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Thule Roof rack leak.

Derek_77

Passed Driver's Ed
I bought a 2 month old thule roof rack off a cousin who used it on a ford. So I bought a fit kit 1323 and the install was very easy and took about 45 mins. Three days later its a pretty rainy day and on my way to work its leaking very little on the inside. I talked to my cousin, about this and he had said he never got a leak with it. According to him, his car didnt have the rubber tubes that you install on your door that the MK6 does. I took them out but havent had a chance to drive it with out them. Does anyone with this rack have the same problem?
 

tschatzinger

Ready to race!
I've got a brand new thule roof rack and it leaks also. But only in the front. I've installed it repeatedly, have adjusted the distance between where the feet sit, left the tubing in and taken it out, and I still can't get it to stop leaking.
 

Derek_77

Passed Driver's Ed
I've got a brand new thule roof rack and it leaks also. But only in the front. I've installed it repeatedly, have adjusted the distance between where the feet sit, left the tubing in and taken it out, and I still can't get it to stop leaking.

I should of specified that its only in the front. I own a two door also. Is yours minor as well? I get a drip every 7 or so minutes.
 

tschatzinger

Ready to race!
Mine is a 4 door. Unfortunately mine is a steady drip (every other second) once it starts raining or if I pour water on it.

Well, just read up on some other threads about people putting electrical tape on the door striker to make a better seal for the door. It seemed to have fixed the leak. I'll find out if it drips or not during a lot of rain.
 
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Stadpad

Go Kart Champion
i havent had a leak problem yet, i have the tubes in the door gaskets. now if i can just find a decent kayak mount.....
 

Derek_77

Passed Driver's Ed
I may just have to mess with it a little. If it doesnt get any better, I may just try a slightly bigger tubing.
 

tschatzinger

Ready to race!
Well it rained today and the electrical tape on the striker wasn't effective. So I decided to mess around by adjusting the striker plate itself. After about half an hour of trial and error the roof rack doesn't leak anymore! Poured a couple gallons of water over it and not a drop.
 

jwal

Ready to race!
Which way did you adjust it?

My 2 door gti leaked, but my 4 door golf r has been fairly good.
 

AJSEG1980

New member
I had this problem on a 2007 MK5 Golf hatch. Thule roof bars and box installed by Halfrauds, immediately after heavy rain started getting water leaking in through n/s front and rear doors. Did a few trials and tests to try and stop the leaks, such as giving all the seals a damn good clean, taking out, cleaning and reinstalling the rubber tubes Thule provide to improve the door seal. Nothing worked!

So, did what Halfrauds staff should have done when installing, and I read the intrsuctions. Noted the very subtle difference in where the Thule rubber tubes get placed between 2004-2009 and 2010-onwards. I have a 2007 MK5 so realised the rubber tubes had been installed in the incorrect 2010-on position rather than the 04-09 position (it's very slight but makes all the difference!).

So, went around all doors, swapped them to the correct position for my year of car, and haven't had a leak since.

See below snapshot of the section within the instruction manual for Kit 145009. This solved my leaks on the MK5 2007 for that model of Thule bracket, hopefully it will help solve others.

https://www.thule.com/-/s/approved/std.lang.all/9-/01/145009_521-5009-01.pdf

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