years old and has FVSH then ring them and see what they say!

[Philip Fisher]

I wouldnt get too hung up on the safety issue. You just need a small section of failed bonding to cause a leak but the rest of the bonding will still potentially be strong. I dont think a large section went on mine.

Mine failed on a Volvo replacement screen done by a dealer. Car was out of warranty but the lease company paid without arguement so I didnt need to argue with the original fitting Volvo dealer, VCUK, or the insurance co. which paid for the original replacement.

If your screen 'breaks' then most ins policies pay out without much excess and without affecting claims history, so perhaps this will be the most pragmatic solution. Taking on a big fight for a small excess is maybe not the most effective use of time and effort..... Good luck to you of course if you do fight VCUK as it is a wrong which should be righted.

[baskie]

Hi, my 2008 V70 has the same issue. Water sloshing around the bulkhead, water leaking from the lights in the centre front roof, and upon inspection I discovered the screen moves away from the body of the car, about 1-2mm, when light pressure is put on the inside.

I've bodged the water getting in for the time being with some duct tape, but has anyone instructions on where to drill the holes to drain it? I've searched high and low and can't find them online anywhere.

Thanks.

BTW- Local Volvo dealer (Belfast) offered to drain it, for £150. Politely declined

[GrantA]

Originally Posted by baskie

Hi, my 2008 V70 has the same issue. Water sloshing around the bulkhead, water leaking from the lights in the centre front roof, and upon inspection I discovered the screen moves away from the body of the car, about 1-2mm, when light pressure is put on the inside.

I've bodged the water getting in for the time being with some duct tape, but has anyone instructions on where to drill the holes to drain it? I've searched high and low and can't find them online anywhere.

Thanks.

BTW- Local Volvo dealer (Belfast) offered to drain it, for £150. Politely declined

Firstly take the duct tape off - carefully!!! as it could damage your paintwork, I was told this way back at the start of this Thread. As a temporary measure use electrical tape or something "lighter" (less sticky) than duct tape. Yes you can drain the water off but I recommend you get a windscreen replacement firm to removed the screen, rebond it and replace it. It is doable and will cost circa £100 but there is always the chance the windscreen might break - I was told a new one from Volvo cost £399 + fitting. Do a search on here and you should find details of where to drill the holes - IIRC it is somewhere in this Thread.

Welcome to the Forum and good luck.