Windscreen: Water ingress on x70/80 P3 models 2007 on

[Pidgeonpost]

This morning I used a watering can and soft brush to remove a mass of birdsh*t that nesting Swallows had deposited on the roof of the car immediately above the driver's door, down the window, and some on the windscreen. On getting into the car I discovered that I too have the 'undocumented feature' of the P3 V70 - a leaky windscreen.
There wasn't much water, just a couple of trails down the inside of the screen, hardly enough to register on the duster I used to dry it off.
We've only had the car since February and I've never noticed this before. I wash the car using only the hosepipe to wet it, then bucket and sponge, then hosepipe to rinse, so it seems slightly odd that the leak should manifest itself when only using a watering can.
I've read through the 'Sticky' and various other posts on the topic and it seems to be a lottery whether Volvo show an interest or not.
I haven't tried pushing the screen as I suppose there's a possibility I could make matters worse.
It's a Volvo screen, though I've no way of knowing if it's the original one.
Think I'll monitor it for now.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

This morning I used a watering can and soft brush to remove a mass of birdsh*t that nesting Swallows had deposited on the roof of the car immediately above the driver's door, down the window, and some on the windscreen. On getting into the car I discovered that I too have the 'undocumented feature' of the P3 V70 - a leaky windscreen.
There wasn't much water, just a couple of trails down the inside of the screen, hardly enough to register on the duster I used to dry it off.
We've only had the car since February and I've never noticed this before. I wash the car using only the hosepipe to wet it, then bucket and sponge, then hosepipe to rinse, so it seems slightly odd that the leak should manifest itself when only using a watering can.
I've read through the 'Sticky' and various other posts on the topic and it seems to be a lottery whether Volvo show an interest or not.
I haven't tried pushing the screen as I suppose there's a possibility I could make matters worse.
It's a Volvo screen, though I've no way of knowing if it's the original one.
Think I'll monitor it for now.

OK, couple of weeks down the line, and I can now see a couple of dried tracks where water has leaked down the inside of the screen on the passenger side. What are the chances of Volvo offering to remove and rebond the screen on a 15 year old car? I recognise that a breakage will cost me. I know I could attempt a DIY repair, but if the screen ensures the structural integrity of the shell of the car it doesn't seem a good idea.

[Olaf Els]

Originally Posted by Pidgeonpost

OK, couple of weeks down the line, and I can now see a couple of dried tracks where water has leaked down the inside of the screen on the passenger side. What are the chances of Volvo offering to remove and rebond the screen on a 15 year old car? I recognise that a breakage will cost me. I know I could attempt a DIY repair, but if the screen ensures the structural integrity of the shell of the car it doesn't seem a good idea.

I've had recent experience of this, and I don't think the age of your car is relevant. Your 15-year-old V70 will be eligible for a free of charge screen removal and reseal. As you realise if the screen breaks you will be forced to pay for a replacement, which I feel is quite wrong as the problem stems from a manufacturing fault. The windscreen is generally recognised as a safety item so I believe it should have been subject to a recall.

It's worth noting that some Volvo dealers offer a windscreen repair/replacement service themselves having been trained by Volvo UK to do this. My information is that Volvo-trained technicians are much less likely to break the windscreen on removal than the normal specialist organisations. My advice would be to find one of these Volvo-trained dealers and use them.

I've never been totally convinced that a windscreen forms part of the structural integrity of a car. It will break very early on during an impact, and I can't understand how it could reinforce the metal shell around it. What it could do is to prevent unrestrained items or people from exiting through the windscreen aperture.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by Olaf Els

I've had recent experience of this, and I don't think the age of your car is relevant. Your 15-year-old V70 will be eligible for a free of charge screen removal and reseal. As you realise if the screen breaks you will be forced to pay for a replacement, which I feel is quite wrong as the problem stems from a manufacturing fault. The windscreen is generally recognised as a safety item so I believe it should have been subject to a recall.

It's worth noting that some Volvo dealers offer a windscreen repair/replacement service themselves having been trained by Volvo UK to do this. My information is that Volvo-trained technicians are much less likely to break the windscreen on removal than the normal specialist organisations. My advice would be to find one of these Volvo-trained dealers and use them.

I've never been totally convinced that a windscreen forms part of the structural integrity of a car. It will break very early on during an impact, and I can't understand how it could reinforce the metal shell around it. What it could do is to prevent unrestrained items or people from exiting through the windscreen aperture.

Thanks for this, Olaf. Somewhere in this thread is a suggested email address for Volvo Customer Service (though it'll be on their website), so I guess that's going to be a good place to start. I'll also look at local dealer websites too just to get a feel for things.

[Pidgeonpost]

Last Thursday I bit the bullet and got my windscreen rebonded. Not by Volvo, and not free of charge, unfortunately, but in the end I was pushed into a bit of a corner time-wise and the job needed doing ASAP.

