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The pickup trucks and utility vehicles have a vast cargo space at the back of the car. These vehicles are suitable for both commercial and personal usage. A lot of accessories are there to improve the functionality of the vehicle. But, there is no way for the water to flow away from the back. The water in the spaces increases the rate of corrosion and affects the properties. Later, the tonneau cover was introduced. People started to use it, but over some time, the material will be damaged due to exposure. It starts to leak again. If you have a leaking tonneau cover, then you can fix it quickly with any of the steps mentioned below.

What Is A Tonneau Cover?

A tonneau cover is an accessory for pickup trucks. It is used to cover up the cargo space so that the cargo will be safe and will not be exposed directly to exterior conditions. The cover is usually made of cloth or vinyl and attached to the frame of the vehicle using stretchable joints. It allows the person to open and close it quickly without stress. There are a variety of models and design available in the market that suits different vehicles. If your cargo rolls out over bumps, then protect it using a tonneau cover.

How To Fix A Leaking Tonneau Cover?

A tonneau cover could leak for many reasons. But, there is always a way to solve this issue. Follow the step accordingly to resolve a leaking tonneau cover problem and fix it permanently.

1. Inspect The Cover

Even a small hole in the cover could cause leakage, but they won’t be visible. Inspect the leaking tonneau cover and find the spots and gaps. It is necessary to find the cause of leakage to resolve it.

2. Check With Water And Light

Close your cover and open the tail door. Now spray the water over the cover using a hose and leave it on for some time. Now check the cargo space for water spots. The water drops could sneak even through small gaps. This method allows you to find those spots easily.

If you do not want to wet the cargo space, then park your vehicle in the sunlight and close the covers. Now, check under the cover, if you notice light spots in the area, then it is the gap spot that allows leakage. Sealing the gaps will arrest the leakage.

3. Resolve

Cover the gaps with the appropriate method that is suitable for the problem. If you don’t know what to do, then check the methods below for an idea. Seal all the gaps with the appropriate choice and make sure no hole is left behind.

4. Repeat

Now, repeat the checking process to make sure if the leakage is arrested. If still it persists then follow the step again till there is no leakage. These are the steps to fix the leakage in the cover. But, there are some other methods to arrest the leaking.

Methods To Avoid Leaking Tonneau Cover

Despite fixing the leakage alone, try to add these methods to arrest the leakage from happening in the future. You can choose any methods that suit your vehicle.

1. Use A Protective Film

The tonneau covers are exposed directly to extreme weather conditions which affect the life of the material. The vinyl and cloth will degrade and starts to crack, whereas, in the hard materials, it could begin to erode and affects the function. Paste a protective film over the cover so that it reduces the intensity of the exposure and protects the material from cracking.

2. Replace Rubber Beadings

The sides of the tonneau covers are attached to the edges of the vehicle using rubber beadings for effortless movements. The rubber will start to degrade over some time because of the to and fro movements. The water could leak inside through the cracks. Replacing rubber beadings is the only feasible solution. Also, change the rubber after some time regularly to avoid leakage.

3. Cover The Gaps

Sometimes the water leaks through the sides even though rubber beadings cover it. In such cases, fix water pipes to the readings and project it to the outer end. Now the water will drain out through the tubes and arrest the leakage. If you have a leaking tonneau cover, then fix the pipes now to control it and save your cargos.

4. Misshaped Cover

Always use a cover that suits the size of the cargo space. A little larger or smaller cover will not fit properly and allows leakage. Measure the cargo size correctly, then order and get a cover of respective size and material.

Choose any one or multiple methods to protect your tonneau cover from external factors and improve its life span. Please do not ignore the damages in the cover because it could propagate over time and ends with the entire replacement.

How Much It Costs To Replace The Tonneau Cover?

The tonneau covers are available in a variety of options. Choose the respective based on the purpose. The cost varies accordingly based on the type and size of the material required for your car. Soft covers cost around $150 to $500, whereas hardcovers cost around $500 to $2500. The labor change is base don the time consumed to fix the cover. But, it is easy to fix, so you can do it on your own if you have respective tools.

Frequently Asked Question:

So,here are some of the frequently asked questions about what are Tonneau Covers , how do you stop a Tonneau Cover from leaking etc?-

What Are Tonneau Covers ?

In simple words, Tonneau covers are soft or hardcovers that are present on empty cargo passenger seats. However, you will not find these covers on every car; the Tonneau covers are only present in certain vehicles, like roadsters, convertibles and especially pickup trucks.

How Do You Stop A Tonneau Cover From Leaking?

To prevent your tonneau cover from leaking, you should use a tailgate cover seal that covers both the gap along the bottom and both sides of the tailgate. The tail seal is very efficient in preventing moisture and shutting the dust out.

Do Tonneau Covers Leak When It Rains?

Basically, rainwater leakage occurs during the stormy or windy rains that force the droplets to squeeze between the tonneau covers and the vehicle body. Tonneau covers are designed to be watertight. The rain that hits the covers from above or on vertical angles rarely causes leakage, unless your tonneau cover is damaged.

Why Do Tonneau Covers Need Replacing?

Tonneau covers are designed to protect your truck bed from bad weather, prevent your goods from dust, and minimize the risk of cargo theft, among other uses. When your tonneau cover is damaged, it becomes inefficient and can no longer serve any of these purposes.

How Do I Know If My Tonneau Cover Is Bad?

The cover won’t open or becomes stuck A good tonneau cover should smoothly glide while opening and closing it. However, it might start to get stuck or become harder to operate over time. When your tonneau cover won’t open or becomes stuck, there could be some rust in the opening mechanism.

Conclusion

There are a variety of accessories available in the market that could help the people in many ways. But it is necessary to analyze the purpose and purchase, respectively. Also, the external factors always affect the properties of the material, so regular inspection is required to solve the problem before it gets worse. If you have any leaks in the cover, then inspect it and solve it quickly to save your cargos from getting spoiled.

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