Roof leak in 2015 Vista 27N

TSparks · 10-26-2020, 12:51 PM

We have a roof leak on the passenger side of the coach. Water comes in above the passenger window. Not while it is raining, but after we start moving. A shop said they repaired it by re-caulking the whole seam at the front of the RV; still leaking. Any suggestions. We have no idea where to start the search.

IOS 3 · 10-26-2020, 05:10 PM

So, the leak is only when you are moving - after it has rained? Or does the AC condensation also get inside after you begin moving? Are you the original owner, and this is a new issue? Or is this issue new to you? Has the unit been stored under cover or exposed, and in what conditions?

powercat_ras · 10-26-2020, 07:38 PM

I had water entry at the seam between the front cap and the roof where it curves on the passenger side, solved by taping over the entire roof to front cap seam with Eternabond Tape from one end to the other. This elimintated the leak and the requirement to inspect and repair the seam caulking yearly..

Reniram · 10-26-2020, 07:59 PM

Had the same with my 2020 29ve vista..turned out the passenger side outside seam by the awning fixture was the culprit.....had to silicone the the side /top seam from the front cap rearwards to about 4 feet under the awning...problem solved.. Winnebago must have cut the sheeting a bit too short and their caulking process doesnt cover the joint....damn shame to have to worry and fix Winnebago shortcomings on a brand new rig

TSparks · 10-27-2020, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IOS 3

So, the leak is only when you are moving - after it has rained? Or does the AC condensation also get inside after you begin moving? Are you the original owner, and this is a new issue? Or is this issue new to you? Has the unit been stored under cover or exposed, and in what conditions?

We have owned the rig for a year and a half.We are the second owners. Noticed the leak shortly after purchase. Took it to a dealer for repair along with a list of other things. They said they fixed it. As soon as it rained we noticed it was still leaking. We don't notice any water coming in until we start moving. Don't think it happens with the A/C, but then we haven't used the A/C much at all. The unit has been covered most of the time. It has been uncovered since June. We had a recent rain, didn't notice any leakage until we started moving. The water is entering the rig above the passenger side window right at the seam between the roof and the cap. I think I will look at redoing that whole seam between the roof and cap again.

IOS 3 · 10-27-2020, 09:41 AM

That seems like the right approach. Water intrusion like you describe sounds like it is getting in and behind something, and then when the rig moves either the flexing or forced air across the top is driving / releasing the water into the rig. Also, just because the water is getting inside the rig where you describe doesn't mean that's where it begins it's travel. It could be entering through a damaged seam further away, and traveling under the seals to that front point. Point being, inspect ALL the seams and look for anywhere water could be getting under seals. A little counter-intuitive I know, but the visible interior leak and the origination of that water may be further apart than one would think.

TSparks · 10-31-2020, 07:46 AM

I cleaned and resealed the curve of the front cap as well as the first 4 feet of the passenger side trim that the roof material sits behind with Pro Flex. We had some rain and so far no leak. If that doesn't do the trick I will try something else. Thanks to all who helped me out here.

**creativepart** · 10-31-2020, 08:02 AM

This thread about WBGO roof leaks on our sister site irv2.com may help. Here’s a link:

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f101/pos...ml#post5497855

RonBonoSr · 11-01-2020, 05:04 PM

I have a 2016 Winnebago Vista LX , 27 N. I had a water leak in the driver's side. I put down Eterna Bond tape on the entire seam between the cap and roof. Still leaked! Next, checked 5 clearance (marker lights) and found evidence that water had entered the light fixture. Sealed the exterior of the light fixtures and saw a big improvement. I seem to still be getting a small quantity of rain water getting in from the weep holes with heavy rain. Not a significant amount to worry about but will keep my eyes on the issue! Remember water intrusion is the number 1 cause of damage to your RV!
Good luck in stopping the flow of water!

wyocamper · 11-01-2020, 07:36 PM

I have a 2015 Vista 27N, bought used in 2017 with 14,500 miles. Everything on the roof including the front and rear caps were sealed with Eternabond when I bought it. I don't know if it was done by the dealer (Lazy Days RV in Loveland, CO) or by the original owner.

