Are Jeep Wrangler Interiors Waterproof?

The best part of owning a Jeep is cruising topless enjoying the best nature has to offer. However when mother nature takes a turn for the worst you may be worried what will happen to your Jeep if it gets wet from rain or snow. Which leaves a lot of Jeep owners asking the question, is the Jeep Wranglers Interior Waterproof?


The reality is very few products claim to be waterproof the reasoning is items that claim to be waterproof need to be impervious to water. Jeep interiors are not waterproof however they are water resistant.



Jeep claims that the push button start system under went a 24 hour soak test in a mist chamber, to make sure it was resistant enough to work properly even after prolonged exposure to moisture. The Jeep JLs interior electronics in the dash and infotainment center also also highly water resistant.


Jeep knows you will driving with the top off a lot and the engineers have worked hard to seal and reinforce areas that are likely to get wet due to exposure and make them water resistant enough that getting caught in a rainstorm will not cause permanent damage to your vehicle.


It should go without saying that using common sense is important. Just because the engineers have designed the vehicle to be able to handle getting wet leaving your Jeep in prolonged exposure to rain and moisture is asking for trouble. Additionally storms are very different depending on the climate you live in. A downpour in South Florida is a lot different than a downpour in Arizona. Additionally doing stupid things like driving your Jeep through a car wash with the top down is NOT recommended.


During the summer we love to have the top off of our Jeeps and have on occasion been caught off guard leaving us soaked. We have never had issues with our rig afterwords. Jeep owners around the world have had similar experiences, so while not a scientific there is a lot of real world data behind the situation.

Preventing Your Jeep From Getting Soaked

Having said that we do have some tips that will help Keep your Jeeps interior from getting soaked.

1. Check the Weather: During the months you are running topless we suggest keeping a close eye on the weather. If you know you are going to encounter rain take preventative measures.

2. Throw The Soft-Top Back On: The best thing about running a soft-top is how easy it is to take the top down and put it back up. Even if you do not have all of the zip in windows just putting the top back up will help route water away from the dash seats.

3. Grab a Bikini Top: Depending on the Bikini top you want to run there are a bunch of really good options out there that will not only help protect you from the sun but can keep the dash and interior from getting soaked in a downpour.

4. Jeep Cover:
Jeep covers are also an awesome option. Simply pull them over the roll cage and windshield and cinch them tight. A solid cover is not only inexpensive but only takes a minute or so to setup. If you commute in your Jeep and plan to leave it parked all day we highly suggest picking up a Jeep cover.

5. Seat Covers We are huge fans of seat covers. Not only do they protect your seats from the sun when the top is off and are much easier to clean than the factory seats, they can help a ton with wet conditions. Grab a set of moisture wicking seat covers and you will have the ability to quickly wipe off your seats moving pooling water off of the seat so your but is not getting soaked.

If despite all of your best efforts you still end up with a soaked Jeep there are some best practices for getting things dried out.

What To Do If Your Jeep Gets Caught In a Rain Storm

1. Wipe Dry All Hard Surfaces
Using a towel or even better a moisture soaking rag wipe down and try the dash, steering column doors and other hard surfaces in the Jeep until they are completely dry. Then using down pat down all cloth, vinyl or leather surfaces. This will help pull the moisture out of those surfaces.

2. Pull The Carpets
Depending on how wet things are you may need to pull the carpets. (we highly suggest you do this to prevent mold and mildew) Pulling your carpet out isn’t hard and will help you find any areas where water is pooling. Vacuum the carpets thoroughly and then hang them somewhere to dry. Depending on your climate this can take any where from a few hours to a few days if you live somewhere super humid.

2. Pull The Plugs:
Jeep Wrangler models over the past decade or more also come with drains in the floor to help get pooling water out of your Jeep. If your Jeep gets caught in a downpour and the interior is soaked pulling the plugs in the floorboards will help drain any pooling water out of the interior. Once done put the plugs back in.

4. Air Dry:
Once you have completed all of the steps above let the vehicle air dry. Open the doors on a warm day and let the sun work it’s magic. If it’s winter or you live somewhere humid you may need to use a simple house fan on the areas that are really wet. simple house fan at the areas that are still damp to help dry them out. Like the carpets this can take as little time as an hour or even a day or two if you live somewhere humid.

It’s important to note that many Jeep owners have reported that if the clock spring in the steering wheel gets wet it can cause issues. This has led some Jeep owners to cover just the steering wheel if they expect to encounter rain. No matter how much you prepare there is still some element of risk any time you expose electronics to water, but as long as you take the right actions and do a good job of cleaning up in the rare instances you are caught in bad weather you can truly take advantage of the fun of running topless.

Have some tips for keeping your Jeeps interior safe from the elements? Share your tips with us in the comments!