I washed my cabriolet with a hose today. After drying it off I opened the back and discovered quite a lot of water under the storage area. The cover was wet and I was really concerned about the wiring being in water. I grabbed a towel to soak up the water, then discovered the cover over the engine wasn't bolted down right, however the water had not reached the engine area. NOW my husband (who has to have everything perfect) is demanding to know why we weren't told about this problem. I do know that the cabriolet isn't supposed to be taken through a car wash, but a concern now is what will happen during a rain or while driving during a rainstorm. Has anyone else had a problem with water leakage into the car? I was being very careful, but now I'm thinking I'll have to find a different way to wash it. Any ideas?
I have had no problems during washes nor in torrential downpours. I have not taken mine through a carwash, but my dealer has an automatic carwash that they use when the cars are delivered and/or serviced. I would first check to make sure the back corners of the roof are clicked into place.
I've owned convertibles for years, and after many cars you learn that a convertible stays dry by assuming that water comes "DOWN" and not sideways or up. It is very easy to accidentally point a hose the 'wrong' way for a second or two and water will gush right in. Doesn't matter what kind of car. Some of those super-powerful laser touch less car washes can do the same thing (though less water gets in than a hose).
I very vividly remember one time driving a convertible Saab in NJ about 10 years ago and it was raining. An 18-wheeler drive by and splashed a big puddle. With windows closed I got flooded and wet just as if the window was wide open. At first I was completely baffled how the water go in, then upon closer inspection I realized the convertible's window seal offered almost no resistance for "rising" water pressure. The water come up right through the top of the window. There was nothing wrong with the top, the car never leaked before or after.
It is possible something is loose in your car, but more likely you just had the hose pointed the wrong way at the wrong spot for a second or two. When rinsing a convertible, best to just point the hose DOWN, then usually everything is fine.
Okay. I'll double check seals on the roof and make sure everything is nice and fitted before washing. I shouldn't be so hard on my hubby though, I guess when we fork out money for a vehicle, we want things right. I'll have to get to know more about how the roof is sealed. Thanks for the input and I appreciate all the information I can get! (P.S.--I still love the car and won't part with it for anything!)
You might also want to check the seal around the top of the rear window, which is designed to separate from the fabric top when the top is lowered. If you look carefully when the cabrio top goes down, the top of the rear window physically separates and folds down when the whole cabrio top is fully lowered. The window seems to be pressed against that seal when the top is in the upright position, so if anything is interfering with that seal or if that seal has been torn, water can rush in during a carwash.
Yep, it's true! If the rear tailgate is not completely latched, the Cabrio does fill with water. It runs down from the trunk area and starts filling the carpeting and sponge padding in the footwell. I don't like slamming the tailgate, so I will have to inspect more carefully upon closing. We have had torrential rain and I did find the mal-closed tailgate. Removing the carpeting to dry thoroughly and prevent mildew is going to be fun.
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