How to quickly and cheaply repair a leaking windshield using Permitex Flowable Silicone! 

I have a 1996 GMC Safari van. In 2018, a rock hit my van 3 inches above the windshield seal on the driver's side, causing a dent which started a leak directly above the ignition switch inside the vehicle. I went to several auto glass repair shops and got the same diagnostic report. Replacing the windshield alone would not solve the internal leakage. I would need to have body work done to rebuild the damaged roof area first. Surprisingly, a technician who overheard what I was told by the shop manager at the last glass repair shop I visited approached me outside of his office and told me get some exterior silicone to temporarily stop the leakage without having body work done or replacing the windshield. I applied it directly to the seal, let it cure, and then I went two extra steps further. I applied two coats of Flex Seal spray over the cured silicone, and then applied two layers of white Flex Tape over the entire area - too much, in fact. This temporary fix lasted 4 years, with only an occasional small amount of leakage from the impact damaged area, which I dealt with by stuffing wads of paper towels under the panel whenever it rained hard enough to cause leakage. On May 10, 2022 , the entire internal panel area under the outer windshield started leaking - from the driver's side across to the passenger side door. I bought some Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer, 4 cans of Flex Seal Clear, and a professional grade hybrid interior clear silicone. It took me over 3 hours to scrape off all of the previous repair tape, Flex Seal, and exterior silicone. I took a screwdriver to clear the seal area, used paper towels to drip rubbing alcohol into the seal area, waited 15 minutes, and applied three coats of the Permatex across the entire seal area, each coat at 30 minute intervals. My intention was to overdo it again by applying Flex Seal Clear over the Permatex the very next day. I never got that chance. We had severe thunderstorms in my area for four consecutive days, and two more days of heavy rainstorms after that.. I never got in my Safari for that entire week after applying the three coats of Permatex. I would look inside of it every evening, and I did not see any standing water on my rubber floormats as I had been. I pulled it out of my back yard to mow the lawn on May 22, 2022. Just as I was finishing up, another heavy rainstorm developed. I put the lawnmower away, put my van back in the yard, and just sat there in it for the duration of the rainstorm. There was no water leakage whatsoever. I intend to leave well enough alone at this point.

6 years later and still helping people thanks great vid!

The right way, then there's my way. You're my kind of guy. This is my weekend project. Thanks for sharing

Thank you for making this video! It it simple and to the point, and easy to follow. It is hard to find a video to do that I’ve been looking. I haven’t done it yet but I will and hopefully it comes out as good as yours.

Excellent video! Wish every diy video were this good. Thanks!!

You sound like an astronaut with your audio setup, I keep waiting for you to say... "Houston, we have a problem"

Thanks. I have a 98 Z71 and we finally got some rain. Got in the truck and saw a drip. Your video has just what I needed, great job on helping people.

Thanks! Looking forward to sealing up my window this way. After watching this, I feel confident that I can do it & it won't cost a fortune. Especially love the tip on using Rust Fix because I hadn't realized there was such a product & my car has a lot of rust spots, so hopefully that will slow them down.

. Thanks so much. I appreciate you spending the time and giving the tips that’ll make the job easier on my 78 Dodge Aspen. Aloha

You really should have over one million subscribers!

If you have major leaks then you will have to fill the gap and watch and wait for air bubble then hole to form where the sealant has sunk down into a crack or hole and then keep reapplying until no more bubbles or holes come back.

Yep...! Much less expensive then risking , than busting my windshield and rear window on my ( 1971 Karmann Ghia ) ....! You got my VOTE...! First nice sunny day this is my project......🎵👍🎶

Thank you, great tips! I have some spots on my 1994 Honda Civic that need touch up. This sounds like the ticket! : )

very comprehensive. Nice work

Whoever installed the windshield for my Cobalt did a horrible job so when it rains I have water pour in when moving from a standstill. I am definitely going to try this, my original plan was some everyday silicone sealant but I will look out for a windshield sealant kit like this. Thanks for the tips!

Bro!!! the best easy tutorial!! THX

Thank you for the video this what I am going to do . You went into detail each step . 5 stars

Actually the "AC Delco" touch up paint from the dealer comes in that exact same applicator; probably made by Dupli-Color. Thanks for this video though. I have a crack in my windshield and need to replace it anyways but will do so later when I have more money after Christmas. For now I bought the brand of this same sort of product that O'Reilly's sells and it seems to have fixed up my window leak (unrelated to the crack) for now. I also had a leak in the seams of my trunk and used the Permatex Black Rubber Sealant and am happy with how it seem to have worked.

Very good video. Very helpful. Thanks for posting.

Excellent video - thank you!

Nice job, great info

We got a 21-yr-old Ford and it just started leaking, this is of course what I'm going to do!

Thank you so much! Doing on my 2003 F150 tonight.

Appreciate the video! very helpful.

Thank you, I am having that same issue with my truck. Thanks so much.

Stuff works great! I have 2 lekas and thought it was the small cracks of the seam sealer in the roof. I also noticed the front shield had been repaired before and looks horrible. It's still leaking so I'll need to remove that strip completely and do it again. I was also think the second leak could be the antenna.. I guess I'm right because it still leaks after applied this on the cracks. To bad¡ Let's hope I can fix that antenna with this stuff. I tried taking out roof liner but I need to take out the complete hatch interior for that just the reach the antenna to be able to unbolt it and seal it up again. I'm gonna try masking it of super tight and lay a very thin bead of this stuff

thanks, it rained like mad today and my 2000 astro van windshield started leaking. I will try this fix .

