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It's raining and my XJ a leaking.

XJCreeper

NAXJA Forum User
It's pouring rain in my neck of the woods so I decided to get my ammo out of the XJ. Open the front passennger side and I've got an inch of water on the floor. I traced the leak to somewhere above the duct where inside cabin air is pulled in.

I suspect the windshield or a leak in the outside air plenum. Has anyone had a leak before here that they'd like to share. I plan to rip it apart as soon as I can but any insight would be awesome!
 
This type of water leak seems to be a common problem on later model XJ's...here's what I did to fix it on my '98.

The first culprit I suspected was the plastic air intake that located under the windshield cowl. You have to remove your wipers, and remove the cowl cover. The intake is underneath some sheetmetal, that obviously prevents water from pouring straight in. I cut the sheet metal away just above the intake. Once I had a hole large enough for my hand to fit in, I simply applied some sealant around the plastic cowl intake, where the foam seal is to seal it off. I then used some plastic sheet to make a "patch" over the hole I cut in the sheet metal. Seal it up with silicon, and you'll be fine.

Unfornately, this wasn't the cause of my leak, but it was good preventative maintenance since I figured the foam seal around the cowl intake won't hold up over time much longer.

This led me to then next possible area for leak, and that one being the foam seal where the blower pokes through the firewall on the passenger side. Pop your hood an take a look at where I mean.....that is an easier fix. You might have to move some piece of emmissions equipment that sort of blocks your access to the foam sealed area, but its only a couple of bolts, and you can lay it aside. Once you have clear access to the blower seal, just apply some silicon all around where the blower meets the fire wall to seal it up, and seal up the foam really well.

Also, there is a wire loom that runs along the fire wall above the blower, that splits off towards the fender, and then runs down towards the engine. In my case, water was dripping off that wire loom and dripping straight into the blower area. That was the source of my leak. Take a look at yours, I bet it's doing the same thing. Just zip tie that wire loom aside, so that it no longer overhangs above the blower.

I haven't had a leak since...
 
Thanks for the detailed information. Mine is leaking exactly as you described and the blower duct is definately involved. It's very wet all around the foam seal at the duct. I'm going to tear into it tommarrow. Hopefully it won't be raining.
 
i have a leak in my windsheild (had it for 3 years now). as i live in texas, i just put a paper towel there to catch it untill i catch a rock....speaking of which that happened last week, so i guess its time to fix the leak now :D
 
had the same problem with my 98. leaks on pass. side. Had it to the dealer and they couldnt fix it either
 
My 97 was the same way.

It was the windshield gasket...between the glass and the rubber. I found it by blowing compessed air along the glass and I saw water wicking through there. Sealed it myself with black silcone and it stopped. Been good for the last two rainy seasons. I sealed between the gasket and body also for good measure (did only the right side).

Hardest part was to dry the carpet and liners.
 
I don't know if you guys know but there was an updated foam seal kit (around the heater core tubes, and blower motor) that Jeep released in 2000 (if I remember correctly). When I worked at the dealership we did a ton of these, the unfortunate issue is that you have to pull the dash back and the HVAC box completely out of the truck.

2 other common water leaks are from the windshield sealant seperating from the frame and the body seam where the upper firewall and lower firewall sheetmetal meet.

The easiest way to see is grab a flashlight and pull the carpet back anf have a buddy hold the garden hose over the venter windshield.

-Dylan
ex-jeep tech ;)
 
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