Hardtop water leaks
10-28-2011, 11:28 AM
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Hardtop water leaks
I was just reading another post about water leaks. It's been on going. JKs have been out since 07. TOO many of us are suffering with these unfixable problems. NO matter what you spent for your wrangler its a lot of money. Chrysler has knowingly produced and has continued to produce these vehicles with this problem. In 11, they switched hardtop suppliers and the problem continues. I have an 11 Rubi JKU and am waiting to take it back in for the 5th time! NO solution. May end up trading for a 5.0 Mustang. A shame since I've been driving Wranglers since '97.Anyhow, just needed to vent. A CLASS action suit would be good. There are many of you out there with this problem. Thanx for listening. Harry.
PS, I'm located on Long Island NY.
10-28-2011, 11:38 AM
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My soft top leaks and drive me crazy I know its a jeep and I know its a soft top but this is not there first wrangler jeep had made so they should have this down by now and why produce something if it has problems
10-28-2011, 01:33 PM
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Wow. My 07 hardtop has never leaked I must be lucky! But if it did I would bust out the silicone. But if your trading the Jeep for a mustang, get ready to deal with more problems...
10-28-2011, 01:34 PM
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REALLY? youre getting rid of your jeep cuz it gets a lil wet? Weird 
There must be another reason, all jeeps get wet its the LAW!
just pull out the carpet and plugs, no more watter issues
the only top i have (got like 7) that doesn't leak is my hard top
just get the stang, u prob never should drive a jeep again
There must be another reason, all jeeps get wet its the LAW!
just pull out the carpet and plugs, no more watter issues
the only top i have (got like 7) that doesn't leak is my hard top
just get the stang, u prob never should drive a jeep again
"If you complain about water leaks you must be a pussy. Jeeps are supposed to get wet, my jeep is wet, look how tough that makes me" blah blah blah. Whatever dude. I'm not particularly concerned with carpeting, but dash is another story. A week ago my dash was saturated, along with everything in the glove box, the tweeters, and God only knows what else.
I turned wrenches for 20 years. I'm a three time recertified Master Technician, though I no longer turn a wrench for a living. Ask any seasoned Tech - of all the perils - which he has the greatest aversion to, it'll be water, every single time. Not collision damage, theft, fire, or anything else. Water is the silent killer of a vehicle's electrical system. With all other damages you can see what's damaged and repair it. The effects of a saturated harness or a control unit that takes on some moisture might not be seen for over a year, and when the water damage rears its ugly head as corrosion and things are going haywire in many cases it takes hours and hours of labor to figure out the cause and make a proper repair. It wasn't so bad in my '94 YJ, which was very simple by comparison. But a modern Wrangler has a ton of electronics in it, just like any other vehicle made today. No one is going to be laughing when they get the bill for replacing a corroded air bag and harness, which of course failed from corrosion after the vehicle was out of warranty.
I've been driving Wranglers for nearly 20 years. My '94 YJ soft top didn't leak. My 97 TJ soft top didn't leak. My 2000 TJ hard top didn't leak. My '07 JK soft top didn't leak. My '09 Rubicon hard top has had repeated leakage issues, and has leaked profusely. Not a few drips, but saturation of the dash and certain electrical components. Is there some reason, after owning 4 others that were water tight I should now consider it normal for the nicest, most modern Wrangler I've ever owned to leak?
The only thing I find funny about the OP's comments are that I too have been thinking about a new Mustang. But I still need a 4wd, and the only one of those that interests me is a Wrangler. I thought about trading the '09 on a '12 and even called my dealer to get a price, but it's not always the best idea to buy the first year model of major changes. All too often nowadays manufacturers rush things to market and are all too happy to let the customer be the beta tester. While the jury is still out on whether or not I'll trade, I know for sure if I do trade and the '12 leaks, they'll get three tries to fix it per the lemon law. After that I'll shove it up Chryslers ass. Why? Because nowhere in the owners manual does it say "if you have a leak, just pull the carpet and live with it because you bought a jeep, stupid". If they told me that up front I'd make my decision and live with it. But they don't, do they...
10-28-2011, 03:00 PM
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Leaks
Refreshing you understand my situation and you know how to spell! No disrespect. If a person who buys one of these vehicles is aware of defects up front and does it anyway he deserves it. This vehicle, is not my first Wrangler. I've been driving them since 97. But this is not the first incident I have heard of about water leaks. Anyone willing to live with a problem like this is nothing but a MORON. (did I spell it right?) Thanx, for your input.Like a bee to honey I figured the assholes would quickly be drawn to a thread like this.
"If you complain about water leaks you must be a pussy. Jeeps are supposed to get wet, my jeep is wet, look how tough that makes me" blah blah blah. Whatever dude. I'm not particularly concerned with carpeting, but dash is another story. A week ago my dash was saturated, along with everything in the glove box, the tweeters, and God only knows what else.
