Regardless of your car type, you will get a lot of fabric in it—be it on the seats, mats, or even the dashboard. And spilling any liquid on fabric is certainly the last choice for most of us. That is why, whether you drive an electric car or a conventional one, any unwanted water ingress can be quite bothering for you. Even if you keep the windows fully closed in wet weather, you might still get some rainwater into your car—mostly, the faulty doors are to be blamed.
Electric car doors may leak when it rains because of bad door and window sealing, fractures in windows, or worn-out door bodies. Though the fixes are non-issues, provided the problems do not exist on a large scale, preventing them in the first place is a better option.
My Electric Car Door Leaks When It Rains: Reasons Explained
Faulty Door and Window Sealings
The seals around the doors and windows can lose their strength and become brittle over time. Eventually, they will crack and will not remain effective against water ingress anymore. Such seals are made of rubber and thus can easily deteriorate when exposed to light, ozone, and heat for a long time. After a few years in such conditions, the rubber does not remain bouncy, defeating its purpose of existence. To confirm if the seals are causing issues, you need to check how brittle they are. Try spraying water over them while the door is closed and see if water enters your car.
Cracked Windows
Cracked or chipped windows can lead to water leakages in your electric car. However, it depends much on the size of the crack—the bigger it is, the more water it will allow. Besides the rain, it can also cause dewdrops to easily make their way into the car. You can confirm if this is the case by looking for visible cracks in the windows. When found, try sprinkling water on one side and see if it passes through and reaches the other.
Broken Doors
Doors can break or form cracks due to accidents and wear and tear, giving water access to the insides. Mostly, rust is the culprit. Over time, ultraviolet rays from the sun, bad weather, and mud accelerate the wear and tear process. If you drive your electric car in a warm city, it is more likely to get it. Also, note that the bottom part of the door is most vulnerable to rusting since it gets the most mud. Driving on a flooded road can indirectly make the rainwater access your interior.
What Other Ways Can an Electric Car Leak When It Rains?
Sunroof
Sunroofs leak when it rains, mainly due to blocked drainage. However, depending on the type of sunroof, cracks and faulty seals can also lead to the same. It is a common issue in Tesla cars, as several users have reported blocked drainage. Such a drainage system allows the rainwater to flow down to the road instead of accumulating around the sunroof frame. When clogged, water finds no suitable exit other than entering the cabin.
Windshield
Windshields can give way to rainwater entering a car’s cabin due to bad seals, cracks, and wrong installation. As discussed earlier, rubber seals can deteriorate over time. Other than that, they can also develop molds which can lead to the same. Similarly, wrong installation or inappropriate accessories can give way to rainwater. To confirm if it is a faulty windscreen, notice that you will see water on the dashboard and the front carpets after rain.
Read: Can Tesla Windshield Be Repaired?
How Can I Fix My Leaky Electric Car Door?
If Seals Are the Problem
You can preserve the seals by following some precautionary measures, such as avoiding parking outside in extreme weather conditions. However, when it comes to fixing it, know that rubber deterioration cannot be reversed. You will need to change the seals altogether. Just buy the new, recommended seals and follow the steps below.
- Start by removing the rubber. Insert a screwdriver at the point of contact between the seal and the car body and push it toward you. When it starts losing grip, pull the entire piece with your hands.
- Rub the old glue on the car’s body to get rid of it. But only scrub it gently, or you will compromise the paint. Once removed, apply WD-40 to get rid of the dust and debris.
- Take the new seals out of the packet and cut them into pieces of appropriate sizes. Apply glue to the body of your car and begin pressing the rubber against it.
- Give the adhesive 10 minutes to settle its grip on the rubber. Once done, close and open the window or the door multiple times to ensure that the seals are not causing any hurdles and are fitted in properly.
If Cracks Are the Problem
Cracks in car windows can be fixed in several ways. However, if they are too big—about 3 inches or longer—there remains no other option than to replace the window. Various window repair kits are available in the market that can easily do the job. Generally, these are epoxy-based kits. When using those, inject the adhesive with a syringe and clean the glass afterward. But if your window needs a replacement, ensure it is installed properly.
If the Door Is Broken
It is better to approach a professional to fix the broken piece of your car’s door. The best you can do is never to let that happen in the first place. Wash your car from the bottom thoroughly when you drive through muddy or beach areas. Also, wax your car at least twice every year and if it loses paint, fix it immediately.
How Can I Dry My Electric Car After Door Leaks?
- Remove Main Items: You need to get your car rid of all wet objects. In case of water leakage from the door, items with the highest chances of getting wet include sets and floor mats. Once removed from the car, place them in a nice sunny place until they get dried to their core.
- Use Absorbent Towels: Take the help of a piece of cloth or a towel that can absorb a lot of water. Rainwater can get accumulated in the shallow areas on your car’s surface. Put the cloth in such areas until it is saturated with water. Wring it outside, and repeat the process until there is no water left inside.
- Use a Dehumidifier: Even after removing all water from your car, you cannot say that the interior is completely dry. If even a little water content stays in the car, it will create unnecessary humidity and cause fogging on the windows if temperatures drop. To remove any remaining moisture, dehumidify your car for at least 24 hours.
Concluding Remarks: My Electric Car Door Leaks When It Rains
Doors can leak when rainfall occurs because of faulty rubber sealings around their edges or around the windows, cracks or chips in the window glasses, or if there is too much wear and tear on the door’s body. But the good news is that you can easily fix those issues—the solutions do not bear a hefty price tag; it is not as sophisticated a job as tweaking with the AC motors!
Keeping your car in a ‘waterproof’ condition is a must if you live in a wet area. So, what are you waiting for?
