Car Roof Leak - How to stop the leak in 10 minutes

Stop your leaking car roof - How to properly remove your car's weather strip, seal the leak, and replace the weather strip.
Warning
Be sure to check which clips are used to attache the weather strip on your car. Most cars 2009 and newer use the system shown in the video, but some older cars don't and you might break the clips and not be able to reattach your weather strip.
My other videos:
Stove Top Igniter Fix Video
• Gas Stove Igniter Keep...
Mixing Plasit-Dip Pearls
• Mixing Plastdip Pearls...

[@luzp7159]

THANK YOU! YOU HELPED ME!!!! Honda Civic Coupe 2008: Mine was not rusted but it did have a few cracks right in the corner where the roof connects to the bottom of the car, BARELY VISIBLE but seemed to be causing the leaks. I bought Permatex Black Silicone RTV Adhesive Sealant at Walmart $3.94 (used 2) since I did preventive measures and did all 4 corners of the top. Buy 2 if you are a perfectionist like me. It did work, no leaking!

[@ut561]

I watched about 4 other videos and yours was the best, simple, the point, easy to understand ;)

[@DavidParas]

Thanks Dave, I appreciate it. I'm glad it helped you :)

[@avinash3794]

Exactly the video I was looking for. Thank you. I'll give it a shot.

[@toma5153]

Thanks. This particular source of leaks isn't usually discussed here on KZbin. It seems everyone assumes it must be sunroof drain tubes. I see that no sunroof would lead you to check this spot.

[@DavidParas]

That was the exact problem I had, everyone said check the sun roof, but the sun roof wasn't leaking... it must be a brand thing for certain brands that the sunroof leaks on all of the becuase of a poor design, I've have several cars over 100k miles and I've never had a sun roof leak, come to think of it neither have either of my parents, and they've had way more cars than me... my dad has a toyota over with 150k miles on it... no sun roof issue... Though I will say I rarely even open mine, I really hate them and I'd prefer a car without one, but almost every car has them no a days.

[@mohammadsofrie4584]

Thanks for making this video.

[@ehddsrodriguez6510]

Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge David. It's very helpful. Cheers.

[@classicalretroback]

Really helpful. He made it look so easy.💡

[@Ottonic6]

After cleaning out all the rust that you can you should use what they call "rust converter", and what that will do is convert the rust into a paintable surface that will not corrode any further. After that, then do your sealing/painting... Thanks for the tips.

[@JoonKimDMD]

How does rust cause water leak? Also, my car has water leak from the center of the rooftop, not just from the corner.

[@rcsquaredinc5484]

@@JoonKimDMD i think bad rust which eventually turns into a small hole.

[@leggygtej2554]

Not true. The only way to stop rust is to blast it or cut it out

[@arthuryambor2168]

I've had good luck with Evapo-Rust: clears away rust and doesn't damage metal. I put tools in a bath of it to soak for 24 hours, rinse them off, blow them dry and they're rust free. I might try to Q-tip some of it into the seam to soak down and neutralize any hidden rust. NOTE: I have NOT used Evapo-Rust near car paint, so test a small area first. My leaking seam is under the plastic trim so any paint issue will be unseen and small. Honda's Service Bulletin 03-037 (TSB 03-037) gives detailed instructions for 7th gen Accords and suggests to use 3M Ultra Pro Autobody Sealant.

[@NoSaysJo]

@@leggygtej2554 yeah nah you're wrong there champ

[@billymontoya4893]

Exactly what I’m looking for! Thanks for the video

[@DavidParas]

Glad I could help!

[@RomboutVersluijs]

Thanks for showing how to. I thought I was the seals or rubbers not working properly. Than saw a different honda video showing really small cracks. I got both front m back leaking. So thanks for showing how to do it

[@Bumjoe23]

Good information!! Thanks

[@validatedcustomer604]

nice , a lot of people go and replace their windshield like me and find out that doesn't fix the problem. this is my next step. thanks for the video and explanation on how to remove that roof molding

[@sahillarya06]

Yes exactly Mine still leaking

[@DavidParas]

Glad it helped

[@DavidParas]

Do you mean the roof is still leaking or that it's still leaking after you replaced the windsheild? If you did what I was showing in the video - and it's still leaking - the only other thing I can think of is if you have a sun roof it could leak from there, but that is a much different more complex fix beyond my abilities... you can probably find another video if you seach for "your car" sun roof tear down or sun roof leak - for example if you had a toyota camry - search for "toyota camry sun roof leak" or sun roof tear down - something along those lines. Sun roofs typically have a drain systme that runs along the middle of the roof, but they are all very different and have different things you need to do to fix it.

[@fredk4136]

Nice video, thanks I will try this with my leaky 2008 vibe

[@danielomingomingsr9203]

i bet we all came here after driving in a car full of water. it fell like driving in a swimming pool

[@beezytalkingshit9319]

Yes that's why im here lol. Can i take it and just vaccuum it out or do i have to replace the carpet which is black after i fix the weather strip.

[@Skate2EDM]

Brought memories about my upstairs neighbor having a clogged toilet issue... That basturd...

[@DirtySouthSOHK]

Dude.... Every time I make a left turn, more water shoots out 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@savannahpalacios1126]

I hate that this is true😂

[@WartimeFriction]

@@beezytalkingshit9319 it's been 3 years so I hope your car is dry by now. For anyone else with the same question, you can use a wet/dry vacuum with reasonable success. Worth considering getting a good anti mold/anti mildew shampooing after.

