DUAL CLUTCH

Sealed Fate: Fixing the Miata's Cowl Leak

June 1, 2026

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There are a couple of known leak points with a Miata; the two convertible top drain lines and the two windshield cowl screws and I knew this prior to buying the car. I cleaned the drain lines for the top as soon as I got home from buying the car and did the windshield cowl screw fix a few days later. I disassembled the cowl and cleaned around the plastic bracket before applying silicone sealant. I put it all back together and called it a day feeling good about my fix but knowing I wouldn't be sure until the next rain.

It wasn't long before we had one of our torrential Summer downpours. Once the shower had past I ran outside to check the Miata. It's parked outside because we only have a two-car garage. The driver's side was completely dry so I thought I was in the clear. I then checked the passenger side and my heart sank. The carpet was wet. Not soaked, but wet nonetheless. I knew the top drain lines were good so it had to be the windshield cowl screw on the passenger side.

This second time I took a different approach (and my time). I'm not known for being a patient person after all. I pulled the car into the garage so that I could start drying the interior while trying to fix the passenger side again. This time I removed the white bracket completely and cleaned it and the spot in the body where it plugs into with rubbing alcohol. Once the alcohol dried I applied RTV sealant - and a lot of it. Here's where the patience came in. I let the RTV fully cure over a couple of days before putting the cowl back in place.

Close-up of a cowl mounting screw sealed with a heavy application of black sealant on the Miata's windshield cowl
The new RTV sealant over the leaking cowl screw.

We've had many rains both heavy and light and the interior has stayed bone dry! Here's a video that I used for reference for others needing the same fix.