Roof Leak: A Pillar Upper Area Water Ingress MY2015-2017 Disco Sport

[Sparks]

Anyone with VIN range engine in 200009-202492, 501001-702442, or 960001-962144 MY2015-2017 Discovery Sport have water leaking through the A-Pillar Upper Area (front left/right of roof) and into the passenger compartment since dealer delivery?


If so, please share your experience with this concern, during and after the warranty period, and photos of water ingress stains on the ceiling between front passenger grab handles and top of the windscreen of your vehicle.


According to post on Disco Sports Forum UK, this is caused by certain body panels being manufactured away from the required specification. In some cases, the required body sealant has not being applied in the optimum location to prevent the ingress of water.


See attachments of my vehicles A-Pillar Upper Area (front sides of roof) Water Ingress photos taken in March 2023.


I have been pondering if this ongoing water ingress may have caused existing but not yet developed or manifest damage, or damage that is existing but hidden. Damage that could have both structural (rust) and electrical (corrosion) implications that present serious safety, financial, and operational consequences.

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[FiReBosS]

I think, I have the same issue. I saw some marks like this

[DiscoSpewtum]

Re. this concern….

I initially sent JLR a Letter of Demand on Mar-31-2023 following heavy rain and dripping water into cabin, advising them that the car (delivery date: Feb-29-2016 with 3 yr warranty expiring Feb-28-2019) was a ‘Lemon’ with long-standing/ongoing water ingress on both left and right sides of upper A pillar area, and requesting either a full refund or a replacement vehicle of equal or higher specifications within the Land Rover range of equal or larger vehicle size.


JLR was first advised of the water ingress at the vehicles first service on Feb-23-2017, and arranged a water leak test on Apr-11-2017. But they could not find source of water ingress 'no fault found'. I later arranged a second water ingress inspection on Jan-05-2021 where they stated 'confirmed customer concern' of leak around roof handles and sun visor' and they advised me the only possible source of water ingress could be from the windscreen. They replaced the windscreen outside of warranty on Apr-22-2021 for a 'labour only fee' of $935.00.



On Mar-31-2023, following a night of the car parked in heavy rain, and continuing into the morning, with water ingress dripping onto my lap when i got in to drive the kids to school. I contacted my states consumer trade office and was advised to lodge a complaint form which I did that day, again requesting a full refund or a replacement vehicle of equal specs. JLR replied on Apr-05-2023 requesting to inspect the vehicle for a third time, which I declined, as too much time had passed since I first raised the issue on Feb-23-2017 and they had already made multiple inspections to address the problem during the warranty period, including replacing the windscreen replacement.


Consumer trade office contacted JLR but no progress was made as I refused to let them inspect the vehicle a third time and also as they wouldn’t provide me with a loan vehicle. Trade office advised me to submit an application to my states civil tribunal which I did do. On the evening after the first hearing on Jul-27-2023 I found on a UK Disco Sport Forum a copy of "LTB01176 Technical Bulletin Water Ingress Through the A Pillar - Upper Area" published Mar-29-2018, linking my VIN to this bulletin. I provided this bulletin as evidence in my 'Submissions & Evidence' lodged to the tribunal and JLR on Aug-25-2023. At the final hearing on Oct-30-2023 I advised the Member that the date I found the relevant bulletin is what I considered to be the 'start date' of the 'Cause of action'. Note: This Bulletin oddly advises service centres to advise affected customer to: "CUSTOMER CONCERN CODE: AD1 - Water Leak Around Windshield", even though the work method statement does not require any windshield related work to be carried out. This seems to be to process taken on Apr-22-2021 mentioned above, although they clearly didn’t know about this bulletin in 2021 as the water ingress issue remained after the windscreen replacement.