I haven't driven much in the rain and have no way of know if the previous owner did either, but there's no sign of water intrusion in the front overhead cabinets.

jabass · 11-01-2020, 08:48 PM

I, too, had a leak and could not find the source. Used eternabond tape over every seam on roof and caulked top of marker lights. Problem solved. (Be sure to prepare the surface before laying down tape)
That was 2 years ago and everything is still o.k.

NeilV · 11-02-2020, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSparks

I cleaned and resealed the curve of the front cap as well as the first 4 feet of the passenger side trim that the roof material sits behind with Pro Flex. We had some rain and so far no leak. If that doesn't do the trick I will try something else. Thanks to all who helped me out here.

The front marker lights are a common source of water intrusion. They often just have a foam rubber gasket behind them which after a few years can turn to dust. Clean them up and reseal them with a Silicon RTV (I used Clear on mine) but use the specified Manus Bond on the rest of the roof to sidewall and front cap seams. If silicone has ever been used on those you will need to clean those seams thoroughly with acetone before applying new urethane adhesive sealant.

Note that Urathane Adhesive Sealants generally have a very short shelf life and may only be good for 9 months from date of manufacture so be very careful to check the date codes on any that you purchase. Eternabond with its Butyl Rubber Adhesive does not stick well over silicone caulked seams or onto silicone protected surfaces and will be more prone to lifting and early failure.

**creativepart** · 11-04-2020, 11:51 AM

I was cleaning my RV to get ready for a trip and I checked out my front marker lights.

All 5 of them had loose lenses, rusted screws holding in the surround and every one of the screws were stripped enough that they could not be tightened - they just spin. One of the lights is about 1/3rd full of water.

This is too big a job to handle today - and it's not due to rain for a week or more so I'll tackle this project when we return next week.

I didn't check the rear's but I'll bet they are just as bad.

I have not seen any water leaking inside that I can pinpoint as coming from the marker lights.. YET.

IOS 3 · 11-04-2020, 03:11 PM

Hey Creativepart - sorry to hear about your marker lights. Safe travels, and how about an update on what you find - and how you repaired it - when you get it all wrapped up? I'm guessing it will be in my future as my rig has the same lights etc. Thanks in advance.

**macnut** · 11-04-2020, 03:31 PM

Yes, I’d love to hear how it goes, since I’ve never had to fix a marker light yet. Since we have the same year RV, I bet mine are just as bad.

**creativepart** · 11-04-2020, 04:51 PM

I'll be sure to report back. Not going to worry about it until then.

Here's where we're going tomorrow - 6-nights in Port Aransas, TX at Gulf Waters RV Resort. 70's every day and 60's every night.

IOS 3 · 11-04-2020, 07:20 PM

Great park. Enjoy!

IOS 3 · 12-24-2020, 12:10 PM

Any updates on your clearance lights and what you did to address the problem?

Cajunmech · 12-28-2020, 09:01 AM

I had similar issues. I went to Home Depot and purchased a product called Henry Tropic Cool RV roof sealant. I pressure washed and scrubbed the roof with Dawn dishwashing liquid and bleach, then I removed all covers and such, dug out any sealant that seemed brittle and misconfigured and recaulked with a window and door caulk. Then rolled the entire roof with the Henry product. It is very thick and it took almost two gallons at 60.00 pre gallon. All leaks are fixed and the roof looks great. It took me about two days to complete. Beware this means getting up on the roof and I have to say it wasn't the most pleasant experience but the roof is good to go.

RonBonoSr · 12-28-2020, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TSparks

We have a roof leak on the passenger side of the coach. Water comes in above the passenger window. Not while it is raining, but after we start moving. A shop said they repaired it by re-caulking the whole seam at the front of the RV; still leaking. Any suggestions. We have no idea where to start the search.

I repaired a similar water leak on the driver's side by putting silicone caulking around all five marker lights. It stopped the leak. Good luck.