I turned wrenches for 20 years. I'm a three time recertified Master Technician, though I no longer turn a wrench for a living. Ask any seasoned Tech - of all the perils - which he has the greatest aversion to, it'll be water, every single time. Not collision damage, theft, fire, or anything else. Water is the silent killer of a vehicle's electrical system. With all other damages you can see what's damaged and repair it. The effects of a saturated harness or a control unit that takes on some moisture might not be seen for over a year, and when the water damage rears its ugly head as corrosion and things are going haywire in many cases it takes hours and hours of labor to figure out the cause and make a proper repair. It wasn't so bad in my '94 YJ, which was very simple by comparison. But a modern Wrangler has a ton of electronics in it, just like any other vehicle made today. No one is going to be laughing when they get the bill for replacing a corroded air bag and harness, which of course failed from corrosion after the vehicle was out of warranty.
I've been driving Wranglers for nearly 20 years. My '94 YJ soft top didn't leak. My 97 TJ soft top didn't leak. My 2000 TJ hard top didn't leak. My '07 JK soft top didn't leak. My '09 Rubicon hard top has had repeated leakage issues, and has leaked profusely. Not a few drips, but saturation of the dash and certain electrical components. Is there some reason, after owning 4 others that were water tight I should now consider it normal for the nicest, most modern Wrangler I've ever owned to leak?
The only thing I find funny about the OP's comments are that I too have been thinking about a new Mustang. But I still need a 4wd, and the only one of those that interests me is a Wrangler. I thought about trading the '09 on a '12 and even called my dealer to get a price, but it's not always the best idea to buy the first year model of major changes. All too often nowadays manufacturers rush things to market and are all too happy to let the customer be the beta tester. While the jury is still out on whether or not I'll trade, I know for sure if I do trade and the '12 leaks, they'll get three tries to fix it per the lemon law. After that I'll shove it up Chryslers ass. Why? Because nowhere in the owners manual does it say "if you have a leak, just pull the carpet and live with it because you bought a jeep, stupid". If they told me that up front I'd make my decision and live with it. But they don't, do they...
"If you complain about water leaks you must be a pussy. Jeeps are supposed to get wet, my jeep is wet, look how tough that makes me" blah blah blah. Whatever dude. I'm not particularly concerned with carpeting, but dash is another story. A week ago my dash was saturated, along with everything in the glove box, the tweeters, and God only knows what else.
I turned wrenches for 20 years. I'm a three time recertified Master Technician, though I no longer turn a wrench for a living. Ask any seasoned Tech - of all the perils - which he has the greatest aversion to, it'll be water, every single time. Not collision damage, theft, fire, or anything else. Water is the silent killer of a vehicle's electrical system. With all other damages you can see what's damaged and repair it. The effects of a saturated harness or a control unit that takes on some moisture might not be seen for over a year, and when the water damage rears its ugly head as corrosion and things are going haywire in many cases it takes hours and hours of labor to figure out the cause and make a proper repair. It wasn't so bad in my '94 YJ, which was very simple by comparison. But a modern Wrangler has a ton of electronics in it, just like any other vehicle made today. No one is going to be laughing when they get the bill for replacing a corroded air bag and harness, which of course failed from corrosion after the vehicle was out of warranty.
I've been driving Wranglers for nearly 20 years. My '94 YJ soft top didn't leak. My 97 TJ soft top didn't leak. My 2000 TJ hard top didn't leak. My '07 JK soft top didn't leak. My '09 Rubicon hard top has had repeated leakage issues, and has leaked profusely. Not a few drips, but saturation of the dash and certain electrical components. Is there some reason, after owning 4 others that were water tight I should now consider it normal for the nicest, most modern Wrangler I've ever owned to leak?
The only thing I find funny about the OP's comments are that I too have been thinking about a new Mustang. But I still need a 4wd, and the only one of those that interests me is a Wrangler. I thought about trading the '09 on a '12 and even called my dealer to get a price, but it's not always the best idea to buy the first year model of major changes. All too often nowadays manufacturers rush things to market and are all too happy to let the customer be the beta tester. While the jury is still out on whether or not I'll trade, I know for sure if I do trade and the '12 leaks, they'll get three tries to fix it per the lemon law. After that I'll shove it up Chryslers ass. Why? Because nowhere in the owners manual does it say "if you have a leak, just pull the carpet and live with it because you bought a jeep, stupid". If they told me that up front I'd make my decision and live with it. But they don't, do they...
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10-29-2011, 11:11 AM
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My 95 YJ had a leak so bad, after a rain I'd have an inch of water in the driver footwell. Took out the carpet but the leak was somewhere behind the dash.
My 08 JK has a leak too. This one from the front of the hard top where the two hlaves meet. Leaks on the dash above the radio. I find this problem is lessened if you when you tighten down the Freedom top halves, clip the front clamps down first after aligning the rear screw holes with the two large handle screws. then tighten down back screws once side clamps are down.
I believe if you do this in the reverse order, the front top halves wil be clamped down more in the back gapping the front to really let in the water.
My 08 JK has a leak too. This one from the front of the hard top where the two hlaves meet. Leaks on the dash above the radio. I find this problem is lessened if you when you tighten down the Freedom top halves, clip the front clamps down first after aligning the rear screw holes with the two large handle screws. then tighten down back screws once side clamps are down.
I believe if you do this in the reverse order, the front top halves wil be clamped down more in the back gapping the front to really let in the water.
10-29-2011, 11:24 AM
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There is a bulletin from Chrysler that states to do exactly that - clamp the windshield clamp first, then the next clamp on the outside towards the rear, then tighten the screw, and lastly the inner clamps.