[philwarner42!]

After having a wet passenger carpet and all manner of strange electrical malfunctions I looked for Odyssey Roof seam videos and found

which I followed to remove the roof rails and the covering strips. There was also this comment under that video:
there is a gap at the front of the channels where they join the windshield SO THAT water can drain. The leak issues on our Odysseys are mainly due to the seams leaking. Therefore, if the seams are sealed as per this video - and not utterly gooped up, which would lead to water pooling in the channels which is no good - then when it rains the water cannot penetrate the seams and will run out the front and back sides of the channel. Any blocking of the front and back will lead to water pooling, which is not good. So, make sure that gap at the front, where the windshield and roof join each other is not blocked with gunk.

The seam did not look too bad, but there was a lot of debris under the strips and the debris at the front was damp. I cleaned the seam area with Dawn Ultra followed by flushing with water, drying, and wiping with alcohol as recommended in another video. I bought a 10 ounce tube of white 3M 5200 “fast cure” marine adhesive/sealant to seal the roof seam. Oops! The 5200 directions say to use solvent like acetone to prepare the surface and DO NOT USE ALCIHOLS BECAUSE THEY PREVENT CURE. It also says it should be used within 24 hours of breaking the seal.

So...questions.
First is it OK to wipe the seam with acetone now? Can it damage the paint?
Second, is that really a drain at the front of the seam to let water run down under the windshield?
I ask because my problem was water in the passenger foot well and dampness at the fuse block and relays behind the side panel there, and that is the area I need to prevent water intrusion; I didn't have water anywhere else in the Ody.
Here is a photo of the gap at the front of the right side seam that I am asking about.

and this is the mess of debris that was under the strip

 

[Frontporch]

I cleaned mine up good with a toothbrush. I used rubbing alcohol to clean it up. I sealed with GE silicone sealer and smoothed it out nice, keeping sealer off the studs but trying to cover everything else. I did not goop up around the rubber by the windshield.... only following the metal to metal body seam.

I tested it with a hose ( no leaks ) but found it was still leaking after a few rains. I sealed again and it has been dry since.

If I was doing it again, I might do more research on which sealer holds the best. UV is not an issue, you just want it to last. Maybe a marine sealer of some sort... not sure.

 

[thscott]

Most people use silicone. There is an automotive seam sealer product. NAPA for example.

 

[macisgr8]

We have an ‘05 Touring that leaks up front to drop on or about the fuse box and back in the area where the spare tire would be and it gathers in the area where the rear seats disappear into.
The whole PAX tire debacle is another expensive failure. And now I’m learning about the VCM problem!

I thought the big money Honda Automotive group would help us, the poor consumer, (who were foolish enough to trust them) fix their manufacturing defects.
But No they will keep their millions of dollars bonuses and charge us to fix their flaws.

I had faith in Honda, thought they were the best but after this debacle and add in my 1st gen Civic Hybrid with the hybrid battery being replaced 3 times and the CVT transmission shudder problem, I’m done buying Honda.
I had an ‘89 Chevy Camaro RS, it lasted 15 yrs and 180,000 before the actual steel roof rusted thru. I loved that car.
But the lesson we need to learn is Don’t keep your vehicle more than 10 years or it becomes a money pit.

But to that last statement, how do the Cuban people keep their 1950ish cars on the road? (As I shake my head)
I am sorry for the rant but I’m sick of all this dishonesty.

 

[kaimanson]

We have an ‘05 Touring that leaks up front to drop on or about the fuse box and back in the area where the spare tire would be and it gathers in the area where the rear seats disappear into.
The whole PAX tire debacle is another expensive failure. And now I’m learning about the VCM problem!

I thought the big money Honda Automotive group would help us, the poor consumer, (who were foolish enough to trust them) fix their manufacturing defects.
But No they will keep their millions of dollars bonuses and charge us to fix their flaws.

I had faith in Honda, thought they were the best but after this debacle and add in my 1st gen Civic Hybrid with the hybrid battery being replaced 3 times and the CVT transmission shudder problem, I’m done buying Honda.
I had an ‘89 Chevy Camaro RS, it lasted 15 yrs and 180,000 before the actual steel roof rusted thru. I loved that car.
But the lesson we need to learn is Don’t keep your vehicle more than 10 years or it becomes a money pit.

But to that last statement, how do the Cuban people keep their 1950ish cars on the road? (As I shake my head)
I am sorry for the rant but I’m sick of all this dishonesty.

Sorry for having so many issues with ur Ody, some problems can be fixed easily as those water leaks by resealing the seams, some like VCM can be more difficult to repair (rings) but VCM Muzzler can avoid that. Quality wide every manufacturer has their ups and down, new cars with new technology are going to have issues. Is always good to wait a few years when a new Gen comes out; 05-07 had some weak links...that were fixed in late 07-10. Regarding those cubans old cars running, comes down to survival.... trust me, anyone in the island will trade an Ody 2005 with leaks for one of those antiques....

Classic Cars and the Cubans That Keep Them Running

If you’re a classic car buff, Cuba is just about the greatest place on the planet.

www.anywhere.com

 

[MrRangerZr1]

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