Hello All, I have a 2014 Smartcar fourtwo coupe/pure with 14,000 miles on it that was a Car2go in its prior life. I’m really Happy with it and have fixed a lot of minor problems on my own. I like how easy it is to change things like transmission and engine oil as well as oil, air and cabin filters. My current problem is that my roof is peeling! There appears to be some sort of textured film/membrane on the roof that is getting water under it via small cuts or holes that I can only assume have occurred over time. I can actually press the moisture out thru the small holes in the film. Where the water can’t be pressed out it bubbles up in various spots with one area actually peeling off and revealing hard roof under the film. I’ve been taping over these areas using duct tape made by Gorilla which actually is about the same black color as the roof. This is only occurring at the corners and sides of the roof. Any thoughts on how to fix this. I’m guessing this membrane/film may be some sort of aesthetic covering similar in texture to what’s covering my dash. Dr. Ray :shrug:
Peeling Roof
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The roof underneath is a plastic roof that will develop micro scratches over time causing the adhesive for the vinyl covering to come loose.The only thing that an cure it is to replace the whole roof, or peel off as much as you can and paint it, or use a vinyl wrap.
I did a vinyl wrap on my Pure and it came out nice. The covering only lasts 5-7 years and then it starts to deteriorate. sometimes sooner or later depending on where and how the car is parked,
Bad news is they all do it eventually, good news is it is purely cosmetic.
I did a vinyl wrap on my Pure and it came out nice. The covering only lasts 5-7 years and then it starts to deteriorate. sometimes sooner or later depending on where and how the car is parked,
Bad news is they all do it eventually, good news is it is purely cosmetic.
if you do a vinyl wrap dont try peeling as much off instead just sand the entire thing down. trust me it will be better for you and your pockets. you do not want to peel just some off and then wrap it because if something else peels it will cause your new vinyl to bubble up. when my old pure did it to me I wrapped the roof in marine grade vinyl/leather for a fun look but vinyl works well too because that was what I had on it first. Pick something carbon fiber or textured black for a close to stock look or go crazy with whatever wacky colors they have.
Did you post a DIY procedure about how you applied the vinyl?
Thanks
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I watched a bunch of youtube videos and it worked good. Only problem I had was cutting the outside edge too small and when I heated it with a heat gun to set it, it shrank a bit and exposed the edge. I peeled it off and redid it with no problems. I used a thicker vinyl to help cover the spots where the original coating was peeled off.
I should have found a garage to work in as the sunshine got to my eyes doing it on the street. Taking t to a pro shop might be a better idea if they could give you a decent price.
https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41970&stc=1&d=1557931064
I should have found a garage to work in as the sunshine got to my eyes doing it on the street. Taking t to a pro shop might be a better idea if they could give you a decent price.
https://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41970&stc=1&d=1557931064
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I remember when installing my rear compartment lights I saw some nuts that appeared to hold the roof in place. However in my 2008 service manual says it's bonded to the tridion cell.
My smart is a 2013 though so I'm not sure if it changed through the years.
https://ibb.co/LhM0Chb
My smart is a 2013 though so I'm not sure if it changed through the years.
https://ibb.co/LhM0Chb
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3,810 Posts
You could try having a truck bed liner material sprayed onto the top. It is textured enough to cover imperfections, is made to expand and shrink in the heat and cold, it does come in colors other than black, and should not be too expensive. Most spray in bed liners cost 3-4 hundred dollars, but the smart roof is so small, maybe 20% of the bed liner cost.
I have a 2009 4-2 Coupe that has just started to peel on the top of the roof in 2 corners. I park it outside exclusively so it is definitely exposed to the weather.
Is there a consensus on what causes this peeling / flaking deterioration and how to fix it? I've read de-lamination, crazing and moisture getting into cracks across older posts in the forum. Do I need to know if I have a specific type of roof such as "Panaromic." I contacted my local Smart Car service department, and they referred me to a body shop. They no longer perform this kind of work.
Most importantly, does this remain a cosmetic issue or progress into a structural issue? My car has 65k miles as I don't drive it daily so I hope to keep it several more years.
Is there a consensus on what causes this peeling / flaking deterioration and how to fix it? I've read de-lamination, crazing and moisture getting into cracks across older posts in the forum. Do I need to know if I have a specific type of roof such as "Panaromic." I contacted my local Smart Car service department, and they referred me to a body shop. They no longer perform this kind of work.
Most importantly, does this remain a cosmetic issue or progress into a structural issue? My car has 65k miles as I don't drive it daily so I hope to keep it several more years.
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It's purely cosmetic. Take a pressure washer to it and peel it all off and forget about it
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Welcome to the forum!!!
A lot of factors can be at play for the deterioration of the roof panels. UV exposure, exposure to the elements, rock chips, ammonia (windshield washing fluid), to name a few. The damage is purely cosmetic and will not impact the safety or seal of the roof. The tridion cell is the actual safety element of the roof.
Panoramic roofs are the ones you can see through, textured roofs are the ones you cannot. The textured roofs usually just delaminate, discolour, and peel. The easiest fix is to just put a wrap over it. The panoramic roofs are harder as their damage is both top layers and inner layers. You can bring back the outer layers in a similar fashion you would a headlight, but there's nothing you can do about the more internal deterioration.
Many thanks for the clarification of type of roof (mine is textured) and delamination process as culprit. I called two auto body shops yesterday, and they asked for me to email pictures! They seemed perplexed by what was happening to my roof. Now I can ask more intelligently if they can perform a cosmetic wrap fix. 
Wish I could overlook it.
I fret over even a scratch or dirty wind-shield, so I will have to find some cosmetic fix or it will literally drive me crazy!
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I’ve never under stand, why smart Chose the use of a plastic roof. My 08 smart has been garaged, most it’s life. Panoramic roof still looks brand new. My Fiat 500 Abarth, has glass opening sun roof. It’s 9 years old. close to the same size as the plastic smart cars. The 500 Lounge, has a fixed glass roof. Why smart went with cheap plastic, is beyond me. It has nothing to do with structural integrity. Weight maybe?
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Even crazier is the fact that smart is not alone with this. MB has used polycarbonate panels on quite a few cars, all with varying levels of success. MB SLKs with the polycarbonate roofs are prone to warping, crazing, and leaking. And once they begin warping and leaking the only fix is to replace the roof. And on some MB cars with glass roofs (the smart 450 included) they would shatter after an impact with a rock flung from a truck.
I reckon smart's change to polycarbonate starting with the first gen forfour and then the 451 was in part after the aforementioned shattering glass roofs of the 450s. And weight too as such would help lower the center of gravity.
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