I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Hood exterior fabric lifting / bubbling at front.
Hood is in otherwise excellent condition, but appears to be lifting away from metal strip below it near to front screen. Fabric is sound but shows a series of small ‘bubbles’ on top surface. Maybe adhesive is getting tired…?
Can it be ‘re-stuck’ down? Worth trying a warm iron to re-set the adhesive?
This was / is a common problem with certain production date models in North America and is becoming a problem in Europe. Apparently there was a problem with a batch of adhesive and it start to deteriorate giving rise to what looks lke bubbles in the top. There is no solution other than to replace the top. I would just live with it until you need to replace the top at the end of its useful life whenever that is or if you start to get leaks through this area. Bad example looks like this:
Thanks, alben.
Looks very similar, but car is not N American spec - UK market, so maybe same problem.
Maybe sunlight/heat is the cause, and less of that here in UK…!?
It started to become apparent in the sunnier states first in cars less than 5 years old and has now progressed to a more widespread problem which has also included European cars including the UK. It only affects a batch of early cars.
Yes it definitely looks like the glue is (if glued there) is breaking down. No harm in trying what you suggest in your first post, warm iron on a sample area. I’d probably try that myself as a starter, use brown paper between hood and iron, gentle pressing.
Any better ideas welcome I guess, thinking old glue may not regain its stickyness (is that a proper word)
if heat causes it to bubble up
then a heatgun and a hot iron might just stick it down again!
im betting you will need to get it quite hot tho.
after all this is happening on those real hot summer days when the car is sat under the sun all day
so you going to need a comparaible heat to stick it down again
My thoughts exactly, Thibor and Mick AP, but I was asking if anyone else had experience before I jumped in…?
Maybe some steam would help it penetrate the fabric, too?
Any takers?
NO steam, the moister might negativly affect the adesive, unless its a water based adesive!
i guess you need to find out what type of adesive was used.
This has been raised numerous times on the US miata site and there is no cure. The adhesive is reacting with the rubber interlayer causing it to breakdown. The danger is that you will make it worse and the interlayer will breakdown completly removing the waterproofing layer.
By all means try whatever you want but you have been warned.
