Tips and advice to prevent and reduce water leaks in Volkswagen Eos
The VW Eos convertible has a complicated and sophisticated roof system allowing the driver and its passengers to enjoy the luxury of a hard top folding roof system and to enjoy either the sunroof option or the completely topless folding roof in one model.
Unfortunately the VW Eos roof system suffers from water leaks and roof operation faults as a result from water damaging the folding roof components.
We will take a look at the common problems and give tips and advice for tackling water leaks on your VW Eos, with advice to maintain and prevent and also ways to reduce the water from your cabin and boot areas.
Is water coming into my VW Eos cabriolet?
Most customers we see with a VW Eos often experience water leaks to the cabin area from dripping water at the A pillars or where the roof meet the windscreen. Also drivers and passengers alike experience damp trouser legs when braking or turning a corner with stored rainwater in the roof system.
The VW Eos will give tell-tale signs that water is getting into your vehicle from the following;
- Condensation or fogged up windows
- A damp and musty smell
- Water stains on the upholstery
- Rust on the inside of the vehicle or around electric components
- Obvious drips or puddles of water
See our Volkswagen Eos Convertible Roof Repairs
If your VW Eos is experiencing one or some of these problems it is important to diagnose and find the source of the leak.
It is worth mentioning that the point at which the water enters the vehicle is not necessarily the area that requires repair – water travels to weak spots on the vehicle.
How to tackle water leaks to my Volkswagen Eos
Neglected VW Eos Convertibles come to the workshop with customers experiencing wet cabin and boot areas, and sadly most of this could have been avoided through preventative care and maintenance.
The main items to check and eliminate are;
- Convertible Roof & Boot rubber seals
- VW Eos Front & Rear Drains
- Regeneration of condensation
- Window Adjustments & Roof Alignment
- Door Membrane Replacement
- Check light clusters are not damaged
How to check your convertible roof and boot seals
The roof and boot seals on your cabriolet hood are made from a foam rubber with a sealed surface. When the roof, doors and windows are closed, the seal is compressed to make the cabin watertight.
Check your seals for dirt and grime. The most common materials that damage convertible seals include road dirt, tree debris and bird muck.
It is important to keep the seals clean and dirt free – we recommend meticulously cleaning and washing the seals with a soapy detergent, using perhaps a small item such as a soft toothbrush to get hard to reach areas of the seal.
Once the seals are completely dirt free and dry, we recommend applying a lubricant called Krytox – this is a quality product and cheaper alternatives should be avoided if you have painstakingly taken the time to prepare the surfaces correctly.
The Krytox lubricant rejuvenates old seals, moisturising and restoring the surface. Dry seals can also make the driving experience quite noisy if the dry seals rub together and often VW Eos owners complain of squeaks together with water leaks.
VW Eos drains
The drains on a VW Eos convertible are designed to take the rainwater from the top of the roof out through the drains and exit near the wheel arches.
Grime and muck can build up at the base of these drains and also inside – thus water collects and then spills into the cabin and boot areas.
It is very important for the drains to be checked and cleared alongside your annual service. We would recommend blowing the drains through with an airline and avoid poking anything down the tubes as this can damage the rubber linings of the drains.
Regeneration of condensation
Once your VW Eos is wet and you have perhaps cleaned the seals and cleared the drains, it is important to make sure that the inside of the vehicle is dried out.
Condensation can regenerate and moisture is then trapped in the soft carpet and seat areas – it is then difficult to establish if water is still coming through or if the air inside the vehicle is just too wet.
Use a wet and dry vacuum to suck out excess water and consider where possible using a dehumidifier to draw out the residual water in the cabin and boot areas.
Alternatively on a warm sunny day ensure the cabriolet roof is in the open position and lift carpets and mats to expose all wet areas.
Window adjustment and roof alignment
If the convertible roof is not opening and closing properly this can result in water getting into the vehicle – a cabriolet roof that is not closed correctly or fully will certainly be letting in water. Your VW Eos roof may have a fault or may require adjustments to realign the roof system.
This will also be the case with the windows if they are not locating correctly or reaching their final position when closed.