[@Keegan1989able]

This also worked in my 2006 honda accord coupe. I noticed water staining in my passenger side headliner. Decided to give this a try and found a nice hole under the weather strip! I has rained hard the past couple of days and no leaks at all

[@hossamhaddad7]

Very nice video thank u so much 👍.

[@bruceLi2011]

Thanks for sharing this knowledge.

[@DavidParas]

and thank you for your comment :)

[@amgmerc5303]

Very helpful many thanks

[@anomaly.authentic593]

my 2010 Chevy Malibu has been leaking on the driver side and today the other side has started to leak this video was very informative!

[@DavidParas]

Great to hear!

[@anomaly.authentic593]

Update: I tried to do this myself and fucked up so now its bent upward on one side

[@raydurling8513]

Nice job - thank you!

[@DavidParas]

Glad you liked it!

[@TaraGastos]

Worked on my ford focus 2005. Thanks!

[@louis1234_]

cool video man

[@DavidParas]

Thanks!

[@hollins1973]

Thank you.

[@pedrofernandez8729]

My yaris had the same issue and I replaced both rubber strips and added Flex Seal with a small brush and gave it a few coats after letting it dry first.

[@alexortiz9869]

Worked for me on my 2006 Acura rl both sides were leaking bad toke less then 20 minute good temporary fix until I save enough money for a professional paint job 👍🏽

[@DavidParas]

With any luck it'll last you the life of the car :) I drove my 2005 until the engine frame cracked in half - granted I'm pretty sure that the dealer lied about it not being in an accident before I bought it... The 05-09 model used a weird rubber coated engine frame - apparently the rubber weakens overtime and the thin metal part just cracks after so many miles. Mine lasted until about 99,000 mi

[@aaronr7565]

I have a leak at the edge of the headliner. Going to try your fix this week. Thanks!

[@DavidParas]

Hope it fixes it for you

[@felixsantiago8230]

Good job...thanks u

[@DavidParas]

and thank you for your comment :)

[@DavidDorenfeld]

Thanks for the video. Anytime it rains the floor mats in the rear of my car get wet and I have a feeling it's coming from where You're suggesting

[@Pocahontas-jh1cq]

It’s more than likely coming from a clogged rain cowel near the windshield wiper bay. When they get clogged, the water runs down the firewall behind the carpet and then settles on top of the floor board in the back behind the seat.

[@grantmoffatt8501]

Thank you so much

[@DavidParas]

and thank you for your comment :)

[@noblewon3507]

Man... You saved me I have a built Honda Civic ironically new headliner installed 5 days ago yesterday had a bad rain storm. This morning I look it wasn't bad but it started leaking.. found your video popped the drip molding off. I have fractures in the corner, no rust .. but man saved my tail just got the headliner done.. smh but it's all good.. I couldn't find the bathtub sealer you used. But I did buy loctite silicone high strength, water proof indoor outdoor , 225 strength.. so it should do the trick. Thank u so much!!! I was tempted to get the loctite Marine stuff but I didn't think Id have a good time getting it out of need be. Soi got the loctite clear silicone waterproof sealant

[@DavidParas]

Yeah, good thing you didn't use the marine stuff, that's like contact cement lol... I mean it'd probably never leak, but you'd have to take the strip off inch by inch if you ever needed to get it off lol. Thanks for your comment, I'm glad the video helped :)

[@noblewon3507]

@@DavidParas it actually started to leak again smh but it worked for about 10-11 mouths. Think I'll use a little jb weld in the fracture and more silicone on top after it's completely cured. Still very good video

[@DavidParas]

@@noblewon3507 thanks for saying so, I'm glad it helped - the civic looks great btw if thats the one in your video :) JB weld might not last long time due to the vibrations from driving, unless the crack is really big - it might be best to sand off the jb weld, paint it with rust proof primer, seal it and then press the weatherstrip into the sealer while it's wet - but also trying not to have it bludge out the top because it will prevent normail draining and then you might get a leak through the front windsheild - the weathersrips are designed to take the water off the side off the roof, down the side of the car - if you completey seal them off then you get a waterfall down your windsheild even in light rain.

[@noblewon3507]

@@DavidParas yes sirr I appreciate the compliments I hand built this fg2, everything.. boosting it only thing left to do but it's basically perfect. LSD upgrade, cams, fully built. And yeah I thought about just sealing it also let it dry completely and then use more epoxy. I have a nice 30x30 coming end of the month slabs already down. Think Ima be ok thankfully

[@DavidParas]

@@noblewon3507 I don't have the tools to do all the work, but every time I entertained the thought of building something like that and suping it up - I ended up finding an older performance model that was more low matinence - I ended up with a hyundai genesis r-spec after I sold the acura - I've had that the past few years and it's still going strong, though that gdi engine consums a quart of oil about every 1000 miles lol. I got it about 5 years ago for 17k so I figured I couldn't find a better deal or build something faster for the price. It's not terrible in the snow with snow tires, but it sildes a lot in deeper snow even with the snow tires - I'd go honda/acura for a better winter car every time

[@353uba]

Thank you I have a 2003 Subaru. Will that work I can't wait for better weather

[@sammyvalera3364]

Thank you so much ur advise worked

[@DavidParas]

I'm glad it helped!

[@Agge425]

Nice video! I have the same problem on my Honda Legend (Acura RL). A lot worse though. Both sides are leaking and full of rust that has continued growing on the roof. Unfurtunetly not seen because it was covered by the wheter strip. Car is only 10 years old...

