What Is Weatherstripping And Why Is It Important?

The weatherstrips are among the most subtle parts in your car. People barely pay attention to the weatherstrips on their car. Yet, the weatherstripping plays a huge role in the safety, comfort, and even fuel economy of your car.

What Is Weatherstripping?

Toyota weather stripping

Weatherstripping is a durable rubber strip. It adheres to the edges of your Toyota’s doorframes, windows, and more. It sports a bulky design. It helps completely seal the gap between the frame and the part that covers the opening. The way the weatherstripping is affixed to the surface is quite simple. It’s affixed with a strong adhesive and/or tabs.

You would find weatherstrips in many different areas on your vehicle, including:

  • Doors
  • Windows
  • Windshield
  • Trunk
  • Other inconspicuous areas:
    • Beltline
    • Cowl
    • Vent post
    • Truck and SUV bedside
    • Division post glass (the rear center windows on a truck)
    • Pillar post
    • Inner and outer header (on SUVs)
    • Roof rail
    • Sunroof

Weatherstripping Keeps The Interior Clean, Dry, And Comfortable

Have you ever wondered why your car is loaded with weatherstripping? The weatherstrips seal up the gaps between the frame and the part covering the opening. In doing this, the weatherstripping:

Protects outside elements from entering the interior of your vehicle, trunk, engine bay, etc. The elements include:

  • Rain
  • Snow
  • Bugs
  • Dirt
  • Wind
  • Rocks

Keeps the interior of the vehicle insulated. In other words, it keeps the inside of the car warm or cool. Without weatherstripping in winter, for example, you'll feel cold draft coming into the car and you won't be able to stay warm.

  • Eliminates wind noises and rattles.
  • Keeps your door closed and sealed.
  • Keeps your windows tightly wound.

Weatherstripping Keeps You Safe

A car without weatherstripping is easier to break into. Also, imaging slamming a car door without any weatherstripping. There would be hard metal-on-metal contact. That means the window can shatter.

Weatherstripping Helps Your Toyota’s Fuel Economy

Here’s a little known benefit weatherstripping offers: it helps keep your car’s fuel consumption low. Without weatherstripping, wind comes into the vehicle. This creates a drag, which leads to the vehicle using more fuel to push forward.

Weatherstripping Usually Lasts The Lifetime Of The Vehicle But Not Always

Replace weather stripping

Image Credit: Toyota4Runner.org

Toyota designed the weatherstripping on its vehicles to last the lifetime of the vehicle. Yet, sometimes the weatherstripping can fail at some point due to:

  • Accelerated wear and tear
  • Harsh elements (such as extreme temperatures) damaging the weatherstripping

If you have damaged weatherstripping, you want to get it replaced ASAP. It doesn't have to be an expensive job, fortunately. You'll find genuine OEM weatherstripping parts on our site at wholesale prices. Check out all the OEM weatherstripping parts we have here!

Written by Jason Lancaster