The VW Eos roof system has a function, like most cabriolets that the windows drop to allow the driver’s and passenger doors to be opened and they retract into their final position when the vehicle’s doors are closed.
Sometimes the windows may need adjustment as water can be coming in through the small gaps as a result of incorrect positioning.
Door membrane replacement
On the VW Eos, behind the door card there is a membrane – usually a sheet of either polythene or thin foam. Water can enter the body of the door when it rains, and generally drains out of holes in the bottom of the door.
If the membrane gets ruptured or torn, water can run down the membrane and soak into the door card. If you’re getting a pool of water in the foot well, check to see if the bottom of the door is either damp, or has evidence of water staining. If it does, whip the door card off and check the condition of the membrane. We would recommend replacement of this membrane.
Check light clusters are not damaged
On your VW Eos you have light clusters at the rear of the vehicle including the 3rd brake light. Over time these units can become detached or cracked and can result in water leaking through tiny cracks or breaks into the boot area.
The VW Eos hydraulic pump unit is located in the boot area and a common component that fails due to water damage.
Related VW Eos questions:
Why should I check the boot area for water?
The boot is often an area that gets overlooked for VW Eos owners as sometimes on the surface of the bootwell, the area appears dry.
A good indicator of water ingress would be a damp mouldy smell and a condensation build up on the inside boot lid. Usually further investigation when lifting the boot floor lid reveals a sometimes wet and rusty spare tyre and tyre well and also water damage to the hydraulic pump unit.
The VW Eos hydraulic pump unit is located in the boot area and often is surrounded by foam insulation or sponge to give noise deadening protection. This unfortunately works to its detriment when water enters this area and soaks up the excess water leaving the hydraulic pump surrounded by a wet sponge.
The VW Eos hydraulic pump unit replacement is a common repair in the workshop when they malfunction due to excessive rust and corrosion on the unit and associated wiring.
At Cayman Auto Services, this is a common repair and we have exchange units in stock that can be fitted the very same day of diagnosis. Our mechanical repairs come with a 1 year warranty.
This video shows you how to check for water in your boot area:
Which seals do I clean?
It is important to clean all roof and boot seals on the VW Eos to lubricate and rejuvenate the existing seals.
A seal can only perform its function and prevent water from entering if the 2 contact surfaces are clean. Dirt build up prevents the seal from repelling the water.
It is essential that the VW Eos convertible roof system is put into the service position when cleaning and treating the roof and boot seals to prevent the hydraulic pump from overheating.
It is important that extreme care is taken when stopping the roof system midway. Keep body parts and limbs free from moving objects to avoid injury.
This video demonstrates which seals to pay particular attention to when cleaning;
What lubricant should I use – Krytox or Gummi Pflege?
The most important thing to consider when treating your seals is that any lubricant applied is put on clean, dry seals. Application to existing dirty seals will make no different as the mixture cannot penetrate dirt and grime and essentially the small particles are creating the gaps in the seals – this must be removed.
We recommend Krytox as the best lubricant and restorer for your cabriolets boot and cabin roof seals as recommended by the vehicle manufacturers.
With our experience the application of Krytox is more thorough and longer lasting. Krytox application is through manual application and the lubricant is massaged into the rubber roof and boot seals, ensuring full coverage rather than with the alternative applicator provided with Gummi Pflege
How Cayman Autos can help with your water leaks on your VW Eos
We hope this blog has provided some handy tips and advice for VW Eos Cabriolet owners and guidance of how to prevent and maintain your roof and boot seals, along with how to tackle and reduce water coming into your vehicle.
We realise that not all Volkswagen Eos owners and enthusiasts are hands on and at Cayman Auto Services we are happy to help repair and maintain your cherished cabriolets and carry out repairs to reduce water into your vehicles.
We first carry out a FREE VISUAL INSPECTION of the seals for damage and obvious causes of leaks. There is no charge for this inspection and it takes 10-15 minutes. We will gather information from you on the symptoms experienced and plan the best step forward and repair process needed.
If there is an operational fault with your roof system we will need to diagnose the fault and repair required and this service is chargeable.
See our blogs for water ingress and advice for addressing water problems to your convertible’s cabin and boot areas.