[@leorodriguez6080]

Did you ever fix it? I have the same problem with the same car.

[@geraldauguste3044]

Appreciate the help Big Homie.

[@DavidParas]

and I appreciate your comment :)

[@CarAudioInc]

thank you so much

[@DavidParas]

No problem, I'm glad it helped!

[@aletheakelly1010]

I have an 03 Civic, same strips, same clips. Im trying to buy new ones and need to know if "trim moulding" is synonymous with "weather stripping". In other wors, the $150 part you removed, what is that called?

[@postHocErgoHelocopter]

Thank you. 2008 Toyota solara had this issue.

[@DavidParas]

Glad it helped!

[@robsarchery9679]

thanks

[@markmark2222]

Thank.you

[@carlitos366]

god bless you

[@Angel-cs2tc]

What are some good sealer brands for this job????

[@user-tv9zc5oc7p]

a small question... when you apply the sealant... u let it dry? and then put the strip? or u glue them together? i mean (install the strip to the liquid sealant)

[@user-st3ju4jc2o]

Hey do you have any advice how to do this for a fiat doblo?

[@QueenKreashunz]

How du I find someone tu fix the leak inside my suv in moncks corner/summerville/charleston/ and surrounding areas in south carolina?

[@mikemorales1725]

I have a leak coming thru the top of the A pillar on my yaris hatch, I've tried different products and nothing works. My last attempt will be removing all the stuff I have used, cleaned it well and use Flex seal in a can and apply it with a brush 2 or 3 times over the suspected area.

[@rgj406]

Great

[@eltiburon17ify]

I am done with acura. Have 2009 mdx. And have same prablem. On carper floor driver side and the back by the tailgate. Seems like water come from the roof

[@magamyassgotarrested3707]

Thank for the helpful video. You're good looking, btw. Meow!

[@DavidParas]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davezimmerman8627]

are you kidding me?! Thank you thank you!!!!

[@finalmatrix]

Some cars have bolts on the roof rail so there are holes. The leak is from around the holes. Seal around the holes. If there's no rust, don't use wire brush or it'll damage the paint. Use microfibre towel is fine. I've successfully fixed the water leak in 2012 XC60 by putting small amount of construction caulk around the bolt holes and gaskets on the roof rail channels. Need to remove the headliner in order to remove the roof rails. They are secured by some hex bolts. Also, don't caulk the whole roof channel! They are designed to drain water away to the front and rear of car! If you caulk the whole channel, water will collect there and cause more rust. If the channel is rusted, the better approach is remove the rust and paint it with regular car paint, then clear coat.

[@buttsniffa7469]

I've got a roof leak in my 2012 xc60 too. I parked in on a decline (facing downhill) after some rain and it started coming down the inside of the windscreen. I'll take your advice and inspect under the roof rails

[@rossitherhodie5659]

Thanks, what adhesive do you recomend. Need to do top of windshield also. Will any auto silicone loctite or similar auto sealer work.

[@DavidParas]

probably ask someone at a local auto shop - there are lots of different products - they should all be about the same - you want a water proof caulking - they sell stuff for fish tanks which could also work well - I'd love to say buy this specific thing, but there are so many options now idk what will be at a store near you. The only thing you want to make sure is that it will bond to aluminum with out corroding - a lot of the older silicon stuff had an acidic base and it could eat through the car frame, most of it now is safe, though you will want to make sure the lable says for use on aluminum and metal. Stuff for gutters or windows could work as well. Most guys at any local auto shop will tell you the proper stuff to get. I hope this helps?

[@bigcamel]

Thanks for your video, important info. I have a roof rack and I think it caused the leak with the wind. Should I take my car to bodyshop to re tighten the roof before adding new weather stripping? Thanks

[@DavidParas]

I'm really not sure - I'm not a mechanic or anything so probably take this with a grain of salt... if the roof rack is still on, you might need to re-tighten it before replacing the weather strips - it should have some type of special screw or seal which is water proof to attach it to the roof to beign with - the biggest thing is if your roof rivits are starting to crack or rust they will need sealed or the leak will probably get worse. Now you can probably take the weather strips off yourself and see if there is rust or any cracks under them - if there are cracks - they really need to be sealed or a new weather strip really wont stop the leak.

[@1529chatham]

Thank you for this ! My acura tl 2009 is gathering water passenger side -- ugggggg -- sunroof front drains clear, cowl drains clear - my car has a silver trim peices going along roof along driver and passenger side. getting it assessed this week but suspect its the roof seam as yours was. thank you for this info

[@1529chatham]

and no water staining on headliner/doors etc ??? nothing in trunk suspect running down column? hope to know shortly

[@DavidParas]

Hey Kathleen - my younger sister had one of those, she actually kept it until this year it lasted her a long time with no issues - She had to replace the weather strip on the passenger side and maybe the window as well - if I remember correctly the TL has on the runs from the hood all the way up the roof in-between the window and the frame of the car - I'm 99% sure that's what it was for her car - I think this is what you are calling the "silver trim" - if I remember correctly it is either a weather strip or covering a weather strip. I would suspect it's a common issue with that car as they get older, I think my sister had around 160,000 miles and it was still running fine, she just wanted an suv because she could see better. Hopefully this helps - I would say there's a 99% chance it's that weather strip or possibly the windshield if there is no issue with the sun roof and no staining/wet spots on the roof - and maybe 1% chance some really odd freak thing I've never seen or heard of.

