My Mx5 mk2 - 1.8s has developed a leak coming from the drivers side window- hood seal Can anyone tell me if this is a common problem and how I can go about recitfying it. Is it a simple process or would it be a visit to the dealers? Thanks Mick
A common problem. Do a search on this and other sites. Tons of info out there.
Pete
you need to do some other checks before visiting the dealer.
There are numerous threads on leaking - also try the old forum which is there as an archive as there are several years worth of posts regarding this.
mk1’s and mk2’s are very similar so most of the threads will apply to both.
When you say its the hood seal please eleborate. Is it the join on the rubber seals above the window? The join half way along? Or is it the bit at the front of the window where it meets the windscreen frame?
When hoods get older they seen to shrink back from the window exposing the seals to the elements where they woudl normaly overlap sheilding them from the rain.
you need to try to trace the route the water is taking to establish where the problem is coming from. Unfortuantely the nature of this is not exact as they way you park the car (slight slope etc) can change the appearance of where its coming from. A few years ago I had a leak problem when I parked the car facing up hill but no issue if it was slightky down hill.
One of the best ways to determine the source is to sit in the car on a flat bit of road and get a friend with a watering can to gently poor water on parts of the roof. hiopefully between you you can work out where its coming from.
It coudl be just one squashed seal or something more.
A bit of back reading on other posts will give you a good understandign of the possible problems and could save you hundreds of pounds.
Good luck
I also have a slightly leaky mk2 1.8iS, but my leak’s a bit different - if the car’s been sat out in the rain, when I set off, the first time I brake, quite a big dribble comes in at the front of the passenger side window, more or less from the top of the drainage channel that goes up the front of the door (frame?). From the quantity and because it only happens after it’s been sat in the rain for a while, I think it must be standing water somewhere that spills when I brake, but I’ve not managed to work out where it’s coming from.
I’ve checked the drain tube down the front of the door, and gone out to look at the car after it’s rained, and I’ve not found any blockages or puddles, so I’m completely stumped as to where it’s coming from! The fact that it appears on braking suggests it’s coming from behind that point, but there isn’t anywhere to collect water there - the seals above the windows are fine (the roof’s pretty new) and the gutters above the windows aren’t big enough to collect that much water.
Oh, and I didn’t get it this morning, despite rain last night, which I think is because I put the roof down. So maybe it is collecting somewhere on the roof… I guess I’ll have to do a watering can test at some point and try to work out where it could be collecting!
Any advice would be very much appreciated though.
two thoughts on this one - are you sure its not stored up in the “tube” above the window and coming out at the fron tof it when breaking?
Second thought could be to check the front seal bit iit tight against the windscreen surround as water can get down there and if there is a little cgap water coming forward off the roof could go down there. To check this would be when the roof is down and see if it could go tighter.
That’s a good point - I hadn’t thought about it getting inside the seals. Thanks, I’ll check that!
Any luck with your leaks???
I have just bought a 99 MX5, with new roof, & have same problem with water seeming to collect somewhere & pouring in on me when either braking, turning or putting roof down… any advice much appreciated
Either of you guys get to the bottom of this? I have the same problem with my 1989 Mk1 Eunos i.e. water occasionally dripping onto my knee under braking! What I’ve also noticed is that water is collecting inside the front-most of the 2 rubbers above the drivers door i.e. if you sit in the car and then carefully peel down the rubber from the roof, water can be seen inside! Note that this is NOT inside the ‘tubular’ interior bit of the rubber - it seems dry in there, I’ve checked, and also filled it with Hally’s foam. The rear-most rubber is bone dry inside. But I still can’t see how the water is getting into the rubber!