96 Explorer Leaking rainwater when car is parked

My 96 xlt seems to be leaking whenever it rains because it gets a dreadful mildew odor the next time I get in the car. I could not find any wet areas. I looked at the headliner (since some said the roof rack leaks), the area around the windshield, and the areas around the doors. The only one that was suspicious was the back glass. I compared it to a 97 xlt (which seems to be almost identical). My gasket seems a bit bent up but so did that one. I did notice two differences.

1) the part of the gasket just in front of the latch mech seems to have a split in it (or is there where the two ends meet.

2) on the 97 there is a hard piece of plastic that is attached and runs the length of the glass. It seems to make contact with the gasket when the glass door is closed. Mine does not have that plastic piece.

Any suggestions? thanks!

Reply to
Bilbo
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I've having almost the same problem with my '98. I found the wet place... it's under the carpet, driver's side, rear floorboard. Just behind the driver's seat.

The carpet padding gets wet when it rains. It happens when rained on while sitting still. I can't find a wet place where it appears to be running around the door seals, down the B pillars, nothing. The top of the carpet does not get wet, just the padding underneath. Since it happens while sitting still, it seems that it is not coming up through the floor, but from the front or rear door, or the roof, then down the side under the molding.

Right now I'm leaving the carpet loose so it can dry out between rains, and I can continue to look for the culprit. Next step is to get my wife to hose down the outside while I'm inside and looking for the source.

Good luck with yours!!

Jack

Reply to
Jack Goff

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