[iainb]

I've noticed the past few times it's rained that if I lower my windows and then raise them the windows are wet, it appears we have moisture in the door. This can last up to a few hours after a rainfall.

I haven't ever seen a car do this, especially a new one. Is this happening to anyone else? I guess my first worry is mold growing in my doors.

 

[EastTeleSki]

I've had this happen to me on several occasions, though it does go away.

 

[4wheeldog]

Is it just on the outside of the windows, or on the inside, too?

If it is just outside, it is probably just the seal being soaked. If it is inside, take it to the dealer.......Something is not right.

 

[iainb]

Is it just on the outside of the windows, or on the inside, too?

If it is just outside, it is probably just the seal being soaked. If it is inside, take it to the dealer.......Something is not right.

Only on the outside.

 

[subiesailor]

doors are not water tight. They have the inside - side of the door sealed with a plastic wrap to prevent moisture and cold air from passing through the door card but other than that any water that finds its way down the window into the door simply drains out the bottom weep holes. Every car is like this a sealed door would result in major rust issues by the way.

 

[iainb]

doors are not water tight.

I know how doors are typically constructed.

It doesn't change the fact thatI have yet to drive a car that holds moisture in the door like my Outback. I have never had a car that got the windows wet when they were inside the door...

 

[OutbackUFO]

Did you check the drain holes on the bottom of the doors?? If they are somehow plugged up you should hear water sloshing around inside and you need to open them up obviously...
We had 10" of rain with TS Isaac down here, and my OB did quite well. No issues with water in the doors.

 

[Tabb]

doors are not water tight. They have the inside - side of the door sealed with a plastic wrap to prevent moisture and cold air from passing through the door card but other than that any water that finds its way down the window into the door simply drains out the bottom weep holes. Every car is like this a sealed door would result in major rust issues by the way.

+1. Totally normal. No such thing as a sealed door when you have a moveable window. If the window is wet going down, it will be wet going up. Furthermore the outer belt molding weatherstip usually gets saturated and will transfer water to the glass on its way up.

 

[Ruby Doo]

@ Tabb. Exactly.

 

[iainb]

+1. Totally normal. No such thing as a sealed door when you have a moveable window. If the window is wet going down, it will be wet going up. Furthermore the outer belt molding weatherstip usually gets saturated and will transfer water to the glass on its way up.

/sigh

Who said anything about the window being we when it's going down? My window is completely dry going down. It's wet coming up. My OP was pretty clear on this.

Again, I have NEVER seen a vehicle do this. Ever.

 

[subiesailor]

/sigh

Who said anything about the window being we when it's going down? My window is completely dry going down. It's wet coming up. My OP was pretty clear on this.

Again, I have NEVER seen a vehicle do this. Ever.

Just because your window is dry does not mean the seal at the bottom of the window is dry. My windows dry in just a few minutes when I wash the car but they will come up wet as soon as I lower them and raise them.

See my earlier post the doors are not water tight meaning yes the gasket at the bottom of the window might be wet when you lower a dry window. Every car I've ever owned has done this.

 

[iainb]

Just because your window is dry does not mean the seal at the bottom of the window is dry. My windows dry in just a few minutes when I wash the car but they will come up wet as soon as I lower them and raise them.

The person I quoted said wet window down, wet window up- I was clarifying that I am talking about dry windows.

See my earlier post the doors are not water tight meaning yes the gasket at the bottom of the window might be wet when you lower a dry window. Every car I've ever owned has done this.

I'm not talking minutes after a rain, I'm talking hours after...

Forget it. Apparently reading is a bit tough for some of the people on these boards...

 

[subiesailor]

The person I quoted said wet window down, wet window up- I was clarifying that I am talking about dry windows.



I'm not talking minutes after a rain, I'm talking hours after...

Forget it. Apparently reading is a bit tough for some of the people on these boards...

You clearly want an answer that does not exist. On hot humid days I can wash my car in the morning and lower the dry windows in the after noon and raise them only to have them wet.

THE SEAL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW MAY STILL BE WET!
If this concept is too difficult for you to grasp then perhaps the UFO's flying over your house are pissing in your car doors when your not looking.

 

[chrisi]

You clearly want an answer that does not exist. On hot humid days I can wash my car in the morning and lower the dry windows in the after noon and raise them only to have them wet.

This has been my experience with my Outback, Mazda Miata, Nissan Maxima and Toyota Tundra. The doors will be damp for a few hours either after a washing, or a rain storm. The Miata stays wet for the longest, but I've never considered it something to worry about.

 

[plain OM]

I have the same on my 07.

I don't think it's moisture inside the door cavity itself. Instead, I believe it's water caught in underneath the black wiping strip along the top edge of the door. There's space behind the strip, between it and the glass and wash water can collect there. As the dry glass goes down, this water is transferred to the window surface. (As subiesailor said, the so-called "seal" at the bottom of the window may still be wet.)

Also, the black wiping strip isn't all that tight against the window (to reduce load on the window motors), so as the wet window comes back up, the water isn't wiped off and held below as might a windshield wiper; instead, the water tends to be smudged around, showing up as streaks and drops.

I have the same on my 07, and also on my previous (not Subaru) car. I found that if I leave the windows up for a longer time after a wash, e.g. overnight (presuming in a dry environment), the problem didn't appear after the window was subsequently lowered. (Presumably, the water dried away.) But, if I lowered the window soon after washing the car, and left it down, the next day it would come up dry, but marked by water spots. The water causing those spots could only have been deposited on the glass on the way down. (If it were high humidity inside the door, I would thing it would tend to form a film, like dew, and not distinct water drop type stains.)

Another approach I tried was after washing, I used an air compressor nozzle to blow air between the that wiper strip and the glass. A lot of water came out. After that, I tried lowering and raising the window and the water streaking etc was mostly gone. But this wasn't something I wanted to do every time.

I also that a piece of blotter paper, or thin absorbent fabric, slipped down between the glass and the wiper strip after washing would soak up most if not all the trapped water, but I haven't tried this.

Just my take on something I've lived with for some 10 years now.