Jeep Wranglers are amazing vehicles that are extremely fun and highly customizable, but just like anything, they have their flaws, and water leaks are one of the flaws.
We’re here to help you find out where your Jeep is leaking, how to fix the issue, and how to prevent it in the future so that you never have to worry about water leaks again!
Reasons Your Jeep Wrangler Leaks When it Rains
Jeep Wrangler is one of the most customizable vehicles on the market. You could remove and change almost every part of the vehicle without too much trouble. Because of those removable parts, a Jeep Wrangler leaks when it rains, even in its stock form.
Let’s find out where the leaks occur exactly so that you can fix the issue!
Jeep Wrangler Hardtop Leaks
If your Jeep Wrangler leaks from the top, you’re lucky! Unless the top’s really old and the gaskets are torn, you don’t have anything to worry about.
Jeep Wrangler usually leaks from the top because of improper installation. Simply look on top of your Jeep and make sure that the hardtop’s in place properly and only then should you lock the latches up. Here’s a great video on how to prevent your Jeep Wrangler hardtop from leaking.
Jeep Wrangler Door Leaks
Finding a bit of water on your driver or passenger side doesn’t necessarily mean that the doors are leaking. However, it’s simple to check, so let’s get it out of the way!
If you’ve ever used tube doors and then put the stock doors back on your Wrangler, it could be that you installed them improperly, so check the fitment. Additionally, look for any tears on the weatherstripping rubber, and look closely because they could be unnoticeable at a glance.
Another reason for a door leak is damaged a-pillar foam. There could be various reasons that the foam is leaking, but you will either need to replace it, or you can patch it up yourself if it’s a small leak.
Jeep Wrangler Header Seal Leak
A header seal is a seal on top of your windshield. If your header seal is leaking, you’ll usually find water on your instrument panel. Hopefully, it’s a small leak that you can just fill in, otherwise, you’ll have to remove the header seal, clean off the residue and install a new one. – This won’t be an issue on 2008 and newer model year Jeep Wranglers.
Jeep Wrangler Condensation Issues
Window condensation after heavy rains is a pretty common issue. This is due to the design of Wrangler’s, and it can’t be changed, but it can be easily fixed! A cowl or the drain plug clog up from the dirt and other debris.
Before you attempt to fix the issue, it’s a good idea to lift up the carpets, move the seats, and remove the drain plugs. They’re located right beneath the driver’s and the passenger’s seat, and they’re easily removed by hand. – Of course, you don’t have to do this if your Wrangler isn’t wet.
Next, depending on which side the leak is coming from, remove the cowl side panel. Remove everything, including the carpeting and the fitting, and once you do, you’ll find a small hole. – From the cowl, water runs right to that hole, and from that hole into your Jeep Wrangler.
How to Fix Jeep Wrangler Water Leaks
Here’s the best procedure to fix the leaks in your Jeep Wrangler.
Finding the Water Leak in Your Jeep Wrangler
Before you can fix the leak, you’ll have to find the leaks, so let’s see what the best way to do that is.
Wipe down the surfaces where you believe that the leak is coming from, such as under the dashboard, the doors, the a-pillars, the windshield, and the floorboards.
Don’t forget to clean the rubber seals on your windshield and the doors. Do so until you don’t see a single spot of dirt or other debris.
Pull the carpets out so that you can see where the water is pooling in your Jeep. Pull the drain plugs out, vacuum the area thoroughly and let it dry.
Fixing the Water Leak in Your Jeep Wrangler
If it’s a seal that’s leaking, make sure to glue it to the frame of your Jeep where it was glued before it came off. Check for cracks in the rubber seal; that’s difficult to notice the common issue. Finally, properly lubricate the rubber.
If it’s the top that’s leaking, make sure that the seals between the hardtop panels aren’t folded. If they are, and there aren’t any cuts on them, put the hardtop back on and make sure that it’s sitting properly on the seals. Finally, engage and lock up the latches.
Adding additional weather stripping along the roof will result in extra compression and a better seal. However, you shouldn’t get a thick foam, because that’ll result in an even bigger issue.
If you suspect that the leak may be coming from the driver or the passenger door, it’s a good idea to take the doors off and reinstall them. Since it’s a Jeep Wrangler, the job won’t be too difficult, and you won’t have to spend any money trying to replace leaks that don’t exist.
