Leaking seals again thread!

[Pendle996]

Hi all. Picture one shows how the seal between the hood and window looks like it needs pulling down. The hood that is. Like it’s lifted too high from the seal

Second picture shows the front join in the seal near the windscreen, this drips in on both sides, but not by much.
The carpet was damp drivers side between the door and seat. And passenger side halfway down the footwell near the front of the door.
My question being, does the roof top look like it’s right, and does the front seal drip in anyway
Cheers

 

[RickyBobby]

The gap between the material roof and rubber seals on the frame can simply be a function of age - the material can dry out over time and stretch and I've heard treating the material with Fabsil or something similar can contribute to this. However, the waterproof membrane is between the fabric layers so is rarely the cause of dripping in to the cabin.

Not all the Z3's I've owned have had an issue with dripping from the A-Pillar or window but I would say the majority have - I'm sure there is a how to guide on the forum and there are certainly lots of video's on YouTube to help you resolve the issue.

All I would say is don't automatically reach for the silicone sealant option - I did that with my first one but have subsequently found treating the rubber seals with a suitable product like Swissvax seal feed or Gummi Pfledge (I regular use both). Like the roof fabric over time they can just dry out which causes shrinking and consequently dripping - often all they need is treating to restore the original functionality but you might need to do it a couple of times and it's wise to get in the habit of keeping it up at least a few times a year. If you don't have a garage this is where a waterproof roof cover is handy - I'm not an advocate of using these regularly but for short periods of time to resolve issues like this where a garage is not available they are ideal.

Finally If the water is breaching the door threshold then it will likely be either the internal door membrane or the seal around the door frame. I've never had this issue on any of the Z3's I've owned but it is common on the E85 (Z4).

Hope that helps but if you settle yourself down with a nice drink and search leaking I suspect you will have enough material to read to keep you busy for a good few hours.