I am in Houston, Texas and I just got a 2000SE and love it. Over the weekend, I took it to the carwash and noticed that even though the sunroof was completely closed, it leaked. the water did not come into the car but looked like it went back into the other part of the roof. Call me crazy, but this is not supposed to happen is it...?

 

depends on what exactly your talking about..

If you keep your sunroof closed, that black cloth on top of the sliding portion SHOULD stay dry.. (ie.. water should not leak PAST the glass, cuz once it does, there's not much else that would stop it from dripping on your head!!!

Take it out for a spin in a thunderstorm once, and if you find a leak, take it to the dealer under warrenty..

During very humid days, however, I would find condensation on the bottom of the glass, and i think that is perfectly acceptable... it's just how our universe works...

-Tom

 

I agree. As long as water didn't leak to interior, and there is no water along the inside cover you are okay. The sleeve that the roof goes into should be sealed. Obviously you had to open the roof to notice the water. That is when it probably seeped in.

 

Guys you obviously haven't stupied your roofs very well! The sunroof is not WATER TIGHT. It will leak a little but not much. If you notice around the back, the front and the sides there are DRAIN channels which lead to the front corners of the sunroof into holes that drain down the A pillars into down to the ground. That is the way they designed it to prevent leaks.

 

I have to admit, I didn't REALLY study my sunroof :-)

Would this, then, have anything to do with the "trickling" noise when driving for a bit in the rain.. (with the sunroof closed of course, silly... Or is that caused by something totally different??

-Tom

 

Dunno on that, but I do know the water runs down those pillars onto the ground.

 

Did you have the sunroof fixed? My '02 has a wind noise coming from the back of the sunroof and the touchless carwash sent quite a bit of water through the back seal of the sunroof. I'm bringing it in under warranty tomorrow.

My '92 Accord never leaked a bit. I imagine the channels are installed as a precaution, they shouldn't be needed unless something is wrong, ie a leak.

 

Russ, I *have* studied my sunroof carefully.. and I adjusted it.

The sunroof is not *supposed* to leak, but it can and water will be properly channeled to the ground. continous moisture running through my pillars is not good. plus, I had to get mine fixed because sooner or later those drain holes will plug up with debris. THEN you have ruined leather and a wet a$$!. there was a horrible gap on our pathfinder. it was easy to fix (albeit, you have to be VERY careful, or just let the dealer do it. The dealer said it takes them 15 mins total to adjust them).

 

oh boy, here come the flames. I think Russ is right. I read somewhere on the web that the seals on factory sunroofs were mainly for wind noise, and that there is a system of gutters and drains to handle the water. I will try to find the link and post it. Anyway, make sure your drains are clear, a lot of times the front mudflaps (or splash guards) pinch the drain tubes closed at the bottom or they get clogged w/ dirt.

 

I dont know what you're talking about.

point is, the sunroof is adjustable (preferably by the dealer), you should not have gaps. you might still get water, but it wont pour in anymore. also, get enough water in there and you will get mildew on your shade.

if you have a defector, you *will* have a small gap around the clamps. Cannot be avoided around that part. Also note, that if your sunroof has gaps somewhere in the seal, that other other side of the seal is probably being pinched when the sunroof is closed or tilted. Over time it will wear, then you will really have a problem.

If you arent sure, look at other cars on the lot. I had to do that to get the dealer to address the problem.. took them longer to argue with me about the 'design' then to realize it needed to be adjusted than it did to actually do it (15 mins).

 

My situation is pretty evident that the rear seal isn't flush or tight against the roof. I'll try to be amicable with the SM tomorrow and let him know it should only take a few minutes to adjust the roof to avoid prolonging the conversation. Thanks to all for the advice, I'll letyou know what happens.

 

Wow, I thought I would get flamed for saying Russ was right. Nice to see that wasn't the case.