If you are a jeep wrangler owner, you have that incredible chance of going with topless on your jeep. It’s very easy to remove the hard top or soft top by yourself and remove doors if you want more open air outdoor feeling on a nice sunny day.
But what if nature turns suddenly to a rainfall while you are riding without the top?
In this guide we’ll look for some solutions and tips for the problems you have to face when driving without the top, in a rainy day or rainy storm.
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Are jeep interiors waterproof?
No, jeep interiors are not waterproof. But they can resist water to some extent. That means the jeep interior components can withstand water for some extent.
Because jeep manufacturers know that it’s possible for jeep interior components to contact with water when it is using without the top and doors.
So they have tried to make the interior components to withstand abuses like water and dust as much as possible. But those electronic components can be damaged if they face excessive amounts of water for long periods of time.
Can the jeep interior get wet?
Yes, the jeep interior can get wet if it faces a rain fall when driving without the hard top or soft top or else you drive through a deep water body when off roading, because jeep interior components are not fully waterproof.
But don’t worry. There are solutions to dry out easily if you soaked your jeep.
What happens if it rains in your Jeep?
Older jeep wranglers don’t have much electronic components inside. So they may not be much vulnerable for damages if they get into rain.
But in newer wrangler models,
Specially multifunction steering wheel, steering column, infotainment system are the things you should be highly careful about if it gets wet.
If this is a new jeep wrangler, there are a lot of electronic components inside. The center console infotainment system, multifunction steering wheel, steering column, cluster panel, push start button are vulnerable components for damages, if they are submerged with water.
They can be able to resist against water splashes, but if they are soaked with water for a prolonged time, they can cause problems.
As an example, the clock springs in the steering wheel column. It’s allowed to turn the steering wheel without breaking the wires coming from the steering wheel like horn, air bags, light controls and many more.
So it can cause lots of problems if the clock springs contact with water. Lights will not work, air bag lights can turn on without turning off, horn and other multifunction steering functions also can go away.
Clock spring is a vulnerable part to get damaged if it gets wet and it’s not cheap to repair if it gets damaged.
Apart from the above, if carpets are soaked you may have to spend some time drying them fully to avoid stinking and meadow.
Are Jeep seats waterproof?
If you have cloth seats in your jeep, no those seats are not waterproof. but those stock jeep seats dry quickly in an hour or so when parked under sunlight, if they get soaked.
I wrote a step by step guide about how you can dry out a soaked jeep easily. There I have written how you can dry out soaked seats properly. You can check that guide by clicking here.
Can jeep leather seats get wet?
Really are jeep leather seats waterproof ? No they are not fully waterproof. If they contact with too much water they will become wet. Leather seats have resistance to water. Not fully waterproof.
So that if it’s a splash of water or a moderate amount of water it can just be wiped out and you are good to go.
But if the leather seats get wet/soaked with water never ever try to dry them under sunlight. It can make leather become stiff and hard.
If your leather seats get wet highly, just wipe and dry them with a towel and try to dry it. If you want more care for your leather seats, you can use a non dyed leather balm. It will help leather to become less firm and hard.
How to get water out of jeep wrangler?
If your jeep interior gets wet below are the things you can do before something mess up.
Remove battery connection for more safety.
Remove your carpets and let them dry.
Remove the drain plugs on the floor of the jeep. There may be about 10 drain plugs in different places on the floor of the jeep (no.of drain plugs can varied with the jeep model)
Water flooded inside the jeep will be drained through those drain holes after removing those drain plugs.
Dry out your seats and floor of the jeep thoroughly.
Check whether your clock spring isn’t failed and infotainment systems are working properly after drying them out properly.
You can use a fan inside the jeep to dry out those electronic components before connecting to the battery.
You can read my drying out a soaked jeep article for more detailed information.
Finally you can re-plug the drain plugs after fully drying.
How to get water out of jeep carpets?
The best way to get water out of jeep padding carpets is taking them out from the jeep and drying them for a couple of days hanging under sunlight.
Normally drying the rubber carpets is not a problem at all. Annoying thing is drying out the padding material on the jeep metal floor.
There are many jeep owners that put that padding carpet into trash!!
Yes that’s true because it’s very stinky and appears meadow in a few days, if they do not dry properly after getting wet.
To dry that properly we have to take that carpet out of the jeep.
Can I take the carpet out of my jeep?Yes you can. But to get that carpet out of the jeep without damaging it we have to remove bolts of front seats, center console and front seat belts and also rear seats.
Then you have to carefully pull out the carpet from the center console plastic trim.
It’s not much easy to do every time when it gets wet.
Some people just get the carpets out from ripping from necessary places without removing the seats.
You remove the carpet from a Jeep TJ, Jk or JL in the above method. Below video shows the removal of those carpets from a wrangler. https://www.youtube.com/embed/KVOdiKxDxpg That carpet was made with a sound and heat insulating material. So if it is removed, it’s better to look for some aftermarket insulting carpet for that.
Now there are better feasible options like Mopar mats in the market rather than that stock padding.
What are the solutions for sudden rain when driving without a top?
Soft top , Bikini top and Rain Covers are the best bets if the wrangler caught into a sudden rain while driving without the top.
Soft tops
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Soft Tops are easy to set up quickly if sudden rail fall happens and easy to fold down when you need.
Soft tops also can be set up into various configurations. You can read how to remove a hard top and fit a soft top step by step guide by clicking here.
Is the Jeep soft top waterproof?
Yes, of course jeep soft tops are fully waterproof. So you can drive a soft top jeep in the rain without any problem. Normally soft tops are weather and UV resistant as well as durable.
Soft tops can be used in the winter also without much problem. There are many jeepers who use soft tops as their full time jeep top. If you need more details about using a jeep soft top in winter you can read my guide about that, by clicking here.
Normally soft tops are made of different materials by different manufacturers. Vinyl, Denim, Sail clothes and Twill are some popular materials used for making jeep soft tops.
Bikini tops and safari tops
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Bikini tops cover only the top of the driver and passenger areas while safari tops fit over the back compartment also.
Bikini tops give you more freedom and open air feeling than soft tops while protecting you from rain as well as heavy UV rays.
Waterproof cab covers
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This can fit quickly and protect the interior of the jeep when an unexpected rain falls down when you are outdoors without the top. This is a simple and affordable option.
When not in use this can roll up and fit to a small carrying bag and throw to the back of the jeep. So it’s less space consuming.
Waterproof seat covers
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This is also the best step you can take as a jeep owner who uses the jeep for lot’s of outdoor adventures.
There are seat covers made with materials like neoprene that are fully waterproof. So you don’t have to worry about soaked seats during unexpected rainfalls when you are driving without the top.
Another advantage of using waterproof seat covers is, seats will be easy to clean if mud and dirt splashed during off roadings.
Wrapping up..
I hope you’ll get enough knowledge about necessary facts you should keep in mind when you go for outdoor expeditions without the top of your jeep wrangler.
I add better and affordable top options you can try out if you need more protection over your jeep interior components from wet while keeping your outdoor experience intact.
If you think this guide may be helpful for someone else also, you can share with them. You just have to hit a share button below.
Peace!