Brand New Passport Leaks

[charliecwalker]

Three weeks ago, I purchased my first travel trailer, a 2016 Passport 2920BH. While on our first trip, I noticed water had leaked into the front storage compartment and the outside kitchen compartment. Has anyone else had similar problems with a brand new Passport unit? I called the dealer and a representative in the service department suggested that I bend the tabs on the locks to make the seal tighter. I did that and upon checking the compartments this afternoon, I again found puddles of water in all the storage compartments.

I've read several posts on fixing leaks similar to these, but I don't think I should have to do perform a repair on a brand new unit.

Any suggestions? Dealer is about 2 hours away, but I'm thinking that my best bet is to return it and have the leaks fixed.

[slow]

I had water coming in to my under bed storage compartment from the cargo door top hinge extrusion. The cargo door frame has an extrusion that acts as the door hinge attached to the underside of the top portion of the cargo door frame that rests against the sidewall. Water collected on the top of the hinge extrusion and seeped into my baggage compartment. The fix was to place a bead of silicone along the joint made by the horizontal top surface of the hinge extrusion and the lower vertical surface of the door frame.

If this does not make any sense let me know and I can take and post a picture tomorrow in daylight.

BTW: The lip on the door frame would most likely not allow water into the baggage area even with a loose seal unless you were in motion.

[chuckster57]

I would take it in. Your under warranty, and it's up to, the dealer to diagnose and repair the issue. FWIW we don't test compartment door seals as a routine part of a PDI, and I don't know of any dealers that do. I have seen this issue in all price ranges of RV's so it's not necessarily a passport or Keystone issue.

[therink]

I had water coming in to my under bed storage compartment from the cargo door top hinge extrusion. The cargo door frame has an extrusion that acts as the door hinge attached to the underside of the top portion of the cargo door frame that rests against the sidewall. Water collected on the top of the hinge extrusion and seeped into my baggage compartment. The fix was to place a bead of silicone along the joint made by the horizontal top surface of the hinge extrusion and the lower vertical surface of the door frame.

If this does not make any sense let me know and I can take and post a picture tomorrow in daylight.

BTW: The lip on the door frame would most likely not allow water into the baggage area even with a loose seal unless you were in motion.

I have hadfront ccompartment leak and was same top hinge problem as ddescribed above. Same solution. I fixed myself using caulk (thin bead neatly) along top of hinge where it meets door opening top molding. Hose tested when done and no further leaks.
My outside kitchen door leaked to but this was due to the exterior frame installed with too much gap alongower edge making the weather strip to not get full seal. Had to install new door frame assembly and make sure the bottom edge was pushed up 1/4 inch or so from where the previous lower edge was installed. Never leaked again.
I fixed both myself and dealer provided parts under warranty. I trust myself better than my dealer repair facility. That's just me. I'm too anal retenative.

[charliecwalker]

I had water coming in to my under bed storage compartment from the cargo door top hinge extrusion. The cargo door frame has an extrusion that acts as the door hinge attached to the underside of the top portion of the cargo door frame that rests against the sidewall. Water collected on the top of the hinge extrusion and seeped into my baggage compartment. The fix was to place a bead of silicone along the joint made by the horizontal top surface of the hinge extrusion and the lower vertical surface of the door frame.

If this does not make any sense let me know and I can take and post a picture tomorrow in daylight.

BTW: The lip on the door frame would most likely not allow water into the baggage area even with a loose seal unless you were in motion.
Thanks for the advice. I think I understand what you did, but a picture would be great.

[Tbos]

I had a one time leak in my front storage on my TT. Dealer put a new seal on it and have not had the issue again. You might try crawling into the storage and have someone hit it with a hose to help you find the origin of the leak. Good luck.

[slow]

................... You might try crawling into the storage and have someone hit it with a hose to help you find the origin of the leak. Good luck.

That is what I did! :)

[charliecwalker]

That is what I did! :)
Is there a particular type of silicone that I should use?

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[chuckster57]

Any quality silicone will work, just clean the surfaces good. We use denatured alcohol.

[slow]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160512/2b64e62eaf266a86f31a1b4d749f7112.jpg

Hope this helps.

BTW: I use marine clear silicone. Seems to adhere better after cleaning with isopropyl alcohol.


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[charliecwalker]

Thank you very much

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[cfd123]

Just had a lot of rain here and had water in the rear compartment of our month old 2017 2810bh. I will be putting silicone on the top of the hinge. Looked to me like that was the cause, went over the hinge, down the backside of the door and into the compartment.


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[charliecwalker]

Did that work for you? Seems to have worked for me.

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[cfd123]

Did that work for you? Seems to have worked for me.

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Yes it did. We have had some very heavy rain and no problems after sealing it up.


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[canesfan]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160512/2b64e62eaf266a86f31a1b4d749f7112.jpg

Hope this helps.

BTW: I use marine clear silicone. Seems to adhere better after cleaning with isopropyl alcohol.


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That ^ has to be the neatest caulk job I have ever seen. :thumbsup: I did mine yesterday. I hate caulking. I cut the tip too small to begin with, figured smaller the better, easier to control. Well, I may or may not have gotten enough on there to do the job. We'll see as it poured overnight. At least I learned the stick your finger in soapy water to smooth it over trick. Worked very well. Whole job, both doors, only took 1 beer. I'd post a picture but you all would probably laugh. Might need to peel it off, cut the tip the next notch bigger, and try again.

[slow]

Comes with practice.

That one was freehand, but tricks to get a clean bead are: use electrician's tape to define the edges and use your finger very soon after applying the silicone or caulking to smooth out the bead to the edge of the tape. Then peel off the tape as soon as you are done smoothing it out.

BTW: The other side did not work out as well for me, LOL.

[canesfan]

Thanks for the tips! I had read about using tape, but that seemed to be more trouble than it's worth, but I may try it sometime when I'm more ambitious. :)

[lawdog130]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160512/2b64e62eaf266a86f31a1b4d749f7112.jpg

Hope this helps.

BTW: I use marine clear silicone. Seems to adhere better after cleaning with isopropyl alcohol.


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Thank you for the picture! Two of my storage areas were getting water inside. I just applied silicone as you did and no more leaks!

[chuckster57]

Down and dirty quick- we lick our finger to smooth the bead, and then clean our finger tip with a rag.

DO NOT do this if your working with Sika Flex.

[JRTJH]

A "wet finger" either with spit or Vaseline works well to smooth a silicone bead. There is a tool designed to do the job. I made many of them myself from a disposable plastic putty knife, by using a razor blade to cut off a corner at a 45 degree angle. The size of the silicone bead varies by how much of the corner you cut off.

Or, you can buy the "handy tool" at most hardware stores.

https://www.amazon.com/Homax-5860-2-Piece-Caulking-Smoother/dp/B000H5VX2W/ref=pd_sim_60_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=N6VE6DV1WPTMDXVTD6YY

[Bigiron]

No leaks, but I am going to check mine as well. As for caulk, lay bead of caulk, spray over with foaming window cleaner, then wipe off with finger.