Are Jeep Interiors Waterproof?

Jeep’s ability to go without a roof may be the ultimate driving experience. But what if it’s raining? Are Jeep interiors waterproof?

It depends on the type of seats that you have. The interior of the Jeep consists of seats, panels for doors, and dashboards. Also, new models come with more electronics and modern systems such as Apple CarPlay, heated seats, etc.

Is the Jeep Interior Waterproof?

For something to be waterproof, it has to be completely impervious to water. This means that the Jeep can be totally immersed in a lake with no harm done.

The jeep interiors are not waterproof. But what they are is water resistant. That means the interior jeep components can withstand drenching to some extent.

Knowing that you will be driving without the top, Jeep manufacturers have worked hard to reinforce areas that can be damaged by water. However, just because your Jeep has been produced to withstand being drenched doesn’t mean you should leave your top open during a thunderstorm.

How to protect your Jeep from Water?

This is a very relevant and useful question to ask as a Jeep owner. Of course, it’s raining outside, and you want to go out in your Jeep. But if you’re driving around in wet conditions, you must do what you can to ensure that your interior doesn’t get ruined!

1. Get a Bedliner

The problem with carpets on your Jeep’s floor is that mold or mildew might form on the carpet or develop an odor when it gets soaked. Bedliner is a protector that is applied or installed into a truck bed. They can be classified into two main categories: “Drop-in” and “Spray-on.

Drop-in bedliners are usually installed into a truck bed with little work and can be removed for cleaning. Spray-in bedliners require preparation to allow the coating to stick correctly to the bed. Other bedliners include bed rugs and bed mats.

2. Use a Top

A cover-up is always possible if you’re afraid of rain damaging the car. Of course, you might not feel as free with the top covered, but at least you’ll be sure your vehicle is safe. There are two main types of jeep tops, soft tops, and hard tops. [1]

Soft tops are made of mesh or sailcloth and are easy to attach and remove, so they are very convenient tops to use. So if you want to soak up all that beautiful sunshine, you should remove your Jeep’s top. In fact, soft tops are very easy to remove, and you can do that by yourself.

Hard tops are more difficult to remove than soft tops, but they provide excellent and all-around protection for your Jeep. In addition, they excel at keeping out bad weather. However, hard tops are more expensive.

3. Use Seat Covers

The seats in a car are the trickiest part to clean after a rainstorm. So there are multiple seat covers for Jeeps—many are waterproof, and some are water resistant.

With seat covers, you can rest easy during a downpour.

4. Use a Jeep Cover

Jeep covers are also an excellent option. Simply pull them over the vehicle and cinch them tight. A solid cover is inexpensive and only takes a minute to set up. So if you commute in your Jeep and plan to leave it parked all day, we highly suggest picking up a Jeep cover.

The soft top on a Jeep is probably the part prone to the most leakage in your vehicle. While it is relatively waterproof when new, it will wear out and begin leaking over time. If you replace your Wrangler’s soft top with a hard top and swap your half-doors with full doors, you can significantly reduce the water leakage into your Jeep.

What To Do If Your Jeep Gets Rained In?

Older models of Jeep Wranglers don’t have a lot of electric components, so there really is nothing much to worry about should your Jeep get rained in.

If you have a newer jeep wrangler, there are a lot of electronic components you should keep your eye on. The center console infotainment system, cluster panel, multifunction steering wheel, steering column, and push start button are vulnerable parts that will be damaged if they are submerged with water. Should your Jeep get drenched with rain, don’t panic! Just follow the following steps:

1. Wipe Dry All Hard Surfaces

Use a towel to wipe down and dry the Jeep’s dash, steering column, doors, and other interior surfaces until they are totally dry. Then, pat down all fabric, vinyl, or leather surfaces. This will help extract all lingering moisture from the surfaces.

2. Pull out The Carpets

You may need to pull out all the carpets depending on your car. (this is highly recommended to prevent mold and mildew). Pulling your carpet will help you locate any place where water is remaining.

Next, vacuum the carpets thoroughly and then leave them out to dry. Depending on your climate, this can take a few hours to a few days if you live somewhere super humid. But to get that carpet out of the Jeep without damaging it, we have to remove bolts of the front seats, center console, front seat belts, and also rear seats.

3. Pull the plug

Remember, there are many different models of Jeep, though the plugs are all positioned in similar places on both the passenger and driver sides. You may find the plugs hard to remove your first time because they are covered with a bit of carpet. It is usually held to the floor mat with a thin bit of thread. But once this is taken off, you can replace it easily.

Next, you will need to remove the carpet cover and pull the plugs out to let the water drain. There may be about eight to ten drain plugs in different places on the Jeep floor (the number of drain plugs varies with the jeep model). But there’s usually one under each seat and a couple in the front and back of the Jeep.

4. Air Dry

Once you’ve done the steps above, let the vehicle dry out on its own. Open the doors on a hot day and let the sun work its magic. If it’s winter or you live in a place where the sun is scarce, you may need to use a house fan on wet areas to help dry them out. Like the carpets, this can take an hour or even a day or two if you live somewhere humid.

Take your Jeep top off for your seats to air dry in the sun. Your seats should dry within an hour. But, if your seats still aren’t dry, you can use a chamois(this is leather used for drying a vehicle after washing).

5. Check Your Electronics

The electronics and controls are the part of the car most sensitive to moisture, and they shouldn’t be overlooked.

If your controls are malfunctioning, wait a couple of days. Normally, the controls will go back to normal by then. However, you can try disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it if it hasn’t.

Are Jeep Seats waterproof?

If you have cloth seats, no, they are not waterproof. But if they get soaked, they dry quickly in an hour or so when parked under sunlight. Leather seats are water-resistant, but if they are drenched long enough, they will get soaked through.

Can I Hose My Jeep Interior?

Yes! You can hose the interior of a jeep without affecting the vehicle. The electrical system is built to be water-resistant. But just as many Jeep owners swear by using the hose, so long as you use some common sense when doing it. But why go through all that trouble when you can use a simple portable cleaner?

With this device, you can conveniently deep clean your car with a five-foot hose that will reach all the deep corners.

Can Jeep Wranglers Drive Submerged In Water?

The Jeep Wrangler sits much higher above the ground than the regular car. This means it can drive with it’s big off road tires, through large bodies of water with only the wheels getting wet. But what if the water rises to the level of the doors? No worries! This is not a problem even for deep water as long as you have snorkel installed.

Conclusion

Jeep Wranglers are one of the most classical off-road vehicles, and for a good reason, too. They’ve withstood the test of time, and although nowadays they are becoming somewhat of a fashion statement for new drivers.

We’ve established that even though a Jeep Wrangler is a daredevil regarding rough terrain, a little bit of restraint should be exercised regarding water. A little rain is absolutely fine, but don’t go doing something stupid like leaving the roof open at a car wash.