How to Stop a Convertible Leaking
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- How to easily stop a convertible from leaking.
A lot of the time a convertible leaks because the seal isn't working properly, and this is mainly due to the fact that it's an overlooked part of the car. No one likes a leaky convertible so in this video I show you how to quickly and cheaply fix one of the most common problems with convertibles.
Products used:
All Purpose Cleaner.
Detailing and Toothbrushes
Sonax Gummipfleger and Gummipfleger Sift
Chemical Guys VRP
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*Disclaimer:
All videos are produced for information only. The opinions and techniques shown are my own. I accept no responsibility for any loss or damage caused by following any of my videos or the techniques shown. Always try any techniques in a small inconspicuous area first. If you don't know what you're doing please leave it to the professionals, or seek professional advice. 
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Just to add as below , Ref the Vaseline this is a petroleum product and should not go any where near rubber. Gummi Phlege is designed for this task and works very very well.
You lost me when you recommended using Vaseline on the rubber seals. Vaseline will cause rubber seals to disintegrate over time. As a scuba diver, I learned years ago that you always want to lubricate rubber seals with a silicone lubricant which, unlike Vaseline, is compatible with rubber.
Agree and disappointing the author decided not to respond or update the recommendation from Vaseline to a silicone lubricant. The instructions were otherwise helpful. I will be unsubscribing.
I was going to say the same thing. My convertible stays outside all year long and I use silicone because...well the convertible needs to be kept in good condition but my pole barn and garage are full with my workshop and 6...let's say pricier cars
I have not been able to find any videos about Saab convertible leaks and the very first general video I watch uses almost my exact car…. Thank you so much.
Fabulous advice I feel like I’m driving a tug boat bad leak on drivers side. Will try this 👍
I'm new to the soft top community and I recently bought a MX5 MK3 NC that is in excellent condition. The top is the original, it's a tan color and has very dark lines across the front and where ever the frame pushes on the fabric. I've tried to clean them but no luck. I do have a couple leaks and I bet once I apply your advice on fixing leaks they will be gone. Thanks for the great tips!
just bought a Saab exactly same problem so this is a great help thank you
Great video, my saab is leaking quite bad now in several places, next dry day ill follow your tips,
Good simple idea which I hadn’t thought of, to clean the seals. My old Z3 has a leaky rear end, not pleasant, and the boot collects water around the battery. I bought a good quality cover for £25 and I keep a close eye on the weather forecast😊👍
Thanks man, glad I stumbled across this video before I started buying things I didn't need to fix my leaking
No problem 👍
Thanks will try this. My bmw 2 series has leaked from the corner since I got it. Now i'm trying to part exchange it and forgot to mention the leaky roof. Need to fix it asap to avoid them knocking anymore money off!
Thanks for the video! I just noticed some water in the back of my 92 Saab 900.
Great advice. Ill be trying this on my Astra twintop
Dear friend thank you for the great video please define the all purpose cleaner a good drand to buy or something. Thank you
Thanks for showing how to stop the water leaks 😊
Thank you for your video. My husband's car leaks on him when it rains. I'm hoping I can use this video to stop the leaking and have a happy dry husband.
How'd it go?
I have a 2005 Saab arc, looks just like youre car. I don't think they used sealant when they did the top last year because the bottom of the canvas is wet? so when I put my hand into the liner the canvas is soaked on the inside? is there a sealant I can use on the top?
Kinda ironic that this was the first video that popped up when I searched fixing a leaking convertible, and it happens to be the same vehicle I'm working on.
Simply and pratique !
Just found this video.
I'm my 2nd 9-3 convertible now.
Mine is also steel grey and after sorting out the cabin filter
I still water in the footwells after a few days heavy rain.
It's been so bad I've not had chance to fabsil the roof yet but that's not causing the pools
Nice video sir.... I've enjoyed the video's I've seen so far. Also I agree, if you want a job done right, do it yourself. Looking forward to your next video.