[@1529chatham]

@@DavidParas VERY much appreciate this info . Yesterday water intrusion pro removed passenger seat, found large amt of water sitting under carpet. pulled back all passenger carpet (threw out padding as it was beyond saturated). drying out carpet and will replace w/ satisfactory pad later. Have bare bones passenger side now exposed. 3 hrs shower testing yesterday - NOTHING. Im doing more at home -- nothing. perhaps he knocked something loose out of a/c drain when removed? but I noticed that smell after rain so doubt it was a/c word on forum was that silver trim peice along top and gasket was purely cosmetic - not to keep h20 out. baffled. will update as resolved. it's a true puzzle.

[@DavidParas]

@@1529chatham the only other thing that could make sense would possibly be the rubber weather strip on the inside of the door - that black molding stuff that seals around the edge of the actual door - it sounds like your having a lot of water come in, so if it's not from the roof it could possibly be the door - I'd say after about 5-10 years pending on driving conditions and temperature the weather strips start to wear out - or at least the adhesive that holds them in place starts to break down. I'd guess that's probably where it's coming in if it's not the roof, weather strip, sun roof, or windshield - it's really the only other possibility unless you've got a hole in the bottom of your car. Either way, good luck - if you do find where the water is coming in from let me know, in case someone else has a similar leak :)

[@bggraham83]

BRO! i have an 08 civic this exactly what is going on with my car! Raining like a mother today sat down and my seat was soaked as was my ceiling. Wow. This will be easy! I was gonna say maybe a wire brush would work better in that groove instead of that metal file you were using....comments? Also do not have a rubber squeegee....do you think something like a rubber spatula would work?

[@DavidParas]

If you've ever done any kind of work like this before, it's a super simple fix. Just make sure you have a silicone (waterproof) caulking and let it dry for 24hrs. When I sealed that it was in the winter, it was about 20* F outside and it took 2 full days for it to dry. On a hot day you'll probably be good after about 12 hours.

[@robertcasey5711]

Use old credit cards if you do not have a squeegee??

[@antoniorivera1311]

Did you fix it?

[@078298]

I have an 09 RL with a decent leak in the same location. I only found a tiny hairline crack in the seam sealer. Did the silicon completely seal the leak? I find it hard to believe that much water would get in a tiny crack.

[@DavidParas]

Wes Cairns it's held up the past year for me just fine. Including winter in Pittsburgh with the car parked outside. I did sand and paint the rust spots before sealing it, but no water or dampness since I sealed it.

[@kylegraham4341]

Any idea how to do an 06 Honda Civic. Having exact same issue but weather stripping runs all the way down front window

[@Jimbo_Conn]

I'm getting water leaking soaking the roof fabric up around the windshield usually on the sides but also gathers in the middle so that water finally starts dripping right around the e brake and shifter onto the floor. ..I tried sealing the windshield it still comes in. The car has roof racks I thought maybe it was coming in from worn gaskets around the racks. I don't know if the the roof racks came with model or not. Do you think the culprit is weather stripping? They seem run under the rack mounts

[@DavidParas]

Hey Jimbo, sorry for the late response - I'm just seeing this now - but if you still didn't fix it - I'd assume it's a combo of the roof rack gaskets, as well as the weather strip - and it could be the weld joint/rivits holding the roof on could have rusted or cracked from having the roof rack - they all wear over time - so my suggestion would be plan to at least replace the gaskets, take off the roof rack and inspect under the weather strips to see if there is any cracking or rust or something that needs repainted/sealed - if that and replacing the gaskets doesn't solve the issue then I'd be at a total loss of what to check next. I'd be really curious to know what it was if you got it fixed - Dave

[@RomboutVersluijs]

I also just saw a video of a new model honda. That had quit a lot of clips but also that mold strip had metal lining. Mine is a 2001 civic. The mold line is all rubber I believe or plastic. I only see that metal sciccor connector at the end part

[@zzfastfashionzz]

Hey David, do you know anything about replacing weatherstripping on a 1990 Honda Accord? It's been raining like a mofo out here in LA and I've got towels on the floor lol Thanks!

[@plum_loco]

Same here with my '91 Honda Accord!

[@pornstarlivesmatter3319]

@@plum_loco ME TOO LOL

[@emzye4641]

Thanks for doing the tutorial. I’m going to attempt this on my 05 Civic. Wish me luck 🍀 lol

[@DavidParas]

Good luck! Hope it worked out for you?

[@stacynoel1741]

Did your car ever start to get a nasty musky moldy smell because of the water leaking in? I have a 2006 TL with a leak in the same spot on the driver side. I let it go for like a year because it was just a small drip when it rained really hard but now there's a weird funky smell (still leaks occasionally) and I'm wondering if there is water/moisture in other areas of the car that's now harboring bacteria. I can't find any other wet spots but all of the windows fog up like there's moisture in the car, it gets so bad even having the air on doesn't stop the fogging. Might be a deeper problem I have than just a shitty weather strip, to be continued... lol

[@DavidParas]

It did not, but I fixed it within a few days of the leak and I was able to keep it in a garage with the window down so the water would dry - I mean if you let if go for a full year, yeah there's probably some nasty stuff up there, which is really also not good to breath in like black mold or anything that grows in an area where there is standing water... think like the stuff that builds up around the bottom of a shower or sink and then not cleaning it for a year... realistically you might have to pull down the upholstry and clean it with bleach or something like that, It'd be a pretty expensive thing to have someone do, though I've never really taken mine off - I mean I'm sure you could do it yourself, but I'm not the guy to ask about that one. Anything wet like that over a long period of time is bad.

