Rain Water Draining Into Cab?

[shany25m]

New 2020 Overland owner here and the first two days I owned my Gladiator it rained. A lot.

Every time I opened the door, the rain water would pour into the cab, on the seats and floor. I traded in a 2008 4dr Unlimited so I didn't care much about water but my new Jeep has leather and I guess I'm being more cautious. Anyone notice this issue?

Everyone is saying this is "normal", however I owned a 2007 and 2012 soft top 4 door wranglers, and currently have 2015 4 door wranglers, hard top, and never had this issue. Got a gladiator last Saturday, and with today's heavy rains, I also had a river of water dump all over my driver's seat and the floorboard. This isn't "normal"... Not in MY experience, this is a seal flaw. I suspect I may have to fabricate an extension of the water channel to the right of my finger so it extends to the seal area on the left of my finger. Maybe I lucked out in my Wrangler history, but this has never happened to my vehicles before.

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[SleepyJeep]

So, is the potential fix more of extending the seal or create better drainage?

 

[Pion]

I've done some pressure washing, about three automated car washes, and had some rain - is this a soft top issue? I've got a hard top and not experienced any water entering the cabin.

 

[RRGA]

New 2020 Overland owner here and the first two days I owned my Gladiator it rained. A lot.

Every time I opened the door, the rain water would pour into the cab, on the seats and floor. I traded in a 2008 4dr Unlimited so I didn't care much about water but my new Jeep has leather and I guess I'm being more cautious. Anyone notice this issue?

following...hard to believe this is just going to happen every time I open my doors after it has rained...

 

[XJ2JTChris]

I can't help unfortunately as I wont get to take delivery for a while, however I agree with the above statements that this isn't normal. I had a TJR, and my sister currently has a 2017 JKU. Neither rig had any issues regularly. In fact the only time we had a water leak or dump issue, was after the first time my sis removed and reinstalled her freedom top panels. Brought it to the dealer, they showed her some tricks and the process they use to install them, no more leak. If for whatever reason this issue is on fact normal, i will definitely post a fix when i get mine, im sure someone will have success before then. No way will i tolerate a 40k + vehicle dumping water all over. Haha. Keep an eye pyt for a fix, maybe if i get bored I'll take a look at one on the dealer lot and post up some initial ideas. Happy wheeling!

 

[BreakFixRepeat]

I have a Gladiator and i do not experience this problem. And its been raining ALOT here lately in New Jersey. I had the passenger side freedom panel leak a little one time while driving in the rain. But it was minimal and i just unlatched it and wiggled is a bit, latched it back and leak was gone. Never had water just pour in when i opened the door while or after raining. A few drops yes. But thats any vehicle period.

 

[Hemi]

I am driving a JK right now, but have owned a JKU, and TJs, YJs, and CJs. What is being described may not be normal but is certainly common. If the freedom roof panels are not seated properly you won't get a good seal, and you will get water inside. You just need to reseat them and jiggle. Solves a lot of it.

The seal could also be bad, so if you can't stop it even with reseating, take it in for service.

 

[1proudpapa]

Everyone is saying this is "normal", however I owned a 2007 and 2012 soft top 4 door wranglers, and currently have 2015 4 door wranglers, hard top, and never had this issue. Got a gladiator last Saturday, and with today's heavy rains, I also had a river of water dump all over my driver's seat and the floorboard. This isn't "normal"... Not in MY experience, this is a seal flaw. I suspect I may have to fabricate an extension of the water channel to the right of my finger so it extends to the seal area on the left of my finger. Maybe I lucked out in my Wrangler history, but this has never happened to my vehicles before.

I have a new gladiator and stumbled across your post when looking to see if anyone has had this problem or come up with a solution yet. I noticed my floor boards were wet in the front seat corners when I took delivery of my gladiator and thought maybe the detail guys had let water in while cleaning it up for me. It was only later that I realized why the wetness was there That drain channel dumps a stream of water when you open the door if it is raining or the top has been recently wet down (hence the detail guys opening the doors after washing it). I'm wanting to put weathertech type mats in the jt but fear water getting under the mat and causing a mildew/mold problem due to the rain water draining down onto the door sill then behind /under the mat . Wondering if you ever came up with a solution to this design flaw and if so, please share Thank you

 

[WXman]

That is entirely normal and not something you should waist time fixing. Every Jeep will do this with a hard or soft top when you open the door. As long as it’s not leaking in while the vehicle is parked, doors shut....I also wouldn’t worry.

And I think this is the key that folks are missing. The Jeeps are not leaking. A leak is when water is coming into an area that is supposed to be sealed off.

Water running into the Jeep with the door wide open isn't a leak, and they ALL do this, and the dealer isn't going to help you because there's nothing they can do.

FCA cannot design a convertible roof drain system the same way they design a fixed roof drain system. There are trade-offs. Which is why I said on page 1 that I park with the nose uphill during rain. Doesn't have to be a 15% grade. Just has to be enough to take advantage of gravity. 0.5% grade will work. And unless you live in Kansas, this should be simple to do.

 

[noside85]

There was a fix in the JL forum, looked like the person used a thin strip of something to chann the water forward, as if continuing the lip and tapering it off.

 

[JeepCares]

I have a new gladiator and stumbled across your post when looking to see if anyone has had this problem or come up with a solution yet. I noticed my floor boards were wet in the front seat corners when I took delivery of my gladiator and thought maybe the detail guys had let water in while cleaning it up for me. It was only later that I realized why the wetness was there That drain channel dumps a stream of water when you open the door if it is raining or the top has been recently wet down (hence the detail guys opening the doors after washing it). I'm wanting to put weathertech type mats in the jt but fear water getting under the mat and causing a mildew/mold problem due to the rain water draining down onto the door sill then behind /under the mat . Wondering if you ever came up with a solution to this design flaw and if so, please share Thank you

Hi Chad,
We're sorry to hear about your experience with your new JT. Are you considering having your dealer look into this? If so, please feel free to send us a private message. We'd be happy to connect you with a Case Specialist to assist.
Alex
Jeep Cares

 

[Rollcast]

I thought the "fix" was to put a glob of RTV in the front end of the channel to prevent (or at least reduce) the flow.

 

[B345T]

I thought that this was going to be a joke thread....

But they are serious!!!

All Jeep JL JT and most JK's leak when the door is open...

It is designed to put is rearward and forward depending on the tilt of the truck but you will get wet when it is raining....Imagine that

 

[JCJeep1]

Imagine if FCA tried to design a body line channel - to move rain back against the tilt of the JT/JL - it would be a funky looking eye sore. The stance of the jeep has the water run forward. Level kit or nose high would address most of it. To be honest as posted - Jeep did a great job adding a rain channel - My prev jeeps were like a front porch without a gutter - Open the door and water everywhere.

 

[1proudpapa]

I get it. It's a basically unavoidable design that causes this, not a malfunction of the parts. And that's completely understandable It really can't be avoided. I was simply asking for any mod solution that someone may have come up with to keep the water either from draining from there, or to prevent the water that drains from the channel from running into carpet and ultimately onto the floor boards. For example found my own solution. Ordered molded mats similar to weathertech that extend over the door sill so that water hits that mat on the door sill then runs into the bottom of the mat. Better than wet carpet and mold/mildew under the mat. So in the end, I've answered my own problem. No need to drive around parking lots to try and park uphill, lmao

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