Thank you :) I think that most us who take pride in our cars would rather have the satisfaction of learning and doing it ourselves. I have lots of vids planned, just got to find some time, it's manic busy here at the moment! Thanks for watching and commenting
the lid to the top stowage box leaks audi a5 cab 2012. Dealer replaced and said they adjusted pressure with no change. . I was thinking to put a piece of silcone tape on the plastic underside of the lid were it meets the seal ? - also figure out how to adjust it down more myself. Maybe the vaseline can be the final step? I heard gummi pledge soft was fine - I used it - that gasket is gone now since the dealer changed it.. but it did not make anything worse. If anyone reading this knows how to adjust the tension on the stowage lid for the audis, please respond :-) I see audi has redesigned the whole area to try and rectify the design flaws on some of the drains and junction points with the box lid and top.
Did this work well? I have a 2008 Saab 9-3 Aero. It’s leaking where the two seals meet together.
Vaseline will degrade seals, it's better to use a Silicone grease/lubricant as an water/ice deterrent and to help preserve your seals.
Can you do a video on moisture getting into the trunk and destroying thousands of dollars of filming equipment :)
Thanks big time!
awesome video!
Thanks!
Another great vid msl, thank you. How did you come to have this knowledge? Was it from a past job or just a general interest in not getting ripped off by a garage? Thanks for the upload :-)
Cheers. I've worked around and been around cars most of my life and I did my apprenticeship as a mechanic when I was young so I learned things throughout the years. Other than that it's a lot of trial and error and just problem solving. I never like taking my car to a garage. Where I worked we used to do everything right and took pride in our work (my boss saw to that, god help us if we tried to bodge anything) it's just not the same nowadays and good people are hard to find.
My Supercar Life I agree, that's why I detail my own cars every weekend :-) thanks for the response.
Exactly. Like the saying goes "If you want a job doing properly, do it yourself"
Hopefully fixed water leak In boot of my 2005 Aero convertible today ! Coming in through aerial on tonneau cover 😩 took everything apart and siliconed it - fitted new boot seal
🙏fixed it
Fingers crossed!
Yes all done ✅
thank you for the advise
No worries!
Great video
+ctrmint thanks 😊
I probably missed a part where you explain why we should clean the seal. How does brushing the seal prevent water leak? Also, I get leak not just at the part you described but also from the center of the ceiling. I guess there is no way to brush that one.
It's the dirt build up on the seals that causes the leaks. By cleaning the seal you remove the crusty built up grime and reveal the soft rubber seal, which stops most of the leaks. You could try re-waterproofing the hood to see if that solves some of your problems with the middle leaking, it may have become porous
Use some flex seal and coat the entire roof
@@jeffhelmick8065 genius
@@noahbarrio3651 shot a year later and mines still sealed up used a paint roller and flex seal in a can lol
I drive Audi A5 Convertible 2014. It started to leak this year April 2018. Fixed it at Audi. Had another problem. Fixed in May 2018. It rains today (9/28/2018) and it leaks even more and not just from the corner but also from other areas. My entire roof (plastic?) looks wet as if water got absorbed. I am so frustrated.
Cloth are the tops.. Mine leaks where the lid folds down on the top stowage compartment! I am going nuts. That is why I am watching these videos. Dealer replaced gasket - did not change anything. I am trying to find out how to adjust the stowage box lid so it presses down more. One easy thing I am doing this week is treating the top with 303 fabric protectant.. great reviews for waterproofing the fabric. Just ordered on amazon. I have the gummi pledge soft for the rubber. Now deal replaced the seal so for that seal at least it was a waste. Do you live in California?
Thank you so much for your helpful video, I have bought a 2004 9-3 2.0T convertible. Unfortunately I did notice that rainwater does accumulate on the rear side where the spare tyre sits, Any suggestion of what my be causing it? Thank you🇳🇴🙋♂️🐺
did you ever find out the reason?
@@Chubby_Lemon hi; Never ; Sold the car last year.
@@GorgorothBergen-ns7il damn, thats unfortunate. thanks anyway ^^
@@Chubby_Lemon But the car was really a good one.