[@usmczmann]

You should never use silicone on automotive paint! It is corrosive to automotive paint and will cause rust later on down the road. Use some type of polyurethane sealant instead.

[@DavidParas]

Hey Troy, thanks for pointing that out - I should've been more clear about it in the video... there are two types of silicon sealers one uses a neutral base the other uses and acidic base - the acidic one will surely cause rust because your literally putting acid on the metal. The neutral base will not, is neutral and won't cause any corrosion. I didn't mention it in the video because I'm suggesting a tub and tile sealer - which will be a neutral base because the acidic base would cause most bathtubs to melt if they are plastic or corrode and rust if they are metal or of there are metal pieces in the tub (such as the water spout). I've found a lot of polyurethane caulking is water based, and they won't last nearly as long causing you to need to redo the project sometime in the future. The video is really meant to be a quick fix if you don't want to spend the money to "properly" fix it at an auto body shop. It quickly stops the leak and hopefully lasts several years.

[@Random_Fanatic]

@@DavidParas Oh okay. Our car has a leak that causes water to pool in the carpets and actually rain on the passenger side. ... The entire car may need to be redone. It's 2012 Toyota Corolla. Should we do the quick fix or a long term fix? We do plan on keeping the car for as long as it will last... So preferably the long term... Would you happen to have a recommendation or video to help with the long-term replacements?

[@jamiephelps1413]

Polyurethane sealent

[@ynonser5804]

​@@DavidParasso silicon RTV will be fine?

[@abdulabdullah4419]

What's the name of the glue please

[@travelingworld5649]

I have a caddilac 2007 i noticed at the very back right side corner on the roof start leaking whenever rain happens.... do you think i need to change the weather stripping

[@DavidParas]

it would be the first thing I would check, I mean you can probably get away with sealing it if you don't want to buy a replacemnet weather strip, pending on your car they might be cheap, hard to say...

[@latanyakennedy985]

i have a Dodge caliber. I just noticed a leak on my front passenger side corner. are the weather strip easy to lift up?

[@DavidParas]

if it's an 09 or newer, it should have almost the exact same system as the one in the video where there is just a peg that slides on to a clip to lock it. You'll have to double check the dodge forums to be sure, just google the year and make of your car + weather strip... ex: "2010 dodge caliber weather strip" You can begin to lightly pry up on the strip using very light pressure to look under it if you can't find what system it uses, just be careful not to break the clips if it has them. I'd start in the center and see where it has the most give, you can pry it up by hand very easily, but it might feel like you need to use a lot of force to get it started, but you really don't and that's how most people break the clips. Just take you time with it.

[@juditrealtormiami3967]

My car has the same system and when i go to a drive thru carwash, it peels off the rubber thing, the water leaks inside during the wash, and im afraid that once it will completely come off and i’ll loose it. Do you think your method would help keeping the rubber on the car? Oh and when i put rubber back after carwash, it never leaks.

[@DavidParas]

If you fill the area with caulking it will hold it in pretty permanently - that could potentially cause an issue later. It also depends on what is causing it to lift up during the car wash - I'm assuming you mean a drive through car wash - if one of the brushes are catching the front of the weather strip, even filled with caulking it will probably make it come up or leak over time - you might get one wash out of it, you might get a few years. It just really depends on how hard the car wash is pulling on the weather strip. The pin clip that holds the weather strip down is probably broken on one side, making it easier to lift up during the car wash. If you do end up laying the weather strip in a bed of caulking, be sure that the clips are still attached to the pin, if they aren't it will just fly off your car. If you get a caulking for sealing the outside of home windows or or for sealing an aquarium it should hold for a while, but it's a ton of work and very, very, messy. If you have any excess at all or if the car gets wet or rained on before it completely dries then it will run down your car and ruin the pain. If your going to continue to use the car wash, in the long run it would probably be easier and cheaper to replace the weatherstrip altogether or pay an auto body shop to fix that issue. If your car is around 5 years old or newer, it might be covered under some-type of manufacturers warranty and I would recommenced looking into that.

[@juditrealtormiami3967]

David Paras Thank you very much for reply. Car is 2003 Honda Civic coupe..and car wash is right next door where i live and its $3 so id love to keep using it..the little hook doesnt look damaged and hooks well on both side. Not sure why it comes off so easily..and always on the front and peels towards the back. Maybe if its glued in with the chaulk, it would stay put..i was even thinking of putting superglue right where the hook is on the front instead of chaulk..

[@aletheakelly1010]

Judit, this recently happened to me...I think. Car wash loosened the strip/moulding and my drivers carpet got soaked. Where can we buy replacement moulding?

[@MoAli-nv9cf]

Hi Dave, I tried your fix for my Toyota Corolla and the issue still persists with water leaking from the roof joint as in your video. I felt certain this would work but alas it doesn't. Any other ideas?

[@DavidParas]

Hi Mo does your corolla have a sun roof? If so it the sun roof drain could be clogged causing the leak - if that's not the case it could be leaking from the front where the windshield is. On most cars there is a very small space or joint where the whether strip covers - if your standing in front of your car looking head on and you bend down and look up you should be able to see what I'm talking about. That is a bit harder to fix because there is a slot designed to allow the rain to leave the windshield and travel up the roof of the car and over the back of it while your drive in the rain so if you fill that area in with caulking or sealer it could create a visibility issue in hard rain. I hope this helps?

[@nostradamus9608]

I've a leaking issue in my Toyota Matrix. I was told I'd have to take it to auto glass shop to remove and reseal windshield. Any idea how can I check where exactly it is leaking, on a side rail, or under the windshield seal? Thanks.

