Water Leak, rear drivers side from the rooflining.

Hobby

Active Member
We had a short, sharp shower yesterday and whilst the rest of the car remained dry I got some water dripping down from the headlining onto the rear drivers side seat.

After it had all dried out and the sun had come back out I got a watering can and dropped some water on the rear quarter of the roof on that side and hey presto dripping headline. Now this "removable" roof is a bit new to me as I've not had a car with such a thing and I am wondering if a bad seal is the cause.

I've had a look in the gutter and that looks ok, but there's a small gap between the roof panel and the rubber top of the window rubber and that would be about right for where it's coming in (it drips down the centre of the seat). I was thinking of trying some sealant in the gap and trying the watering can again, but should I use some sort of flexible sealant and would some stuff from a DIY store do?
 
I think it would be better to trace more accurately the leak first, by removing the headlining. At least you can drop it fairly easily. Taking it out of the the car is a different matter though. The workshop manual suggest to remove one of the screens (front or rear) to take it out of the car, but i have managed to do it in the past from the front doors. If i remember correctly though, the front seats were reclined fully back and one of the front doors was completely removed.
 
I had the very same leak in my car a couple of years ago. Took the headlining out several times before I found out where it was coming from. It is doable out the passenger front door with the seats reclined. Think I just used a general black sealant to lay a couple of beads across the back of the roof seam.
 
If i remember correctly though, the front seats were reclined fully back and one of the front doors was completely removed.
I think Demetris remembers rightly. Bit of a struggle but do-able. I think I had to take the headrest off one seat and might've even removed the other front seat, but it is a while ago now. With the headlining out of the way you can remove the whole roof, it unbolts.
Before you go that far, try pouring water along the top edge of the rear window. Mine leaks there if I go through a car wash (not that I ever will again!) because I fear I didn't fully tighten the rear screen right up into the seal. Water drips on the rear seat backs. Is that where your leak is?
 
I had the very same leak in my car a couple of years ago. Took the headlining out several times before I found out where it was coming from. It is doable out the passenger front door with the seats reclined. Think I just used a general black sealant to lay a couple of beads across the back of the roof seam.

I got some clear sealant and put it along the small gap between the roof and the rubber and it stopped the leak, thanks!
 
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