Can you use Vaseline on all the seals all year long, instead of the other products? After applying Vaseline do I wipe it off with a microfiber cloth, or leave it somewhat caked on? Thank you, very good and informative video!
You can leave it on. I have used this method for years and it works fine. I would leave it caked on over winter when you don't open the roof much, or wipe with a microfiber if you open the roof a lot as the vaseline will become a dust and dirt magnet.
Thank you very much for your time in replying to my post! I do appreciate the added info on how to protect these rubber seals all year long! This video is a great reference, and a great help to save a little bit of dough by not having to replace seals sooner than necessary! Thanks again! :)
You're very welcome!
Thank you for this great video. So, I have 1996 E36 Vert. It looks like I have same problem with yours. I don't want to replace the seals because the cost is so expensive. I used Teroson VR620 but it didn't work well. Still having leaking from A pillar corners. This weekend I will clean all seals as you shown, and use black windscreen sealant. I also used self adhesive seal on the current seals but leaks continuously :( I hope this time will be ok other wise I will have to sell my car because I can't drive it without sunny weather. Sorry my bad English, hope you understand what I'm saying. Kind Regards
Your English is fine, I understand what you're saying. Give the seals a really good clean, this is one of the main things that needs to be done as they have probably gone stiff and are not joining to keep the water out. Try that before putting anything else on, sometimes adding other seals will stop them from working as they don't join properly.
Thank you very much for your answer. Yesterday I cleaned all seals very detailed. There were a lot of dirts even mud. Today is very sunny. I will try water test and write here the results :) Have a great weekend all
I really hope it works for you! Have a great weekend too :)
All e36's a pillar design is bad. You should put some semi rectangular part to level the seal.
1-A pillar drain hole cleaning
2-Check seals (if any deformation, use black silicon a little)
3-Align the whole top if you had some accident ( adjusting at the rear compartment if top cathes wrong to the windshield place.
tr-tr.facebook.com/Soft-Top-Adjustment-BMW-212468535493597/
Ali bey teşekkürler. Arac orjınal 140 bınde cok sukur kaza bela yok ve sayısız temızlıkteki 328lerden. Çok nadir trafıge cıkıyor ama bu su sızıntı cok canımı sıkıyor. Hardtop ayarsız. Fakat tente de komple yenılendı. Az da olsa su gırısı oluyor. Fıtılerde de yırtık kesık kopukluk yok. Gayet guzel durumdalar fakat sızıntı var. Tavanı nasıl ayarlayabılırız bır bılgı verebılırsen ınan cok sevınırım. Tesekkurler
So, to be clear, after cleaning all the seals with soapy water, if I don't have that chemical you used at the end, I can just Vaseline instead, on the rubber seals to add the moisture they need to keep rain out? I want to make sure I do this right, I was about to just buy black silicone epoxy and try to apply it on the top seal instead, creating a double-seal where the soft top closes and joins the frame of the car, to stop leaking. My leak is coming from the A Pillar during heavy rains, and it's embarrassing for my passengers to see this...I personally could not care less, I am an outdoorsy type person who doesn't fear some rain, but passengers may be appalled and angry at having their thighs soaked, especially if they have to be somewhere, plus the water may fall on the power lock and power window switches and cause electrical damage... Thank you :)
Yes, you can use vaseline. Some people say it can harm the rubber seals, but I've never had that problem. Otherwise if you have a tire shine, or something similar (VRP from Chemical Guys for example) you can use that instead, it's just to moisturise the seal after it's been cleaned.
Try to clean it before you seal it up. Unless the seal is physically damaged then 9 times out of 10 it can be fixed simply. The biggest problem with leaks is the damp smell, build up of mould and like you said if it gets in to the electronics.
Worst case, just give it a really thorough clean and see what happens. Sometimes it can take a few tries, especially the first time you clean it, to stop the leaks. You'll be surprised how much dirt gets in there.
Good luck, I hope it works out for you!
