How to stop water leaks from draining your wallet

Nip costs in the bud by finding source of the problem, Brian Turner writes.

With labour rates approaching $200 per hour in some areas, any type of repair involving diagnostics can send shock waves into the sturdiest budgets. One of the biggest time-clock culprits is a job not all shops want to tackle in the first place — water leaks.

In fact, this task is so universally hated, a whole host of companies have sprung up that deal only with water leaks. Mainstream shops have moved away from this because of complaints from technicians working in tight quarters — no one wants an unintended shower — and from customers who faint when presented with invoices based on a mechanic’s time. Even automakers, who are otherwise very strict about paying warranty claims for jobs that are only to be done by qualified and trained technicians, will eagerly pay for an outside service to do this job.

Often, the lion’s share of a water leak repair bill deals with pinpointing the source of water entry. That’s where a little snooping and detective work can save you gallons of cash.

Why should you bother? Even small, intermittent leaks can cause a lot of problems if left unchecked. Interior fabrics and carpeting can develop unhealthy mould and mildew, and no interior electronics or wiring is shielded to be waterproof.

Vehicle leaks can be divided into two main categories: those which occur when it’s raining, and those that only occur when driving on wet roads. The latter is caused by wheels splashing water up into poorly sealed body seams. Testing for this type of leak is problematic, unless you can find a water-soaked road after the rain has stopped.

If your ride is suffering from an upper leak — only occurring in the rain or at a car wash without undercarriage sprays — you can easily duplicate the leak in your driveway with a garden hose and nozzle on the shower setting. With a spotter sitting inside the vehicle to check for water, start at the front and work your way back.

Once the entry point is spotted, mark it with tape and make a note of where the water was being directed.

Common entry points are door and windshield seals, body seams, roof-rack mounting points, and roof-mounted lamps. When it comes to body seams, the A-pillar is very popular; this pillar runs from the roof to the floor, and it’s where multiple panels meet. No matter how accurately these panels and structures are welded together, they are slathered with seam-sealer at the factory to help ensure they’re water resistant.

If the interior is damp from previous rainstorms, it’s often helpful to dry things out before doing your own testing.

Having all your leak reports ready to take to your shop can substantially shorten the amount of diagnosis time and reduce your overall repair invoice.