JLRA got an independent inspector to assess the vehicle at the direction of NCAT ‘Notice of Order’ 25-Aug-2023. This was conducted on 30-Aug-2023, but the JLRA briefing letter to the inspector only referred to "With respect to the inspection, we would like your assistance with confirming whether there is a water ingress concern from the windscreen and/or windscreen seals of the vehicle". The letter didn't mention 'customer concern’ of possible roof leak re. ‘LTB01176 Technical Bulletin' which I provided as evidence on 25-Aug-2023 (prior to the engagement of the independent inspector’, but it was included in the documentation package provided to the inspector which included copies of my previous tribunal submissions.


The tribunals Final Hearing took place on Oct-30-2023 and as of the date of this post, I am waiting for the tribunal outcome of the final outcomes and directions in relation to my application.


At the final hearing on Oct-30-2023, JLR offered to get the car back to the service centre to carry our remediation work per the inspectors report which refers to two bulletins, "LTB01176 Technical Bulletin Water Ingress Through the A Pillar - Upper Area", and “LTB01225 Technical Bulletin - Water Ingress Into The Passenger Compartment".


I will let them do whatever they want to do, but depending on the outcome, I might have to ask for the hearing to be re-heard so I can amend the orders sought (if replacement vehicle not provided) asking for a written statement from JLR addressing my concerns in relation to “ongoing water ingress may have caused existing but not yet developed or manifest damage, or damage that is existing but hidden. Damage that could have both structural (rust) and electrical (corrosion) implications that present serious safety, financial, and operational consequences". If I am forced to keep the vehicle and the water ingress continues I will ask the tribunal to review the decision. I have requested in the application for the vehicle to be replaced due to my remaining concern, being "existing but not yet developed or manifest damage, or damage that is existing but hidden. Damage that could have both structural (rust) and electrical (corrosion) implications that present serious safety, financial, and operational consequences". In my opinion, this damage cannot be undone or reversed.

I have asked for orders for the follow:
An order for JLR to replace the applicants vehicle with a new, demonstrator, or used vehicle of equal or larger size from the Land Rover range - a Range Rover, Defender or Land Rover. The replacement vehicle must feature specifications, add-ons and option packs that are on par with or surpass the ones present in the applicant’s current vehicle listed in the vehicle tax invoice dated Feb-29-2016, tow-bar installation (3rd party) tax invoice dated Oct-22-2022 and as highlighted in red on the provided Discovery Sport 2016 Specifications. The replacement vehicle’s odometer reading must not surpass 48,444 km - being the odometer reading calculated from the service reports to be relied upon by the applicant, as at the date of Mar-29-2018, being the date of issue of Jaguar Land Rover Technical Bulletin LTB01176.


2. An order for JLR to provide to the applicant a comprehensive summary of scheduled servicing if the replacement vehicle is a demonstrator or used vehicle for the portion of time from the date of the Mar-29-2018 Technical Bulletin LTB01176 to completion of the 3 year warranty period, and a letter of certification that the replacement vehicle has no known faults or been in any collision.


3. An order for JLR to provide to the applicant Warranty, Scheduled Servicing, and Parts for the replacement vehicle at no cost for the portion of time that the original warranty and scheduled servicing was in place, as the applicant has demonstrated that the vehicle should have been replaced or rectified within a reasonable period of time, but this was not done.


4. An order for JLR to provide to the applicant a courtesy vehicle, of equal or larger size from the Land Rover range - a Range Rover, Defender or Land Rover, within seven (7) business days of the hearing’s determination until JLR is able to provide the replacement vehicle. This is to address water ingress safety concerns raised by the applicant that the vehicle may have existing but not yet developed or manifest damage, or damage that is existing but hidden or concealed.


5. An order for JLR to provide Scheduled Servicing of the courtesy vehicle at a JLR service centre located close to the applicants residential address.


6. An order that JLR must not require the applicant to sign any confidentiality or contractual agreement in relation to any orders given.


7. An order that the applicants current vehicle is not required to be provided to JLR until registration of the replacement vehicle has been transferred to the applicant.


8. An order that if JLR chooses to order and supply a new Land Rover Discovery Sport as the replacement vehicle, that the applicant shall be entitled to pay the difference to upgrade to a larger sized vehicle in the Land Rover range.