Good stuff man

Thanks for the info. God bless you my friend

Thanks for posting

Maybe a fingernail file could reach some of the rust closer to the windshield. My back windshield leaks really bad on my 1985 F250. I'm going to try this today.

I have an 04 Cavalier that the window is leaking at the top ...cause by an improper install... I may try the stuff you used

Good video thanks for sharing!

This may be okay if you are flipping the truck, however, if it's your precious taco that you want to keep for a long time, please pay a windshield guy around $100 to have windshield taken out and reseal with the proper urethane windshield adhesive. What you have under the windshield is not silicon, and this method may fix it for a while but it traps water on the edges or underneath and cause rust again. I got my 89' pickup and 2004 taco fixed the same way and had the same leak.

My 96 Chev is doing the same thing. Going to do this tomorrow, thanks man

Thank you so much it very helpful

I think this will work on my Chevy Tahoe side panel window.👍

nice details.. thanks (Melb. Australia)

just used this on my 96 chevy 1500. theres a small crack from top driver side that runs towards driver side mirror. has never gotten any bigger over the years. hopefully this stuff fills in the seams and works. i even did the sides like you mentioned. do you recommend. going under the tape?

Since you can not get to the rust under the seal(and considering its a small spot), could you flow something like Fluid Film (would seep into the pinholes) before the Permatex? Just a thought

Thank you!

Great video ! Purchased a NEW 2020 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT in Nov 2021. After the 1st car wash I noticed a few small streams of water on the inside of the glass. The PERMATEX 81730 FLOWABLE SILICONE WINDSHIELD AND GLASS SEALER, 1.5 OZ. sounds ideal to fix these leaks. I was curious how how many tubes of this did you use to go across the top of your windshield.

My trunk is be full of water and I need to seal the little cracks around the ends to help

Thanks bud good video explaining

Nice video but why don't you just go ahead and fill the rest of the upper windshield so water doesn't works its way into the other areas too? If its happen there then I'm sure its effecting the areas around the too...you just can't see it since its not rusty. Thanks! I wish I have hear of this products before today. I had a leaking rear windshield too and what I did was just bought the 100% silicone and used that product instead. I'm sure works the same but I prefer the running methods where it can go and find the undetectable areas under the seal etc..

Thanks

thank you

Ty!!

Good.

You could pour some camper roof sealant 😊

Frog tape is king!

My truck's windshield has begun to leak, I think. I just noticed water lines running down the interior of the windshield. So, will the silicone also run down the interior of the windshield? And if so, do I need to use tape to stop it? or is it thick enough that it will stay along the top? Thanks for your help.

hmm didnt know they make patch panels for that area

Great Video, is there any reason to paint first and put the silicone after ? I would have done the contrary....

THANK YOUUUUUU

How do we know if it's pinholes and not a skip. I also heard that once you use silicone you can't use an adhesion over it if it fails.

My Gosh. Without getting deleted, I will give you a positive note on the products in which your using. Let me help everyone here with some knowledge. 1. The rust you see at the top of the molding along the body was formed by the windshield being replaced. The installers mistake was that he did not use a primer on the scratches he caused, thus the creation of rust. What your seeing is that the windshield in that area has dis-bonded from the pinchweld of the car. Thus the leakage. The application of silicone your using should be back filled inside the vehicle below the head liner, and inside the pinchweld, not outside the car, as I am sure this thing still leaked. I should do a video on this one day.

Ive got a leak and its at the bottom on the corner and the side. Will i be able to squirt this stuff upwards? as obviously gravity will make it want to run down.

On the Permatex Windshield and Glass Sealant instructions it suggests avoiding skin contact. I guess you survived the skin contact without consequences. I'm going to wear disposable gloves, just in case.

Question - Is Rust Fix in black? How did you spray it without masking off the roof first?

@ID10CRACY - After two years, how has this repair held up? Are there any leaks? Thanks!

I saw where they said don't use silicone because it expands with weather temps.

Did this product run through the gaps and onto the inner side of the windshield?

how runny is it? because i have to run a bead that is fairly vertical

I would DEF put some mineral oil (there may be a better oil... idk) across the whole rust prone windshield gap. do it well before you use silicone. seal the oil in there to slow rust even more.

I've heard not to use silicone to seal windows because it expands and contracts with temperature change. Have you had any issues with leaks since applying this?

does this glue have bad smell?

How long did it last? Still no more leaks?

Chevy design flaw? It’s called tolerances. 1/8”, 1/16, or 1/32”. Your best guess at Chevrolets tolerance for tolerances? How ‘bout “ this: “ good enuf for who it’s for? Good enuf for who it’s for.

You noticed water inside your cab... _where inside_ did you notice the most water pooling???

Great video...however, I have a HONDA and if you put painter's tape on a HONDA, the original paint peels right off!!! Then it matches the areas where the paint has already fallen off. Gotta love Honda. After four Hondas, I'm never buying one again.

How long did it last

thats gonna piss off the guy who will be removing the windshield later. I wouldnt do this on a collectible car, body shop guy will be pissed off dealing with silicone in the rusty areas he has to fix

Don’t use this method I did it on my 92S 10 that was leaking at the windshield and the silicone only lasted four months

If you ever need to replace it you just made it twice as hard for a glass man

Half of the video seems more of an advert for dupli-color when he should have been discussing the permatex sealant instead

How to quickly ensure your pinch weld continues to rust*

Thanks