Is this normal? Damp top corners

[Random23]

I am on an extended test drive for a 98 323ic. I am looking to buy if from family. It has been raining pretty hard and I poked around the inside of the car and saw a few drips from the A frame to onto the seat. It semmed to be wicking through on the felt lined rubber pieces that the windows snug up to. These were all damp but only drip was from the front corner and not really steady. I noticed alot of posts about A frame leak and am not realy asking about that. Sorry I ramble.
What I want to know is these 2 things. Is it normal for the felted rubber to be damp?

And.....

The rear cloth corners, next to and behind the rear passengers heads. These were damp. Not dripping but definitly not dry. Is this also normal?

Top looks really great, rear window needs some cleaning. I would guess the top is only 4 yrs old or so.

Thanks in advance.

[MParallel]

Check out the MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANY topics regarding the top corner leakage that have been posted last....few days.

Come on people....this is getting out of hand.

[Random23]

Thanks, It helps to know how the area is referenced. I would have never guessed that top corner refers to the rear. I would assume that this refered to the top front corners and I did find lots of information and home remedies for this problem. This is the A pillar right?

What are the "dog's ears" if not the rear cloth that covers the hinge area of the top?

[millertimebmw03]

dog ears are the part that covers the hinge, your right.

[millertimebmw03]

And I don't think people will stop talking about the A pillar leak until we have a DIY for the repair ^_^

[palomino]

i think different solutions work for different cars.

i know on my car, the funky looking rubber end caps on the tops of the A-pillar get pinched in the window, instead of the window fitting into the molded groove.

some people say that waterproof fabric treatment solves the problem for them, although i dont see how this could possibly be a valid solution. but whatever.

[millertimebmw03]

i think different solutions work for different cars.

some people say that waterproof fabric treatment solves the problem for them, although i dont see how this could possibly be a valid solution. but whatever.

I just siliconed the entire rubber seal the whole way across the top seal, I'll see how it works but I'm not sure how the weather proofing would work though?

[Random23]

With the silicon the water would bead up and maybe run off rather than wick to the insides of the windows. If you parked on a slope this may work in your favor. Or maybe not, I would have to go out and look again. Thanks for confirming Dog ear question.

[MParallel]

....i know on my car, the funky looking rubber end caps on the tops of the A-pillar get pinched in the window, instead of the window fitting into the molded groove.....

Ah! I have these too. One side is fine, but the other one is also buggered and gets trapped by the window, making it drain water right on top of the window.

I cut a corner out of it, so now water just runs down the side windows.

What buggers me is that these rubbers look small and easy to replace, but they are attached to the rubbers that goes all the way down the a-pillar and if I'm not mistaken (hope I am) all the way down, over the doorsill and up the other way and up to the small rear quarter windows = $$$$$$$$$$$

These funky rubbers....I took them off, but the way it's molded...I thought it would hook up behind that metal piece of the a-pillar top, but the way it's molded makes that impossible...really funky!

My windows doesn't drop as much as it should, what made it pinch the funky rubber.
Funny enough...when I actuate the doorswitch to lower the window...it drops down more than enough to clear the window....

[palomino]

I just siliconed the entire rubber seal the whole way across the top seal, I'll see how it works but I'm not sure how the weather proofing would work though?

rubber treatment and fabric treatment are two very different things.

it seems that the outside of the fabric has nothing to do with the seals, it has no contact points to the car that are critical to keeping water out of the car. it makes sense that treating the rubber would positively affect a car's leaking.

regardless, if they say it works for them, i guess it works for them. i am still not convinced though. :shifty
Ah! I have these too. One side is fine, but the other one is also buggered and gets trapped by the window, making it drain water right on top of the window.

I cut a corner out of it, so now water just runs down the side windows.

What buggers me is that these rubbers look small and easy to replace, but they are attached to the rubbers that goes all the way down the a-pillar and if I'm not mistaken (hope I am) all the way down, over the doorsill and up the other way and up to the small rear quarter windows = $$$$$$$$$$$

These funky rubbers....I took them off, but the way it's molded...I thought it would hook up behind that metal piece of the a-pillar top, but the way it's molded makes that impossible...really funky!

My windows doesn't drop as much as it should, what made it pinch the funky rubber.
Funny enough...when I actuate the doorswitch to lower the window...it drops down more than enough to clear the window....
yeah, ive been told that you cant even order a new piece from the dealer. :(