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2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Leaking Roof
We've had some heavy rain and I noticed my seatbelts feel damp. Upon closer examination, there are droplets of water on the inside next to the rear side windows. I've opened the roof and made sure the seals were all in place and treated, but I'm still getting water in. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Thanks.
Last edited by JettaRed; Jan 12, 2024 at 07:18 AM.
We've had some heavy rain and I noticed my seatbelts feel damp. Upon closer examination, there are droplets of water on the inside next to the rear side windows. I've open the roof and made sure the seals were all in place and treated, but I'm still getting water in. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Thanks.
Though a pain, window adjustment usually can fix it.
The early cars had the weatherstripping replaced….
But the window adjustments compensate for the weatherstripping stiffness and plastic deformation that happens over time on all cars.
Theres a section in the WIS on how to make the adjustments.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
The leak seems to be coming from the rear window, though I thought it was the roof hinge area as that's where it appears to drip from. I will look more closely as soon as the rain stops, now that I know what to look for.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Here is with the passenger side door open and the rear window retracted.
Here is with the door closed. The rear window closes snugly. Also, there was no water running down on the inside of the window, but rather dripping from the roof near the hinged area.
Always tough to tell from pictures/internet but looks like the upper part of the weatherstripping isn’t sealing or maybe it’s worn?
Use 1” wide (or less) THIN strips of paper or plastic to see if the seal is loose anywhere (and tension is even) when closed…
I’ve used cut plastic bags
The rear window has a “pre tension“ adjustment that puts pressure on that top area of the window. But all the weather stripping seal should be smooth & soft too.
The rain we’ve had down here in Hampton Roads was unreal. If what came down in your area was close to what we had here, then I don’t doubt at all that it leaked!
Very glad to have gotten the SL in the garage the day before all hell broke loose yesterday.
Looks like we’re expecting another round of it Friday, too.
OMG dude I said the exact same thing yesterday. When I got back in my car after a week, or two of it sitting and the hard rain here my front seatbelt on the drivers side was damp. Second time it happened after a hard rain. I always forget to check the passenger side.
I have washed my car a million times with a high pressure water hose and always dry as can be.
Originally Posted by JettaRed
We've had some heavy rain and I noticed my seatbelts feel damp. Upon closer examination, there are droplets of water on the inside next to the rear side windows. I've open the roof and made sure the seals were all in place and treated, but I'm still getting water in. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Thanks.
Last edited by ThatsMyDawg; Jan 22, 2024 at 09:34 AM.
No.
I haven’t looked into it further as it is a non issue during winter time.
It seems to be an issue during very heavy rains only and a those don’t exist here this time of year.
The issue will be revisited come spring when I can take it through a car wash and look for any leaks while sitting in the car.
At some point when all the snow and salt has been washed away from the roads I may take the SL for a wash before the spring. Will check into the issue more whenever the next wash comes.
Originally Posted by paw777
Hi all - same issue here on my 2014 R231. Did anyone manage to work out a fix?
Cheers
Last edited by ThatsMyDawg; Mar 7, 2024 at 05:31 PM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
@ToeKneee and @paw777 in which case, I'll show them the Vario Roof Troubleshooting Tree. But, if I have to do that, I probably don't want them to work on the car anyway. Ideally, they'll know exactly what the problem is and can advise me what can be done. Then I can decide what to do.
My weatherstripping is soft and pliable, and all the windows fit snuggly, so when it warms up a bit, I'll look closely for possible points of ingress.
We've had some heavy rain and I noticed my seatbelts feel damp. Upon closer examination, there are droplets of water on the inside next to the rear side windows. I've opened the roof and made sure the seals were all in place and treated, but I'm still getting water in. Any ideas on how to fix this?
Thanks.
checking the roof seals. Here are a few quick fixes to try
Check the door seals for wear or damage.
Inspect the seals around the rear side windows for cracks.
Clear out any debris from the drainage channels around your vehicle.
If these don't work, it's best to consult a professional mechanic for further assistance click
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