How to fix the seal? Mine is torn.
nice and short. will need to do mine soon
Thanks, It's a simple fix and easy to do.
Funny I’m watching this video with the exact same car leaking.
They're a bit of a pain for it. Hope you fix it.
when it rains heavy mine leaks both sides right on the front section!!
Bro same, and the soft top cant operate, hope i fix it quickly
I have that exact leak. I'm going to try this & will let you know. What would you suggest for revitalizing an older top that just needs some TLC?
These leaks are a pain! I had to re-do this every winter to stop it leaking. Give the top a good clean with an upholstery cleaner and a nail brush. If you have access to a carpet shampoo machine with a hose nozzle that will work great on a roof but you'll need to buy a waterproofer afterwards. When applying the waterproofer I'd advise using plastic dust sheets to cover the car. You put it in with the roof semi closed, then close the roof to trap the dust sheet. If you get waterproofer on the paint or glass it's really hard to get off.
There are also dye kits you can get that will make the hood look like new. I always worried about them streaking though.
@@MySupercarLife Thank you. Problem solved. Really appreciate your help & great video. Thought I was going to need a new top but with the TLC I'm doing great.
That's AWESOME! Great to hear!
What's your opinion about Auto Finesse products?
I've only used the Auto Finesse Lather shampoo at the moment. I find it cleans well, but for some reason doesn't seem to produce many bubbles in the bucket or on the wash mitt - I fill my bucket 3/4 full with warm water, then add the Lather, then mix with a pressure washer.
It cleans quite well though, but it's sort of like washing with not very bubbly water which I find strange. I'd probably try some other things from their range though to see if they're any good, but I'm not 100% sold on the Lather. Hope this helps. What products are you looking at trying?
I get you, I usually prefer Autobrite but the last time I order something I had to pay £110 on shipping alone and found out that there is a auto finesse distributor in my country. I'll try the lather, iron out, some wheel cleaner and their snow foam
That's a lot of shipping! I'd definitely say give the Auto Finesse a try, otherwise can you get Chemical Guys in your country? Their stuff is good too. The Auto Finesse reminds of Poorboys when that came out.
The only thing with Auto Finesse is that they are 'retail' products so, as far as I know, you can't dilute the products like you would with the Autobrite stuff. That's the downside. e.g the All Purpose Cleaner is already diluted so you can't make a stronger mix of it, and if you've used something like the Autobrite Citrus degreaser then you'll know how much of the product is water.
Can you get a hardtop for them
I don't think you can.
Everyone: google: vaseline on rubber seals. You don't want to follow this guy's suggestion on that. A silicone/Teflon based product or other specifically made for rubber seals is what you want.
How about WD40 silcone lubricaant?
Hi, I'm sure I replied to your comment but it seems to have disappeared!
You're best using a silicone oil, you can get it really cheap from Amazon or eBay - it's used for 3D printers etc, and it's great for this task. The WD40 silicone will probably evaporate before it absorbs in to the rubber.
Use Flex Seal! Now that’s a lot of damage!!
LOL, I'll call Phil Swift :-D
what if the convertible top cant come down?
Sorry, I can't help with that. You should be able to find info on how to manually release it in the owners manual
I don't know if my convertible top is leaking or not. I ain't no expert. But I don't think this family of mosquitoes living in my car are experts either. Right?!?
Vasoline will break down Rubber!!! Better to use silicone grease or dielectric grease.
Just FYI, Vaseline is petroleum based. Petroleum based products degrade rubber seals. Bad recommendation
You'd think that someone even a child would know that if their fingers are in between 2 objects closing upon each other , that they are going to pinch. Comments like that really make me wonder about who is out there in the world and how dumb some people are.
I know what you're saying but the thing is that some people wouldn't realise that the roof will continue to close on its own (it's a feature to put less stress on the mechanism and a fail safe so you can shut it if it stops working) and may think it'll just stay where you left it.
Common sense should prevail in most cases, but like they say - the thing about common sense is that it's not that common ;-)