Weatherstripping is a part of your car that you may not give much thought to, but it does a very important job keeping water out of your car. It does this by sealing up the areas where water could come into your car, such as the windows, trunk, roof rail, and more. If you want to make sure that your car doesn’t suffer any damage from weatherstripping that needs to be replaced, here are the three signs that you need to look for.
1- Damage to Weatherstripping
One of the easiest signs to notice that your weatherstripping needs to be replaced is any type of visual damage to the stripping itself. This can appear as loose, peeling, cracked, or split weatherstripping. While your car may not have any water damage yet, seeing any of these signs and getting the issue repaired will help prevent any damage from happening to your car.
2- Water Damage Inside Your Car
One of the most obvious signs that your weatherstripping has failed on your car is water damage. You may see water pooling above the door or on the door jamb, stained carpeting, waterlogged carpeting, or more severe water leaks. Once you notice any type of water damage in your car, you should determine where the leak is coming from so that you know which area of weatherstripping will need to be replaced. It is also important to inspect your car for water damage along all of your weatherstripping so you can spot any other issues before they happen.
If water damage has already occurred, you may also need to make repairs to the interior fabric or door controls if they were impacted by the water.
3- Road Noise and Temperature Changes
Another sign that your weatherstripping may not be working like it should is the level of road noise that you are able to hear while you are driving. Road noise can increase as your weatherstripping becomes less effective. This is because the seal acts as a sound barrier for the cabin of your car, and if the weatherstripping is cracked or peeling, it cannot maintain a proper seal.
Just like an increase in noise, you may also notice that you have a harder time heating and cooling the cabin. That is because outside air is seeping in and making it more difficult to provide that comfortable temperature you are looking for. This can be an inconvenience, but it can also impact the ability of your heating and AC to work as efficiently as it should.
Once you have spotted the problem, it is important to have the necessary repairs made to your car with quality seals that will give you back the protection from outside elements and keep your car from water damage for years to come. In some cases, you can replace the weatherstripping on your own. If you are not comfortable with handling this type of repair yourself, your local auto shop can provide you with the replacement services that you need. Identifying issues with your car’s seals is just the first step; promptly addressing them with quality replacements is crucial.
