After a very light rain storm, i noticed water dripping from the upper top area of the inner A-post. The water was actually coming from in between the A-post interior moulding and the windshield gasket. Can this be a bad windshield gasket? Can this be the sunroof drains? How do I remove the A-post moulding trim?
This has never happened before after car washes and heavy rain storms, weird that it happened during a light sprinkle.

Thanks!

Is this in your Smart or your Maybach?

Sixto
MB-less

Sorry, this is my 1985 300d

i would check the sunroof drains first. it is possible to ream them out with a wire or cable (try a bike brake cable fitted in a drill).

__________________
'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc.

TRy reaming out that corner of the sunroof's water collection pan drain tunnel with a length of appropriately width weed trimmer line.

Well, before cleaning out the drains, I got a pitcher of water, opened the sunroof, and poured the pitcher of water on each side of the sunroof channels, basically more water than what a rain storm can provide. The drains in the front a-pillar and rear c-pillar were not clogged, they drained the water beautifully! Also, there was absolutely no water dripping from the a-pillar trim piece. The only thing I can think of is it probably is the windshield gasket. I can see in the lower left side that the previous owner applied silicone to try and stop a water leak. Maybe water accumulated in the upper windshield area then released when I started to drive forward at speed. The a-pillar trim didn't leak when parked, only when I started driving. Has anyone experienced this?

THANKS!

You'll have to get a glass shop that knows how to do an old school roped windshield install. I used Safelite but had to bring it into their shop when I had a 123.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but most likely if the windshield gasket has failed then most likely there is rust on the sealing bead. Hopefully it has not spread too far.

You may have to get the shop to pull the windshield, then fix the rust, and then have the windshield shop reinstall the glass.

__________________
The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

The A pillar trim pops off by inserting a large flat blade screw driver underneath the trim and prying at top and bottom. There are two small metal clips on back of trim(top & bottom). Don't loose the clips. They insert into two small oval shaped openings in the body A pillar metal. To reinstall just pop it back on using your fist. One other thing, if you need to remove the windshield I would recommend the purchase of a genuine Mercedes windshield rubber. The aftermarket brands simply do not fit properly.

You know, that is an excellent exercise to determine whether the drains all work! Thank you, for that!

Was there ever a resolution to this? My '85 300D just had the same problem this morning for the first time that I'm aware of. It's been raining here all week and no issue, but this morning I had a pretty nice stream of water snaking its way out from between the A-pillar trim and the horizontal piece it contacts at the top. It stopped and started once or twice on my commute, but I wasn't able to notice any consistencies to help diagnose.

I know my sunroof felt/gasket is old and tired, wondering if it suddenly let go in the last spot it had been holding? I'll try to snake the drain holes as mentioned. I'm not sure it would be the windshield for me, as the leak (I think) was above/behind the windshield.