Leak in my 06 Safari

[BSmiley]

We have a leak after bringing out the unit from winter storage. I went to the Wentzville, MO dealer, who said leaks are 'difficult to find', and they found the skylight cracked and replaced it.

The leak is still there, but I discovered a website: www.releaks.com that offer a pressure system that could find leaks easily. All dealerships should have them!!!

We still don't know where ours is coming from, but we suspect a rear clearance light may be the culprit, as water comes between the skins and exits at the top of the rear window. We'll check with the next rain.

I think it stinks that an Airstream 6 weeks out of warranty would have this problem!

[CanoeStream]

That sure sounds like a disappointment! It sure is hard finding these leaks. For as much caulk as they schmear on the roof it is hard to find them by inspection. A number of people have posted about the Sealtech leak finding system -- soap bubbles, pressurizing the inside -- similar I bet. Airstream of Arkansas has one that I know of. Good luck -- please let us hear about what you find.

[lewster]

Ou can do your own leak detection system with a little perserverence and a good industral shop vac.

Create a path for the exhaust hose to enter the trailer, and try to eliminate most of the usual, easy to find leaks like around the windows, the Air conditioner from the inside and the front door. You might even tape the door closed from the outside.

Turn on the shop vac with the hose in the 'blower' mode, and you will be gently pressurizing the trailer from the inside. Then using a soap solution in a pump-up type sprayer, go around the roof openings, lights, vents, windows, etc and see where the bubbles form. You don't need a lot of pressure onb the interior to find an air leak from the inside = water leak from the outside.

You'll be amazed at what you find! Hope this helps...............

[Pete Vermont]

WELL, it could be MY brand new 22 ft International CCD. I picked it up at the dealer in Florida a couple of days ago and I haven't even made it home yet. But this morning, upon opening the under-bed storage area, I could SEE DAYLIGHT through a 1/4 inch gap in the outside seam where the aluminum makes the corner bend, down low, just above the road!

So far it hasn't leaked. Then again, so far it hasn't rained! (I wonder if it was 'installed' there as a new type of in-cabinet lighting for these dark spaces?)

[BSmiley]

Thanks for your input. A retired friend who loves a challenge has the unit. He reports he thinks the leak is from the marker light on the rear, has sealed it and I'll pick up the trailer Saturday. Only a rain will tell the tale!
Thanks, Lew about the shop vac tip. I had a Fantastic fan installed that has reverse on it, so may turn it on high to see if it puts enough pressure to show up. Worth a try. My father in law has a big shop vac if it doesn't.
Pete, I'm sorry you had to find daylight.... I don't know, it seems Airstream quality isn't what we expect. The mechanic who explained the operation of our unit when purchased stressed it is a manufactured item several times, now I know what he meant.

We also had to order a new LED tail light, as one unit was only partially burning. I got it today, for $65.00 (shipping & tax). It seems like there is just a bunch of things going wrong at once, just out of warranty.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by BSmiley

Thanks for your input. A retired friend who loves a challenge has the unit. He reports he thinks the leak is from the marker light on the rear, has sealed it and I'll pick up the trailer Saturday. Only a rain will tell the tale!
Thanks, Lew about the shop vac tip. I had a Fantastic fan installed that has reverse on it, so may turn it on high to see if it puts enough pressure to show up. Worth a try. My father in law has a big shop vac if it doesn't.
Pete, I'm sorry you had to find daylight.... I don't know, it seems Airstream quality isn't what we expect. The mechanic who explained the operation of our unit when purchased stressed it is a manufactured item several times, now I know what he meant.

We also had to order a new LED tail light, as one unit was only partially burning. I got it today, for $65.00 (shipping & tax). It seems like there is just a bunch of things going wrong at once, just out of warranty.

I hope that your friend didn't use 'silicone' for that repair job!!!

[lynn]

You will need to remove the screen ,at the top of the window frame and between the bow that runs across above the window is as space filled with caulking. You will need to remove all the gray caulking. Then completely fill this area -approx.depth is an 1 5/8 inches-with new sealer.this should stop the leak.Another causes ,depending if it is the front window, would be from the screws in the stone guard hinge.Remove screws and calk then re-install.

[bolerama]

We noticed cracks where the skylight is bolted to the roof. We ordered a new skylight, but it didn't arrive in time for our summer trip (6 weeks of waiting). We were having a drought here, and forgot about the cracks before the trip. Then the "billion dollar rain", as the newspapers called it, hit us while we were driving. Ugh! Leaks leaks leaks. We think the leaks came from the skylight, but as some of you have said, maybe not. The water trickled down and came out seams in the ceiling and even lower. If you pressed lightly on the walls, water would come out the seams. We put paper towel up to catch some drips. Anyway, we fear the insulation is soaked. What can we do? Will it just grow mould? Can it be dried without removing all the interior skin?

We've only had the trailer for a year. The first summer was smooth sailing, but this second summer seems to be the year of the glitches. We only get to use our trailer for about 4 months of the year. I'm sure we'd get a lot of our warranty work done if we had a longer summer. We fear we won't find all the problems before the end of this summer and then we'll be on our own. It's really too bad...wish we could take the winter off and travel with it and then really see what it's made of...

[silver star]

2007 Safari has two leaks, one the skylight overhead and the other the skylight over the side window. Any ideas.

[soldiermedic]

The pressure test is something that not all dealers offer. I wish I had know back when you had your problem as I live minutes away from the dealer in Wentzville, and offer the testing with this equipment.

Steve

[TBRich]

Dang leaks are so frustrating because they are hard to track. We had a leak coming down through the antenna crank, so we had that looked at and caulked within an inch of its life...and then it still leaked...but only when it rained heavily. With more aggressive searching, our dealer discovered a screw underneath the solar panel that had not been sealed properly. It was shielded from gentle rain, etc, bu the solar panel but heavier rain got in there...water was entering through the screw hole, running across the interior skin to find the route of least resistance...the antenna crank. Happily we have had no more leaks since...and some real heavy rain storms. (fingers and toes crossed)...