Convertible Top Water Leaks Around Door Glass
1. Verify the water leak. Direct normally pressurized tap water from a standard size garden hose around the effected door glass.2. Reset the power window short drop function. Refer to the Owner's Guide for additional information.
3. Retest for water leak.
a. If water leak has been resolved return vehicle to customer.
b. If water leak is still present then proceed to Step 4.
4. Check that the weatherstrips up the a-pillar, at the corner of the a-pillar and windshield, and along the convertible top that seals the door glass are not damaged and are positioned correctly. Adjust/reposition weatherstrips as needed and water test (Figures 15-18).
a. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 5.
NOTE
ONLY WEATHERSTRIPS THAT ARE PHYSICALLY DAMAGED SHOULD BE REPLACED. FOLLOWING THE STEPS IN THIS ARTICLE THAT PROVIDE ADJUSTMENT DETAILS CAN REPAIR MOST WATER LEAKS.
5. Roll down the windows and operate the convertible top down and back up. Once the top is at the windshield header and the pump motor begins to "stall", keep the button depressed for 2-3 seconds additional before latching the top. If the top is not completely positioned up, the top frame and weatherstrips will not be positioned correctly. Roll the windows up and water test.
a. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 6.
6. Check for excessive gaps between the weatherstrips on the convertible top. Adjust the position of the weatherstrips on their mounting flange, or bend the mounting flange as needed to correct (Figures 15-18).
a. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 7.
7. Lower the convertible top and check that the weatherstrip corners at the top of the a-pillars near the windshield header weatherstrips are seated/positioned correctly (Figure 19).
a. If gaps are present, correct by pushing/repositioning the weatherstrip as needed. Raise the roof and water test. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If weatherstrips were seated correctly proceed to Step 8.
8. Make certain the windows are capable of completely seating into the weatherstrip.
a. Raise the roof. Open the door and manually trip the door latch closed. This will raise the glass with the short drop function.
b. Measure the distance between the peaked edge on the rear of the door glass to the top of the belt molding seal. If greater than 9.5 mm (3/8"), the glass is not rolling up fully into the weatherstrips, proceed to Step 12. If 9.5 mm (3/8") or less, proceed to Step 9 (Figure 20).
9. Lift the outside door handle and trip the door latch open, which will drop the door glass. Close the affected door and measure and record the distance between the silkscreen on the door glass and the top of the belt molding seal. The measurement distance is not critical. The rule in the figure is for reference (Figure 21).
10. Open the affected door. Exert light hand pressure against the outside of the glass. Shut the door with normal force and keep pressure on the glass until the short-drop function raises the glass into the weatherstrip. Again measure between the silkscreen and the top of the belt molding seal (Figure 21).
11. If measurement is now greater than observed in Step 8, proceed to Step 13. If measurement stayed the same, proceed to Step 12.
12. The glass may not mechanically be able to roll up far enough to seal.
a. Raise the roof. Open the affected door and command the system to roll the glass up with the short-drop feature. This is done by manually tripping the door latch.
b. Remove the door trim panel to access the rear glass adjustment nut. Refer to Workshop Manual, Section 501-05.
c. Loosen the rear 10 mm regulator clamp bolt and pull upward on the glass until a maximum of 9.5 mm (3/8") can be measured between the peaked edge on the rear of the door glass to the top of the belt molding seal.
d. Torque the bolt to 12 N.m (9 lb.ft).
e. Assemble the door trim panel; flip the door latch open to drop the glass and water test.
f. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
g. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 13.
13. The window motor may be stalling before the glass can properly seal. Strike "down and in" along the stitch bead on the edge of the convertible top, starting from the a-pillar area back approximately 50 cm (20") with a rubber mallet. This area is where the top of the glass penetrates a U-shaped channel in the weatherstrip. If the weatherstrip flange on the convertible top is not rolled inboard enough, the door glass will not properly enter the weatherstrip (Figure 22).
14. After the adjustment in Step 13 is made, normally open and close the door checking that the glass is rolling all the way up into the weatherstrip then water test.
a. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 15.
15. If the glass is still not fully entering the weatherstrips, adjust the channel in the rear portion of the second weatherstrip "up" to allow closure. This area of the weatherstrip is where it transitions from the channel along the roof to a compression seal along where the b-pillar would be present. Use the handle of a rubber mallet to bend the weatherstrip and convertible top flange "up" then water test (Figure 23).
a. If leak condition is corrected return vehicle to customer.
b. If leak is not corrected proceed to Step 16.
16. Check that the weatherstrips are uniformly pressing against the door glass. This can be done by moistening the weatherstrips with water and closing the door. The wet weatherstrips will clearly show their contact pattern against the glass. This is critical along the rearward slope of the glass (b-pillar).
17. The weatherstrips are positioned on metal mounting flanges that are part of the convertible top frame. These flanges may be bent slightly to improve the weatherstrip pattern. To adjust, simply grasp the weatherstrip and move it inboard or outboard to improve contact against the glass.