98 mk3 Roof dent gutter rain leaks.

Chris_TDI_98

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Location
Hartford, CT
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 1.9L mk3 1Z AHU
HELP!
PROBLEM: A tree fell and made a dent in the roof of the jetta mk3 TDI, the dent's located under the "gutter trim strip", and now, rain water is getting under the gutter trim strip,, leaking in between the door and body of the car, soaking the interior headliner, and water dripping inside the cabin!




When rain falls on the roof:
* water gets underneath the "gutter trim strip" because the metal rail holding up the "gutter trim strip" is dented,
* water dribbles down in between the car door and the door opening,
* water soaks the interior cabin roof liner,
* the water drips onto the seats and the floor.
Help!
Has anyone here ever successfully repaired a dent of the roof gutter trim strip area?
Please share how you fix this dented roof gutter, near the "B pillar", under the "gutter trim strip", easily, low cost?
 
Last edited:

Chris_TDI_98

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Location
Hartford, CT
TDI
1998 Jetta TDI 1.9L mk3 1Z AHU
Bump.
Every time it rains, this Jetta TDI MK3 is turning into a fish tank.
Anyone got experience/advice on how to fix this dent on the roof gutter rail?
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Tape the door closed? Apply adhesive weather stripping to the existing weather stripping to bulk it up? Get creative...

-Todd
 

0die

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Location
corpus christi, tx
TDI
1996 Passat wagon B4V
if it's anything like my B4V wagon....I'm gonna guess that if you remove that strip you will find access holes or knock outs for roof rail mounts...The Passat wagon has 6 posts that go thru the roof to mount the rack. A non-roof rack car might still have those holes but just with a plug of some type

even if you car didn't come with that option it might be that all Jettas, wagons and sedans, have the same construction or body stamping, steel metal design or what ever under that trim...and the tree hit hard enough to "knock out" one of those plugs...

I can't tell from your pics but if that is a jetta wagon???

or a weld or seam busted open?
 

iluvmydiesels

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Location
phila area
TDI
AHU
the 1st pic is the only one that can be clearly made out. the other 2 are clear but so up close i cannt see for sure where we re looking at.
in anycase, the 'trim strip' is going to be your biggest problem. if you dont take it up; cannt say *I recommend it, but im saying, any fix with out getting under the strip, well its a candidate to get rust. then again taking it up wrong wont help. i ve done some rough body work, at times, like abacus says, 1 remove headliner. you can find something like a block of wood, or punch, if you want. and bang area out, so it at least looks good. and as long as it stops leaking. if your not worried how it looks, it doesnt look *That bad, just fix it up, i rust proof, and if you feel, maybe your ok..?.
if you do(above), just dry under trim strip, really good, maybe some like brake cleen spray, to dry out easily &fast, after get rust proofing under area.
 
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