9. An order that within seven (7) business days, JLRA refund the windscreen replacement labour charge of $935.00 and fourteen (14) business days provide the tribunal and the Applicant a written explanation as to why the ‘CAUSE’ referred to in ‘Jaguar Land Rover Technical Bulletin LTB01176’ directs the Service Dealership to ‘Suggested customer concern code - AD1’. Refer Pg. 52-53 - NAS20.07.003 After sales Bulletin - Customer Concern Code AD1 - Water Leak Around Windshield when the cause of water ingress has nothing to do with the windscreen.


10. An order that following replacement of the applicants vehicle, JLR undertake to have the vehicle independently assessed for structural (rust) and electrical (corrosion) damage related to long-term ‘Water Ingress Through The A-pillar - Upper Area’ to determine if the vehicle should be registered as a Statutory Write-Off. Copy of report to be submitted to the tribunal.


I provided the following as my main concerns if I retain the vehicle. The following was obtained as legal advice…


Structural Implications (Rust)
Water has infiltrated the A-pillar area of the vehicle where it has become trapped, leaking into the passenger compartment. This could have led to the formation of rust on the vehicle’s structural components. Rust weakens the metal and compromises the integrity of the A-pillars, which can have several negative consequences:


Safety Concerns:
The A-pillars provide crucial structural support to the vehicle’s roof and play a role in maintaining the structural integrity of the passenger compartment during collisions. Rust-induced weakening can compromise this support and increase the risk of injuries in the event of an accident.


Weakening of Structural Components:
As rust progresses, it can cause metal parts to weaken, leading to the potential collapse of structural components like the A-pillars. This can affect the overall crash safety of the vehicle, as the A-pillars play a role in maintaining the structural integrity of the passenger compartment during an impact.


Longevity:
Rust can spread over time, potentially affecting nearby components as well. If left unchecked, it can significantly reduce the overall lifespan of the vehicle due to accelerated corrosion and structural degradation.


Resale Value:
Vehicles with evidence of water ingress will have lower resale value, as potential buyers will be wary of investing in a car with compromised safety and structural integrity.


Electrical Implications (Corrosion):
Water ingress into the A-pillars may impact the vehicle’s electrical systems, leading to corrosion and malfunctioning of various electrical components:


Corroded Wiring and Connectors:
Water may be seeping into the wiring harnesses located within the A-pillar area and could have led to corrosion of electrical wires, connectors, and components. Corroded wiring could disrupt electrical circuits, leading to malfunctioning of various vehicle systems such as power windows and mirrors, airbags, and the vehicle’s engine control unit.


Electronic Components:
Modern vehicles have a variety of electronic modules and sensors located in the A-pillar area. Corrosion caused by water ingress can damage these components, resulting in faulty systems like airbag deployment, lighting, or the infotainment system.


Fire Hazard:
Water intrusion into the electrical systems could cause short circuits, leading to overheating and potentially result in electrical fires or other safety hazards.


Increased Repair Costs:
Diagnosing and repairing electrical issues caused by the water ingress will be complex and time-consuming, leading to high future repair costs.


Comments:
To mitigate water ingress implications, manufacturers design vehicles with water management systems, seals, and drainage pathways to prevent water from entering critical areas like the A-pillar. Once water ingress is suspected, it is crucial to address the issue promptly by an authorized service centre to assess and repair any damage before it worsens.


Overall, both structural and electrical damage resulting from water ingress through the upper A-pillar area of the vehicle could have serious safety, financial, and operational consequences, underscoring the importance of addressing such issues as soon as they were detected and notified at the vehicles first service on Feb-282017. Vehicles falling within the affected VIN range should have been recalled on Mar-29-2018 when the JLR Technical Bulletin LTB01176 ‘Water Ingress Through The A-pillar - Upper Area’ was published. This process was not undertaken by JLR during the warranty period.