Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

[phoenixtb]

Hey guys,
Just put the hardtop on my 2002 Tbird for the winter and noticed on the driver side when we open the door water splashes onto the seats. Do all Tbirds have this problem or did I do something wrong when putting on the hardtop! I'm thinking it may be one of those Quirks you have to deal with if you own a Tbird. Any Insights thoughts or remedies?

[FUN X 3]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

There are ways to fine-tune your hardtop to your car. Use the search function to find the threads, step-by-step with pics are here.

Here you go:

http://www.thunderbirdnest.com/forum...ad.php?t=17053

[redbirdman]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

Phillip,our 02 leaks too.all information to fix problem in tsb see post 2.if too technical,do what we do,hand wash bird,do not park downhill in rain,keep towel behind rear seat.see also post on adjusting hard top.I think the trick is the 7mm gap between windsheild chrome and hard top.one of these days I'll adjust mine,but we would rather drive redbird than spend time on a minor inconvinence for us.
just read funx3's post ,this is the non technical version .ford has a technical service bulletin that's more what can i say....technical.do a thread search on leaking hard top.i think sixpack posted the tsb in06.
hope this helps.

[Brad]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

This is one of my pet peeves...Both my 2002 and my 2003 both have leaked at the same spot. I argue that all Tbirds with a hardtop on will leak on the drivers side...I feel that most people just don't realize it since they don't normally drive/park in the right conditions for it to leak. The ideal condition fo the leak is to park the vehicle on an incline with the nose of the car upward. Most of the time it is NOT the problem of the top but rather the rubber piece that is attached to the door pillar. The first TSB addresses this problem if it is the fault of the hardtop I had my 2002 back to the factory for this issue prior to the 2nd TSB. (I wish I could have taken a picture of Larry beating the rubber gasket at the factory with a rubber mallot...but anyway..).

If you have the leaking I am talking about after you install the hardtop put a piece of tape (NOT ducttape since it will leave glue behind) covering the spot by the drivers window where the hardtop attaches to the pillar rubber...the problem is that by design water travels through the inside of the gasket and for some odd reason the drivers side becomes lower and water drips right at the point where the 2 gaskets connect

[joe166]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

I did this to try to stop my slight leak and found that one of the clips was missing on that plastic part you are supposed to remove. Does anyone know where to get that clip? I have unsuccesfully looked in all the auto parts stores and when I ask the Ford dealer they want a part number. Anyone?

[prbre]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

Take your car into the dealer and point it out to them they should be able to look it up. But we are talking about Ford so good luck!!!

[jsinnicks]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

I don't drive mine a lot in the winter, but when the hard top is on it does the same thing. Not a leak, but when the door is open water drips off the roof door edge onto the seat. Miserable sitting in a puddle....

[007Cruiser]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

You let your's get wet?

[00mustng]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

...mine does it too....I think it's a design flaw.....

[Vintage Merlot]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

I had leak starting day one from the front corners of the top where top meets windshield frame. Dealer tried but really did not fix. I tried a couple things. I also did the top adjustment that Julie highly recommends. Evenutally I developed a fix that lasted for two years but material I used eventually deteriorated. I tried new material during the summer but did not have top on to see if it worked. We evacuated to Charlie and Margaret's for hurricane Gustav and got in some really heavy bands of rain when we were returning to New Orleans. Not a leak with car in motion or parked. Fix is nearly impossible to explain without pictures. As soon as I get the car out of storage from IKE and take the top off I will take pictures and post. It is very simple, simple. but seems to work.

[FritsB]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

I had same thing from day I got it on. It would poor in every corner and drip on my trousers and seats. Had garage fix it with silicone glue. Now it is not leaking any more

[FUN X 3]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

My Bird is a daily-driver with over 78,000 miles on it. We've been through some heavy rainstorms together with absolutely no leaks. The only time my hardtop leaks is when I wash the car or take it through [T-Bird blasphemy for some] the automatic car wash, it's a small bead of water that tracks down the inside of the window. No leaks at the header or corner. That's because my top is on snugly since it's custom-fitted to the car. An easy fix too, only takes a few minutes.

[Leroy]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

I never take my Bird out in the rain intentionally and only just recently got a hardtop for it. I run my car through a soft car wash that we have here and have never had a leak with or without the hardtop on. Leroy

[pship]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

My Bird is a daily-driver with over 78,000 miles on it. We've been through some heavy rainstorms together with absolutely no leaks. The only time my hardtop leaks is when I wash the car or take it through [T-Bird blasphemy for some] the automatic car wash, it's a small bead of water that tracks down the inside of the window. No leaks at the header or corner. That's because my top is on snugly since it's custom-fitted to the car. An easy fix too, only takes a few minutes.

Drive mine daily/all year too. Like you, I do the unthinkable and go to automatic washes. I do it in the winter, when it's that or nothing. My top leaks only at one particular wash that has high pressure water directed from the side at roof height, so I just don't use that one. Otherwise, it's been very tight, although it does rattle a bit after it's been on a while. I wonder if I need to readjust every month or so in the winter. It's on November to March.

[Carmino]

Re: Anyone with Leaking Hardtop?

Do not let it get wet. LOL