Leaking side window

sbmcd · Aug 19, 2023

Jimmylondon07 said:
Noticed a small amount of water in the cupboard under the hob this morning. Had some pretty heavy rain overnight, is this likely to be a leaky side window? Couldn’t see any evidence of ingress around the window itself. There are some drops along the back panel and a couple of pools along the metal trim.

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Check along the top of the waste water tank for evidence of a leak, it's best if you take the cutlery.drawer out for a good view.

I found cleaning the window rubber seals ans mating faces with silicon spray on a cloth made a bit difference.

To test the window drain, the small hole in the drain slot near the front, use a syringe, water should exit below the window.

GloriaDoodlefly77 · Jan 5, 2024

Crasher said:
Worked a treat for me.

Hi

So my husband and I are about to embark on your solution for leaking into kitchen cupboards.

Few questions if that’s ok?

What size plastic tube did you use? And also when you ref drilling, what did you need to drill? (Apart from drilling into waste pipe).

Would the pipe not just push through and come out back of kitchen (obviously going thru faulty flap drain thing)

Also I presume you had to take sliding window out to access the second drain hole.
Where did you join the two pipes before fitting it into waste pipe?

I hope you don’t mind me asking. Desperately trying to avoid replacement window!

GloriaDoodlefly77 · Jan 5, 2024

Hi

So my husband and I are about to embark on your solution for leaking into kitchen cupboards.

Few questions if that’s ok?

What size plastic tube did you use? And also when you ref drilling, what did you need to drill? (Apart from drilling into waste pipe).

Would the pipe not just push through and come out back of kitchen (obviously going thru faulty flap drain thing)

Also I presume you had to take sliding window out to access the second drain hole.
Where did you join the two pipes before fitting it into waste pipe?

I hope you don’t mind me asking. Desperately trying to avoid replacement window!

GloriaDoodlefly77 · Jan 5, 2024

ArunAlec said:
Best test is to use a syringe and direct water down the drain hole.
I would focus on the faulty drain rather than the window rubber/seal. Hard to believe that VW have not sorted this yet! My 2013 T5.1 had the side window replaced 6 years ago and the flaw in the drain was obvious well before that.

Hi do you mind me asking if you happen to know if the latest sliding window (whole unit) kitchen side would be compatible with my 2012 5.1 se?
I have seen new one (genuine) for sale online (considerably cheaper than VW want to charge me) that says it’s compatible with T6 and 6.1. I thought they all fitted eachother?
Also thanks for your very useful explanation with regards the dreaded leaky window situation. It helped me diagnose and also attempt to trouble shoot my leaking windows.

rod_vw · Jan 6, 2024

I think there are a number of variations in glass tint etc. I would advise going to a dealers and asking for the part number of the one for your particular VIN and then ask the vendor of the part number of the one that is for sale. If they are the same you stand a chance of getting the correct one.

I think, if you investigate the plastic parts that make up the drain system on these windows whilst it's out of the vehicle you may find that you can fix the leak problem by carefully bonding the parts together much better that VW do. It's impossible to see what you are doing to do that with the window bonded into the vehicle.

Mrpat · Feb 11, 2025

Crasher said:
Could always drill and fit a micro bore pipe .

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Hi. Having drain issues on my van, I was thinking of a solution like this. And come across this post. Had a poke around behind the cupboard with a bore scope. And I’m assuming you’ve had to drill through the steel panel directly below the window drain?

Crasher · Feb 11, 2025

The window drain is plastic.I just drilled and through after looking at opposite sliding door mechanism which I was able to repair as I had access. Epoxy resin the pipe in place.Hope this helps

kave · Feb 12, 2025

The only solution that lasts is tape on the outside. I guess a lot of vans have this problem without owners noticing it.

Crasher · Feb 12, 2025

kave said:
The only solution that lasts is tape on the outside. I guess a lot of vans have this problem without owners noticing it.

That is a permanent solution.Not one I saw fit for my intended use of van.All year round so ventilation important to me.Not had water down back of kitchen since draining into grey tank.3 years.

Mrpat · Feb 13, 2025

Crasher said:
The window drain is plastic.I just drilled and through after looking at opposite sliding door mechanism which I was able to repair as I had access. Epoxy resin the pipe in place.Hope this helps

I fixed the sliding door one. I had that apart and sealed it up. Drains to the outside now, so got a decent idea of how the drains work.

But looking below my kitchen window it seems to be completely covered by bodywork, so can’t see any access to route the pipe.

I can drill through plastic drain, but have you had to drill through the metal work below so you can get the pipe to go down into the cupboard area?

Crasher · Feb 13, 2025

Mrpat said:
I fixed the sliding door one. I had that apart and sealed it up. Drains to the outside now, so got a decent idea of how the drains work.

But looking below my kitchen window it seems to be completely covered by bodywork, so can’t see any access to route the pipe.

I can drill through plastic drain, but have you had to drill through the metal work below so you can get the pipe to go down into the cupboard area?

View attachment 132544

No once you drill micro bore pipe hole it just runs down back as per my pictures .Then I bonded a speed fit socket into flex pipe all sound now.No issues etc.Then I sprayed lanoguard down into sills from under cabinet.

Caliconfidential · Mar 1, 2026

Hello - I had the leaking inside the van a couple of years ago and cleared the drain and all was well> However just had the leaking return and I used a cable tie which dissappeared inside but did not exit on the outside. I think this may have been an error! I then syringed some water into the front hole and it dissapeared! Didnt come out the normal drain hole location. I am now worried it has gone inside the panel, can anyone advise?

