How to repair weather stripping on a car door?
Do you feel that your car has the issue of weather stripping? It is one of the common issues that many car owners face during extreme weather conditions. So you are not alone in the battle to repair your car door weather stripping.
Remember that the vehicles are mechanical machines that need regular maintenance and repair. It will help to maintain its appropriate condition and provide a better usability experience. Similarly, you must repair or replace the car door weather stripping whenever required.
If you are also struggling to repair the weather stripping on your car doors, this guide is for you. Here we will share some tips and tricks to help you repair the weather stripping on car doors and bring it back in appropriate conditions.
So let’s dive into it,
What is weather stripping on the car door?
First, it is essential to know the weather stripping on the car door before moving to the repair process.
So the weather stripping on the car door is a rubber material around the door edges and windows. The primary purpose of weather stripping on car doors and windows is to seal them properly and prevent water entry and other debris during the worst conditions. If your car door weather stripping has some issues, then the water during rain comes into the car and irritates you. However, it gives you some initial signs to repair the weather stripping. If you didn’t notice these signs, you might need to replace the whole weather stripping in car doors.
Signs of damaged weather stripping in car doors
The weather-stripping on car doors has the primary role of creating a safe and dry seal between the interior and exterior environment. So the car interior atmosphere is standard and gives a smooth driving experience.
However, some signs will show that your weather stripping has issues and that you must repair it. Remember that repairing is always less expensive than replacing the whole weather strip. So ensure to fix the weather stripping as soon as you notice the below-mentioned signs.
You may notice the loud noises from the car when driving. It doesn’t mean you didn’t hear any noise while driving the vehicle in normal weather stripping conditions. But this noise is more audible than usual if your weather stripping has some sudden damage or issues.
- Water leaks are one of the common signs of damaged weather stripping. Stripping aims to block the water or debris inside the car during rainy weather. However, leakage during rain is a common sign of damaged weather stripping and demands immediate repair or replacement. If you don’t repair your car weather stripping on time, it might cause some health issues, and your car also starts smelling bad.
- The car stopped retaining the head, a common sign of damaged weather stripping.
- As we already know, weather stripping consists of rubber material and becomes bouncy. But you must replace it if it does not bounce and becomes hard or brittle. The complex and brittle weather stripping is unsuitable for creating an excellent seal between the interior and exterior of the car weather.
- The last and most serious sign of damaged weather stripping is visible cracks or holes in the rubber. These holes can cause other significant issues, especially when driving a car in rainy weather. Ensure you inspect the weather stripping regularly and perform the repair promptly to prevent cracks and holes in rubber stripping.
How to repair the weather stripping in your car doors?
Usually, winters can cause more damage to your car door weather stripping. The rainy winter water causes a freezing environment around the doors and locks your car door. It will help if you put extra force into opening the door, which can break or tear your weather stripping.
However, some other causes can cause damage to the weather stripping. Here is a quick guide for repairing weather stripping and preventing significant damage. Ensure you follow these steps and repair your car door weather stripping as soon as you notice the issue.
Find your workshop manual to learn more details on how to repair weather stripping on you make and model..
Required materials for repairing weather stripping
Here is the quick shopping list before starting the repair process of weather stripping. Ensure that you must have:
- Masking tape
- Spray silicone
- Weather-stripping adhesive glue
- Plastic gloves
- Brake cleaner spray
Step-by-step guide for repair
- First, you must buy a tube of weather-stripping adhesive and nonflammable spray brake cleaner. You can get all these essential materials from auto parts stores. Collect all these necessary materials near your car doors.
- Pull the stripping away from the car doors and clean it properly. After cleaning the weather stripping, clean the metal surface using the brake cleaner spray. Let the weather strip and metal surface dry properly for better results.
- After drying both surfaces, you must squeeze the adhesive material on the car door’s weather stripping and metal surface. Be patient for a few minutes and let it dry.
- After drying the first coat of adhesive material, you must apply the second one on the weather strip and the car’s metal surface. Press both surfaces together to attach the weather strip in its place. If it makes any mess around the sides of the weather stripper, you can use the brake cleaner and clean it properly.
- Apply the masking tape in weather stripping on the car. It helps to hold the weather stripping in place until the adhesive material dries appropriately.
- Pull the masking tape carefully and spray the silicone on the weather strip, car door, and trunk lid. It helps to prevent the icing of water in icy areas.
Ensure that you follow these steps for repairing your weather stripping damages. But if there is a terrible condition of your car door weather stripping, replace it with the new one.