[@DavidParas]

@Nostradamus - water is weird and it's really hard to figure out where it is coming in from sometimes - the best I can do is this: In my thumbnail image there are three green arrows pointing at the rail joint - I'm going to call them the left, middle, and right arrow. The arrow furthest to the right is the exact spot I was having water come in from - it was near the bottom of that seam - and it spread to the left - towards the windsheild as the roof got more saturated. So if it is coming in from the windsheild - I would think it would be the opposite since water always takes the path of least resistance - as in it would be spreading from the corner of the windsheild out - not from the inside towards the windsheild. It might be hard to tell this after a rain - but you could spray it with the hose or even run your windsheild wipers while your driving on the highway and see if it's starting to get damp closer to the windsheild by the time you get home. If it's only showing up after a rain then it's probably the top rail. Since you said you have a Toyotal Matrix - if you have the roof rack rails - I'd guess it is coming in from there - they will all leak overtime, it's just enevitable from the driving vibration and unless the guy who put the roof rack on really water prooofed it - your probably always going to have some issues there once you hit say 80,000 miles or more. It's just the nature of the beast - those screws will all loosen and leak given enought time. I hope this helps - let me know if you find out where it was leaking, I'm curious - I see a lot of ppl being told they need to re-seal their windsheild but it seems like that never solves the issue - I suppose it could be both issues at the same time as well if the car is old enough.

[@MrTreyvinr]

I have a Lexus es330 and this my problem,not sure if this work for me?any suggestions

[@DavidParas]

It a small a mount of caulking will solve the leak issue - the only thing I'm not 100% sure of is if your weather strips have the same clips that mine did - most cars build after 2008 use the system I show in the video, but if your car is older than that just be careful trying to remove it, because you can easily break off the clips if it's not the "slid and pull" system shown in the video. If you search the Lexus forums I'm sure you can easily find out the exact clips your car has.

[@danielomingomingsr9203]

i have es300 and im basically swimming home

[@TheMrBennito]

I checked the weatherstrips and I absolutely don't see a single bit of rust or cracks there. My roof is leaking a bit in the front middle, where the reading lights dome is situated. Could it be the windshield, or even a leaking rubber for an antenna in the back of the roof? It's a 2012 Renault Megane

[@FunWithGuns]

Does it have a sunroof? If so I would start there. You could try a thin bead of black silicone sealant around the windshield too.

[@Skate2EDM]

Would be nice if you gave information on what you used in the description box. Thanks anyway.

[@judequah9131]

why i u never show how you apply the sealer

[@nmralfaloge]

What kind silicone did you use??

[@DavidParas]

Loctite bathtub sealer - for the sealing showers/tubs (above the waterline) It's been just about a year since I've filmed this and It's held up just fine for me. Any silicon caulking should work fine, you could use out door window sealer or the stuff for below the water line if you want to go all out, but as long as you have a seal all the way across you don't need to do all that. Just don't use a latex based one - they are water soluble and it will dissolve with the weather overtime.

[@mikemorales1725]

I tried JB Weld where the leak is in my Yaris and then used marine grade silicone caulk over and then replaced the rubber strip and it still leaks a bit, I am about to give up.

[@DavidParas]

Hey Mike, is your roof leaking right at the joint (above the window) Where the green arrows are pointing at the beginning of the video? If you don't have water right in that crease it the leak might be coming from your sun roof which is a bit harder to fix. But there are a lot of great how to videos on how to fix the clogged sun roof drain. Here's a great video on how to do that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmi2YXhqrb6Xp7c If it's not either issue, I probably couldn't help much with out actually seeing your car - I hope this helps you fix the leak!

[@mikemorales1725]

No sunroof, there is a metal thing on the roof that hooks the strip in place, I am guessing that this is where the leak is, I used a liberal amount of JB weld, let it dry and then add the silicone marine caulk and then placed the strip back with more JB Weld and it still leaks, I don't know what else to do, the windshield was resealed for nothing cause the leak was not coming from there.

[@austingorman6387]

Once I pulled up the weather strip, which pulled off with zero difficulty, underneath looked to be in perfect condition but my headliner is soaked after the first hard rain.

[@DavidParas]

Yeah water can be difficult - sometimes just moving it can change the path of flow and create a leak. You might also have a pin hole crack in the weld joint you can't see and when you moved the stirp water was then able to run across the hole... a little caulking should do the trick. I suppose it depends on how long you are going to keep the car, but what I did with mine was caulk it, put the weather strip in place and then put the top part on top of that so the caulking was then coming out the sides - it stopped the leak, but it clogged the "drain" - where the weather strip is on the roof of you car acts like a gutter on each side and it helps keep more water off the windsheild - on a heavy rain it was harder to see - I didn't realize that until after it was caulked in place. I sealed my windsheild with chemical guys jet seal and it wasn't a visibility problem for me, but be aware of that if you are going to seal it all the way.

[@Hazen_Muhammad]

So any another leak after this?? Is the selant good for longer time period?

[@DavidParas]

My repair lasted for at least 2 years - I sold the car after tthat, but If you cleaned any rust away and preped the area well it should hold for years - though you might have a leak from two spots - or the stuff you used might not have been "good" quality - I noticed they've started to sell stuff specifically for this in automotive shops now. I don't know I could help you much more without be able to see the car myself? Which stuff did you use?