Crasher · Mar 2, 2026

Caliconfidential said:
Hello - I had the leaking inside the van a couple of years ago and cleared the drain and all was well> However just had the leaking return and I used a cable tie which dissappeared inside but did not exit on the outside. I think this may have been an error! I then syringed some water into the front hole and it dissapeared! Didnt come out the normal drain hole location. I am now worried it has gone inside the panel, can anyone advise?

Only fix I can advise is a permanent on which I have done.No other way without removal of window and maybe kitchen to achieve another temporary fix .very poor vw design in my opinion along with butterfly window clips which I have also modified for a permanent engineering solution.Please follow instruction I have posted .Make sure to rust gaurd inside sills after .

S A A · Tuesday at 12:25 PM

Crasher said:
Could always drill and fit a micro bore pipe .

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@Crasher
Apologies for jumping on an old post- we have this problem too, and the drain hole seems like the ‘workings’ underneath the hole must have been dislodged, as water just goes down the hole and into the van. Temporarily, my only fix has been to seal the hole and use a towel to soak up any water on the sill.

Crasher- would you mind just helping by answering a couple of questions:

1) did you just drill down from above, with a normal drill and bit (size?) , straight through (presumably just drilling through the knackered drain hole plastics and then into the void?)

2) do you recall what size microbore pipe you used?

Thanks in advance.

Crasher · Tuesday at 12:47 PM

S A A said:
@Crasher
Apologies for jumping on an old post- we have this problem too, and the drain hole seems like the ‘workings’ underneath the hole must have been dislodged, as water just goes down the hole and into the van. Temporarily, my only fix has been to seal the hole and use a towel to soak up any water on the sill.

Crasher- would you mind just helping by answering a couple of questions:

1) did you just drill down from above, with a normal drill and bit (size?) , straight through (presumably just drilling through the knackered drain hole plastics and then into the void?)

2) do you recall what size microbore pipe you used?

Thanks in advance.

Y3s I drilled from top as had enough room Drill size needs to be size off microbore pipe you use .I used pipe from a dishwasher chemical hose I could get and john guest fittings to couple to tank etc.I could measure pipe when I get home with gauge if you like.

S A A · Tuesday at 1:06 PM

Crasher said:
Y3s I drilled from top as had enough room Drill size needs to be size off microbore pipe you use .I used pipe from a dishwasher chemical hose I could get and john guest fittings to couple to tank etc.I could measure pipe when I get home with gauge if you like.

Be really helpful if you could thanks- I can just measure the hole myself I guess when I’m home but if you’ve already successfully done this job it would be helpful to know what you used.

And am I right that you are literally just drilling through the drain hole plastic workings underneath (so no metal framework etc) and then in theory the piping will just push through into the void, and then I can fit it to waste pipe.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Crasher · Tuesday at 1:10 PM

S A A said:
Be really helpful if you could thanks- I can just measure the hole myself I guess when I’m home but if you’ve already successfully done this job it would be helpful to know what you used.

And am I right that you are literally just drilling through the drain hole plastic workings underneath (so no metal framework etc) and then in theory the piping will just push through into the void, and then I can fit it to waste pipe.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

Correct .I linked both weap holes so it would breath and run any water into the waste tank .didn't drill the tank as felt it better to go into the waste pipe for easy access and cleaning /replacement.Apoxy resin the pipe in place.

S A A · Tuesday at 1:34 PM

Crasher said:
Correct .I linked both weap holes so it would breath and run any water into the waste tank .didn't drill the tank as felt it better to go into the waste pipe for easy access and cleaning /replacement.Apoxy resin the pipe in place.

Thanks again- think I’ve got it now! When you say you linked both holes, sorry which two do you mean? The only drain hole I have that is blocked is the one as per your image - do you just mean you linked that drain hole and the sink waste pipe? (Which is what I plan to do)

Crasher · Tuesday at 2:19 PM

The

S A A said:
Thanks again- think I’ve got it now! When you say you linked both holes, sorry which two do you mean? The only drain hole I have that is blocked is the one as per your image - do you just mean you linked that drain hole and the sink waste pipe? (Which is what I plan to do)

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There is also one under the window further back .That one is the one hard to get to can't remember if I had slide window out for that one .Also done a repair for butterfly clips .Mine won't fail again.

S A A · Tuesday at 2:29 PM

Thanks that makes sense. Yep that other drain hole on mine still works ok (for now at least!) so I’ll just do the more obvious front one for now

Crasher · Tuesday at 2:33 PM

S A A said:
Thanks that makes sense. Yep that other drain hole on mine still works ok (for now at least!) so I’ll just do the more obvious front one for now

Great.Mine on other side slide door worked but very bad engineering. Only my opinion.

S A A · Tuesday at 3:37 PM

Yep I think a lot of people have that opinion judging by these threads!!
Thanks very much for your help, if you wouldn’t mind just letting me know size of the micro bore pipe you used when you get chance please- much appreciated!

Crasher · Tuesday at 8:00 PM

S A A said:
Yep I think a lot of people have that opinion judging by these threads!!
Thanks very much for your help, if you wouldn’t mind just letting me know size of the micro bore pipe you used when you get chance please- much appreciated!

6mm is pipe osd. Make sure pipe connectors you get will fit first before drilling. Where are you in the country?

S A A · Tuesday at 8:22 PM

Crasher said:
6mm is pipe osd. Make sure pipe connectors you get will fit first before drilling. Where are you in the country?

Thanks very much, ordered some. I’m in Lancashire. Thanks for your help, got what I need now and shall get it sorted next time I’m off. Thank you.

Crasher · Tuesday at 8:27 PM

S A A said:
Thanks very much, ordered some. I’m in Lancashire. Thanks for your help, got what I need now and shall get it sorted next time I’m off. Thank you.

Nice 1

Leaking side window

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