After a long day on the road or trail, it is always nice to lie down and start dreaming about all the fun you just had driving your Jeep. Right?
Those thoughts drift to things like the top folded down, doors off, wind blowing and music playing from your radio. Maybe it was a perfect 75 degrees outside, partly cloudy and the smell of a warm early-summer day wafting through the cabin.
As you dream and see those local back roads and trails, you may even smile knowing how much enjoyment your Jeep has brought to you.
Suddenly, those thoughts turn when angry sounds interfere. And you wake up to the clamor of thunder and torrential rain outside. Your last minute decision to leave your top down and the doors off is now resonating loudly in your head.
By the time you finally get your top up and doors on, the interior of your Jeep is about as soaked as your are at the moment. Or worse.
What do you do now?
Well, the first thing is don’t panic. You are not the first to fall into this situation.
Second, while many will say who cares — it’s a Jeep — we know you probably really do care. Especially if the vehicle is your daily driver. So just know you are not stuck with the messy aftermath of a watery interior.
Here is what to do.
One of the best things you can initially accomplish is to pull your drain plugs. That’s right, the floor of your Jeep right under the carpet does have a remedy to evacuate water located throughout the body tub.
Jeep engineers over the years have always included this feature for reasons just like you are now experiencing. It basically allows water that is now pooled under the carpets to easily drain out without you having to track down a bucket.
As you are accessing the drain plugs, you’ll notice you’ve started pulling up the carpets. Continue this process by removing as many pieces of wet carpet as possible. Hang them in the sun and if you have a high-powered fan, or can borrow one, then aim it at the carpet (and your Jeep) to aid in the drying process.
Additionally, if you have a wet/dry vacuum, then we suggest using it on that carpet prior to hanging to help speed up the process.
Of course, if that carpeting is older and starting to wear, then this is a great time to get an insulated, mildew-resistant replacement, or a set of floor liners. You could even pull the entire carpet and utilize POR-15 liner or Herculiner if you want to swear off carpeting altogether.
Next, you’ll want to start wiping down any surfaces that are still wet. Grab a towel, or towels, and get to work. If you don’t have a towel handy, any type of cloth or paper towel that soaks up water should work. Heck, even a hoodie should absorb some of the remaining liquid in a pinch.
Your seats may still be wet after this, and in most cases just allowing them to air dry can be effective. But you should know that repeated water soaking can affect the factory material over time.
That’s why many opt for protective seat covers from brands such as Diver Down, Bartact and Wet Okole. These covers do an excellent job keeping your factory seats from getting wet, and can be easily removed for drying should you get caught in the rail again with no top.
As a former detailer, I highly recommend keeping a Chamois Cloth handy inside your Jeep. This cloth is mega absorbent and has multiple uses such as removing water from your seats, wiping down your Jeep after a wash, or drying yourself after driving in the rain or hitting a large puddle.
Another option is to purchase a dehumidifier. Once everything has been hand-dried as best as you can, close up the Jeep and put the dehumidifier inside. Then let it go to work for a few days, per manufacturer instructions.
If you have a newer Wrangler JK, JL, Gladiator JT, or have an expensive aftermarket stereo head unit no matter the model, then you need to consider what, if anything, to do with the electronics in your Jeep.
Most electronics should be okay as they are sealed against moisture, but sometimes it can take days or weeks for things to dry out. Also, if something electrical does stop working then you may want to disconnect the battery (even for several days if you don’t need to use the Jeep), find the closest connections and use CRC or another brand of electrical connector spray designed for drying out terminals.
As we discussed earlier, the use of a high-powered fan can definitely help dry things out inside your vehicle, which includes electronics.
If by some chance the factory stereo does fail, then there are plenty of aftermarket waterproof head units that make for a great upgrade while providing peace of mind the next time you’re caught with your top down.
Some fellow Jeepers actually suggest carrying a trash bag to put over your steering wheel if you are ever caught in the rain while parked. This can assist in preventing water from accessing critical components in your steering column such as switches, the clockspring and steering wheel controls. However, it is probably better to invest in a half or full cabin cover you can drape over the open cabin instead.
So remember, when water does invade the inside of your Jeep, you are experiencing something that has happened to many other Jeep owners — myself included. It is not the end of the world, but you do need to make sure to address the problem in a timely manner so any lasting effects are minimal, and will probably disappear over the coming days and weeks.
It is still possible, though, to have permanent damage from taking in water — especially on steering wheel controls, headlight and wiper switches, radio, clockspring and many other electronics in your Jeep. So if that does become an issue, make sure to take your Jeep to a qualified mechanic.
Overall, if dried out properly, your Jeep can normally be back on the road quickly even after taking on lots of water.
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