[@monperez7223]

Its good information bro it helps but less talk wud be good peace

[@DavidParas]

👍

[@user-lk7rv4iz6k]

I have question: If there is a crack, is it means that the whole car is not in good status?

[@DavidParas]

It depends on how wide and how deep the crack is - as well as where the crack is... If the frame is cracked you're going to have issues. If it's just a small one like what I showed in the video then it's an easy fix. Just clean away the rust, paint over the spot and inside the crack the best you can, then fill it with caulking - if it's a bigger/deeper crack you can fill it in with jb weld or metal bondo, then paint over it, then put caulking over it and you should be good to go.

[@toninocars]

Having a rust there it’s a potentially lethal if you unlucky to have a frontal impact the car will crush in two and kills you. What a horrible car is that. Vw/Audi has the best in business roof to body weld and don’t even have a weather strip, beautifully made but inside out but drivetrains sucks with them. Anyway great video 👍👌🏻🍻

[@TheAuswi]

Has anyone done this with a Toyota hilux 2007?

[@KT_2006]

LOCTITE ? Name ?

[@Katana4life1977]

do you know how to remove weather stripping on 2009 chevy malibu?

[@DavidParas]

if it's an 09 or newer, it should have almost the exact same system as the one in the video where there is just a peg that slides on to a clip to lock it. You'll have to double check the Chevy forums to be sure, just google 2009 malibu weather strip... You can begin to pry it up using very light pressure to look under it if you can't find what system it uses, just be careful not to break the clips if it has them.

[@SarahPoulin]

I have a 2005 Corolla, took the weather stripping out, and put silicone sealer all over every possible crevice where was might get in. I also put it all along the windshield, everywhere. IT'S STILL LEAKING. I don't understand where the water is coming from.

[@DavidParas]

Hey Sarah, I'm really not to familar with that car - but if it has a sun roof, it could possibly be leaking from there - typically you do NOT want to seal around the windsheild because it will block the built in grooves for the water to drain of your roof and it could make it hard to replace your windsheild if you ever needed to do that... If the water is more towards the center of the roof not the edge, it's probably the sun roof, but it's a much more complcated fix as you have to take the sun roof apart and it's really specific for each individual car - they are also really easy to break. The only other thing I'd say, could it be possbile that you didn't seal every part of the weather strip - for example if you didn't remove it all the way and check for holes / rust - and just sealed over the top of the weather strip then water could probably still get in from the ends... I hope this helps?

[@SarahPoulin]

@@DavidParas I don't have a sun roof, and the weather strip isn't even in the car. There's no weather strip right now. I just shoved a whole bunch of caulking in, sealing up anywhere the water could get in.

[@DavidParas]

@@SarahPoulin Ahh ok, so if there is no weather strip at all - I don't think caulking by itself is sufficent to prevent windsheer from pushing the rain in - do you have someone who can maybe help you with this / double check the caulking is bonded to the metal and not loose anywhere? I suggesting that becuase I know from working on some landscaping ponds, you have have leaks really far away from where the water is coming in, it's mind blowing how far it can travel sometimes, and this isn't an easy thing to trouble shoot if you don't have a lot of expierence with it. I'd think that somewhere the seal must not be complete - it could even be a little pin hole somewhere and it looks like the whole thing is sealed, and I hate to say but at that point the best thing to do is probably take it all of and restart from scratch. ^^ I'd really ask someone or maybe go to a place like pep boys and ask them for a quote on the cheapest way to fix the leak - at least at my local shop they will say something like you can buy the part for $500 or so or you can just do this, this, and this for $50 and save some money. If there is no weather strip at all, I'd say you'd at least need some type of cover over the seal just to prevent the suns rays from breaking down the sealer - I really don't know if they make anything which can last high wind speed (from normal driving even at 25mph) as well as sun, snow, rain, etc... The only possible thing would maybe be roof sealer for a house, but a lot of those are not made for aluminum and are acid based - they can eat a hole in your roof when they cure. There really isn't a quick fix for this one when the car is a bit older, because all of them will have some rust or little cracks and unless you really know what you are looking for it's hard to find the issue. I really don't know if I can help you much more than this, but I'll do my best if you have any more questions - I'd really have to take a look at it in person to say exactly what the problem is - I can say my younger sister had a similar problem and her weather strip started to come off and she needed to get a new one and that fixed it - but you have a leak or tiny crack or rivot pop at the seem where the roof connects to the frame replacing the weather strip alone will not do the trick it needs to be sanded, painted, sealed, then put the weather strip on to protect the seal.

[@SarahPoulin]

@@DavidParas thanks!

[@DavidParas]

@@SarahPoulin no problem, I hope this at least helps you in some way - it's just not a easy problem to diagnose if sealing everything didn't work the first time - feel free to ask anymore questions - If it's out of my ability to answer I'll say so - the only other thing I could think of that could possibly work with out putting a new weather strip on would be sometype of marine or boat coating/ sealer - but I don't know if it would at all be cost effective and that kind of stuff is typically really nasty smelling, hard to work with, sets really quickly, and really really hard to get off if you make a mistake - I mean for all I know it could ruin your windsheild so it's probably best to try somewhere like pepboys. You can go here to see what the repair should cost on average for your make and model of car I use this a lot repairpal.com/ These guys have some really great how to videos if you needed to do any other repairs/mantience on your car. kzbin.info www.carcarekiosk.com/videos/Toyota/Corolla/2007

[@purified_sweet_pea2097]

I thought using silicone was bad because it traps water and breaks down the metal in the car?