I began by filling in the online enquiry form for my nearest dealer and following up with a phone call just after lunchtime Thursday. A robotic voice informed me that I was number 23 in the queue, and 25 minutes later a nice lady told me that this wasn't my local dealer, but the call handling service for the group. She would ask my local dealer to contact me.

While waiting for the call I decided to hedge my bets and made an enquiry with Autoglass, but was told that they were not handling requests of this nature, they were only taking insurance company work. I had no grounds for an insurance claim (there's never a suicidal pheasant about when you want one), so that option was out.

Still no call back from the dealer and I was getting twitchy as a week on the coast beckoned and 'er indoors was making noises about 'just getting it fixed'.

A bit of Googling threw up a local branch of auto glass specialists with good reviews, and they actually had an instance of the Volvo 'water feature' on their Facebook page. I rang them and my voicemail was returned within 5 minutes. Yes, they were familiar with the problem and could do the job - £130+VAT - with the proviso that if the screen broke on removal I'd foot the bill - £245+VAT including fitting. They said they could do the job next day (Friday), but I explained that I was waiting for a call back from the dealer and would get back to them ASAP.

By late afternoon I'd heard no more from the dealer, and the window for getting it fixed was narrowing, especially if it involved a three-way dialog between dealer and Volvo UK and myself; I decided to go with the local specialist. Phoned to confirm it, and they said that they would order a new screen overnight 'just in case'.

Next morning while waiting for the fitter to arrive I had a call from the Volvo dealer. He had some knowledge of the problem, but none of the details I'd supplied on the online form. Repeated everything, he ummed and ah'd a bit and was noncommittal about me bringing the car in for a looksee. I said I was aware of the risk of the screen breaking at which point he said a new screen was over £1k which I said was over the odds from what I'd read on the forum. He then mentioned £600-ish, so who knows? He went on to say they could have a look, but (sharp intake of breath) their diary was very full, he'd have to get back to me, so I put him out of his misery by telling him I'd already made other arrangements.

A couple of hours later the mobile fitter arrived. He said he'd just come from doing a V60 screen which almost but not quite came out in one piece.

Anyway, my luck was in, and after about 30-40 minutes the screen was out. The black seal that runs around the perimeter of the screen came away with the screen apart from at the top of the screen, where it remained attached to the body shell. For whatever reason the bond between the seal and the glass had failed along the top edge.
The repair guy took about 90 minutes for the whole job and advised not to use the car for at least an hour - I left it two days. I haven't tried a hosepipe on the car, but it's passed the watering can test and several heavy downpours.

A couple of pics...

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I fully accept that Volvo might have done this repair FOC if I'd had the time to pursue it with them. I didn't.

With regard to the windscreen's contribution to the strength of the car, I was interested to read this on a dealer's website. https://www.volvocarspoole.co.uk/new...andards/103580

[Olaf Els]

That's really good news for you. Neither Autoglass nor National Windscreens would handle mine (Autoglass because they only do insurance jobs, NW because they feared exposure to claims for damages). I went with a smaller supplier, who broke the windscreen. The replacement was very much more than you were quoted.

I know I've written this before, but I can't understand how Volvo have managed to escape liability for what is a very obvious fault in the manufacturing process of either the car or the windscreen. Either way, they supplied both.

[Pidgeonpost]

Originally Posted by Olaf Els

........ I can't understand how Volvo have managed to escape liability for what is a very obvious fault in the manufacturing process of either the car or the windscreen. Either way, they supplied both.

Unprompted by me, the fitter said that if I was in the US Volvo would be fixing this as a recall because of the safety angle. I don't know if that is the case.
A spin-off in my case is that I got to keep what I think is the original Volvo screen which may prove useful should it spring a leak in future, though I'd have no hesitation in using the local company as my first port of call.

[IAEB]

Hi Guys, I seem to have solved my leaks. We have had several downpours over the last few days and all has been dry inside.

My advice is:

Don't try to seal a suspect bit here or there,

Go Nuclear, assume every cm of the glass is leaking and seal up the whole perimeter. You'd be surprised where it can leak in.

In my case it was all bonding failure around the glass, front and rear.

Hope it helps

[rickmethven]

So, booked car in for next week on safety recall for seatbelts. Happy days. Mentioned windscreen leak which has appeared in last week...(only had car couple of months). Dealer quoting 2.5 hours, 212 quid...plus parts.... (sealant). Would love to know what you folks have said to get it fixed free!

[IAEB]

Hi Guys,

I have posted before about my woes regarding V70 water leaks.

My initial mistake was in looking for the exact leak location.

In reality the P3 front windscreen and rear tailgate window bonding was
faulty, this is a production line failing.

I've cured my leaks and from that experience, I would recommend the blanket approach, assume the whole window bonding area is suspect, clean it out as best you can and seal the whole periphery with a polyurethane sealer.

Don't use silicone! - I've seen it mentioned, but silicone sealants release acetic acid to cure - hence the pungent smell... It eats steel.