Preventing the Water Leak in Your Jeep Wrangler
Once you’ve fixed the leak, you should schedule a routine leak check every now and then along with your regular maintenance schedule.
Checking and tightening the bolts that hold the hardtop in place is an excellent way to prevent water leaks in your Jeep because that’s an easy way for water to enter your Jeep Wrangler.
Additionally, various lubricants will make the rubber seals more effective.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Water Leaks in Your Wrangler
Jeep made Wrangler’s interior water-resistant because they knew that a Wrangler’s interior would get soaked much more often than any other vehicle’s interior. Still, they didn’t make the interior waterproof, and that’s why you’ll have to fix the leaks, otherwise, you’ll face some of the following issues:
Jeep Wrangler Bad Odor Caused By Water Leaks
Neglecting the water that got into your Jeep will cause terrible odors. This is especially true if you’ve submerged your Jeep in a pond because the water that gets in will be dirty and muddy. Getting the odor out of your Jeep will cost you a few hundred bucks because you’ll need a professional detailer to get the odor out of the carpets.
Jeep Wrangler Mold Caused By Water Leaks
This issue is usually accompanied by a bad odor, and if you’re at a point where you’ve found mold in your Jeep Wrangler, you need to act quickly. Otherwise, your Jeep’s interior will be damaged and you’ll have to purchase new carpets for your interior. Also, you’ll barely be able to focus on driving because of the terrible distracting smells caused by mold.
Jeep Wrangler Interior Damage Caused By Water Leaks
Neglecting water leaks will damage your interior sooner than you think. The fabric will look damaged and it’ll be much easier to tear it up. You’ll have to pay for new interior parts because a detailer won’t be able to help you at this point.
Jeep Wrangler Electrical Shortage Caused By Water Leaks
This is the worst issue and the main reason that you need to fix water leaks. There are loads of wires running throughout the interior, and they’re hidden behind the carpets. Once the carpets get soaked, the wires will get soaked as well. Driving like this will cause an electrical shortage somewhere, and you’ll need to spend more than a few bucks to fix the damages.
An electrical shortage is much more likely to happen from dirty water, so if you’ve been driving over muddy ponds, make sure that none of the water gets into your Jeep.
How to Prevent Jeep Water Leaks
Besides the routine checks and regular maintenance, there’s another thing you can do to prevent your Jeep Wrangler from leaking. Sil-Glyde is a silicone-based lubricant that’ll make the seals on your Jeep Wrangler more effective. It’ll prevent water leaks and it’ll help dampen wind noises at highway speeds.
People Also Ask
Our team has heard countless stories about Jeep Wrangler’s leaks, they’ve also fixed more than a few leaky Wranglers. That’s why we often get asked very common questions about the issue. So, we’ve decided to save you the trouble, and we’ve answered the most common questions we get about Jeep Wrangler leaks! Of course, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any more questions!
No, the rain will not hurt your Jeep Wrangler unless it’s leaking. Your Jeep might be water-resistant, but water will slowly damage your interior. If you suspect that your Wrangler is leaking when it rains, you should fix the issue soon to protect the interior of your vehicle.
No, Jeep interiors are not waterproof. Jeep interiors are water-resistant, but still, the interior will get damaged if it’s exposed to water over a long period. You should protect and isolate your Jeep’s interior if you want to keep it in a good condition.
Jeep Wrangler model years before 2015 are prone to water leaks. Even the newer models have water leaking issues, however, leaks happen on Jeep Wrangler models from before 2015 much more often than they do on newer models. And there are many difference in jeep wrangler madels.
Jeep Wrangler hardtop leaks only if it’s old and damaged, or if it’s installed improperly. You should check if your hardtop fits properly and if it sits on top of the seals as it’s intended to. Otherwise, you’ll have a hardtop that leaks when it rains.
Who Worked on This?
Brian
Editor
A master of organization, Brian helps keep everything running smoothly for Your Jeep Guide.
No Jeep yet but we’re working on that!
Cory
Writer
Cory loves his XJ and frequently thrashes it through the hills. He’s constantly fixing something.
“What fenders?”
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