[@DavidParas]

This is only if you are using a commercial acid cure silicon, most places don't even sell this anymore and so long as the tube says it's ok for metal it's not going to react with it. The silicone will with stand the heat and sun bettery than the poly based caulks www.allmetalsfab.com/galvanic-reaction-caulk/

[@johnc.kathmann1140]

Have a 2004 Scion XA and shop can not find the leak. In 3 times

[@beezytalkingshit9319]

I thought it was my heater core this whole time. lol

[@88888gerald]

others say never use silicone...use an automotive sealant.

[@DavidParas]

It's because it used to be all silicon sealers were previously acid cure - they would eat through aluminum - if it says on the label it's safe for metal and aluminum then it's safe to use - I just feel like the silicone holds up better overtime - if I'm not mistaken it's now the most common gutter and window caulking - which means it's for sure safe for aluminum and doesn't corrode it. The good news is - there are plenty of other options and you can use which ever one you like. If you are caulking the front of your windshield I do believe there is a very specific stuff just for that but for sealing the weatherstrip there are quite a few options.

[@RomboutVersluijs]

This kind of lining looks much easier to remove Vs that new one. Though I guess the new one doesn't move. Move kind of bulges out at the end, just a couple mm

[@DavidParas]

yeah the locks are different, some of the newer ones are much easier to remove, some of them are much harder and will break easily if you try to pull them up so you have to check the manufactures specs and see what you have and how to remove them.

[@RomboutVersluijs]

@@DavidParas I wanted to try, but i need remove most panels in my hatch as well. becomes way bigger job for me.

[@FreDWrecK213]

Where can I get that rubber squeegee? And I have a 2010 Malibu and the top of the strips has a solid part it’s not just the rubber

[@aletheakelly1010]

Do you have a rubber spatula?

[@plum_loco]

Use an old credit card if you have one. Does the same thing.

[@Angel-cs2tc]

My car leaks on all four corners of my roof

[@Skate2EDM]

That'll be a helluva job my guy.

[@davidcerce]

Are you an automobile mechanic?

[@DavidParas]

No I am not, nor do I claim to be - I just had a bit of body work experience from when someone wrecked into my car and painting guitars... When it comes to any of the mechanical stuff I really do not know much or claim to know - any particular reason you ask?

[@7_of_9]

All Acura Homda rain inside 💠😅

[@judequah9131]

you should have showed all the process

[@DavidParas]

Hey Jude - I thought it was pretty self explanitory - granted I grew up fixing stuff and learning how to paint and what not - there really is nothing too the sealer though - you just put it over the crack and them put the top piece right over it - if you put on too much you just wipe it off with damp a paper towel before it dries - if you got way too much you might want to wear some plastic gloves...don't really want to get this stuff on your hands since it's pretty messy and hard to get off. In most cases, it should just easily wipe off and not discolor your cars paint - you are best off using as little as you need. I'll keep this in mind for any future videos - thanks for your commnet - I can try and help more if you have any more questions - David

[@Palma96]

Wow ok so might not be my sun roof

[@DavidParas]

Yeah, it wasn't mine either - I was pretty sure it wasn't since i don't think I opened it more than one time in 5 years lol... I wish more cars came without them - I always hated them.

[@muhammadaltaf4121]

I cant hear you sound low

[@DavidParas]

turn up volume :)

[@sammyvalera3364]

How about for a 2006 Honda Odyssey

[@DavidParas]

Hi Sammy, I'm not 100% sure about that one - to clarify, yes using the caulking will work just fine, but I'm not sure if your weather strips have the same clip mine did. I did a quick, and I mean very quick search and I coudln't find which type of strip the 06 has - if you have your cars manual there should be a section in it about the "roof weather strips" It's important because if you go to lift them off and they have a clip - instead of the system like shown in this video - the clips are made of cheap plastic and can break - the big problem there is the clips are attached to the car not the strip so you would have a much bigger problem if they break... Unless your willing to "permanently" glue them in place if they break. If I were you, and I didn't care about gluing them down, that's what I would do - I would start to peel up the weather strip and see if I could find out if it was the clip system or the slide and lock system like shown in this video. If you do break the clips, you could use an out door window sealer to "permanently" hold them down. It will last several years and not let any water get in. Though you might not be able to get them back in perfectly if they clips break you might need two people to put the strip in place and probably something to hold down the strip while it sets (for about 12-24 hours)

[@Faiith1964]

Least you honest

[@afizalismail856]

too many chat.. action speak louder than word..

[@KevinMortenson]

Don't listen to any of this guys advice, even his terminology is wrong which is a very bad sign. Also DO NOT use silicon for this ever. It will cause rusting. There is a special sealant for this job, it's a automotive seam sealer. Search KZbin for that

[@terencebritton752]

First of all using the wrong terminology doesn’t mean it won’t work, as a matter of fact it has worked for some based on the comments. Secondly he has already addressed the silicone issue. Maybe try reading before you comment.

[@ZoKtorR]

Uhuh huh uhuh huh. He said caulk. Huhuhh uhuh

[@ericmorales3581]

NEVER put silicone on a vehicle smh

[@aletheakelly1010]

What do you suggest?

[@leggygtej2554]

Lol just have your fucking window resealed

[@DavidParas]

The window isn't what was leaking, it was the rusted rivits under the weather strip - the windsheild was actually just replaced because a stone shot off a truck an cracked it... so i was sealed and brand new... a window leak doesn't let water in at the outside corner of the joint.

[@let273]

I hate when people talk so much on thei videos just get to the point dude