Clearing a clogged drain tube will solve the problem
Introduction
Solve most sunroof leak problems by clearing a clogged drain tube with your shop vacuum.
You’ve got water on your seats right below the sunroof, and you’re about to take matters into your own hands. We’re warning you: Put down the caulk gun and step away from the vehicle. Usually the culprit is simply a drain tube that’s clogged with debris, which is causing water to overflow into the cabin.
“Clogged drain tubes are common, but the darker side of leaks is the wear and tear of the drain tube connectors,” says automotive expert Jason Silder. “As age progresses, the connectors become brittle and they start leaking into the cabin.” If that happens, they’ll need to be replaced with soft silicone tubing.
Luckily, either way, it’s an easy DIY fix. Here’s how to the most common sunroof leak problem in 20 minutes, by clearing a clogged drain tube with your shop vac.
Tools Required
- Shop vacuum
Materials Required
- PVC barbed adapter 3/8-in
- PVC cap
- PVC trap adapter
- Speedometer cable
- Vinyl hose
Project step-by-step (3)
Step 1
Car sunroof repair: Grab the vacuum!
Open your sunroof and look for the drain holes in both front corners. Those tubes run through the door pillars and drain through to the rocker panels. You may be tempted to run a coat hanger down the tubes or blast them with compressed air. Don’t! You might poke the wire right through the tubing or disconnect it from the drain hole. Then you’d have to remove the entire headliner to reconnect it—a big job. Instead, use a shop vacuum and small-diameter vinyl tubing to suck out the clog.
Step 2
Car sunroof repair: Vacuum the drain tube
Make a hose reducer with ordinary PVC plumbing parts: you’ll need a PVC trap adapter (to fit the vacuum hose), a PVC cap (to fit the adapter), and a 3/8-in. PVC barbed adapter. Once you’ve created your hose reducer, attach a vinyl hose to the end and vacuum the crud out of the water channel and the drain tube.
Step 3
Car sunroof repair: Insert a snake
If that doesn’t do the trick, try running a very small flexible “plumbing” snake down the tube to break up the clog. (Actually, it’s a speedometer cable found at any auto parts store for about $8.) Snake out a really stubborn clog with a speedometer cable. Twist the cable as you feed it down the tube. If cleaning the tubes doesn’t work, don’t try to disassemble the mechanism or bend the sheet metal to get a better fit. That’s a job for a top-notch body shop. If the car isn’t worth the cost of the repair, we rescind our earlier warning. Go for the silicone and live without the wind in your hair.
FAQ
How can I seal off my sunroof before I have time to make the repair?
First, check the drains for debris. “Sometimes washing those out with a water bottle or running piano wire down the drain tube can clear it up,” says master technician Chris “Moose” Pyle.
If it’s a large leak, use a self-fusing silicone tape, which offers weather resistance with minimal residue. In a pinch, you can also use clear packing tape. Either way, you’ll need to cover around all of the edges.
“In the summer, any tape will likely cause a mess on the car, adding to the repair time,” says Pyle.
Why is it important to fix a leaking sunroof?
On the exterior, a leak can cause cosmetic problems and unseen corrosion in the frame, which can significantly diminish your vehicle’s resale value in time, says Slider.
On the inside, leaks can get into the dash, center console, radio modules and HVAC controls. “Cars are no longer simple machines,” says Pyle. “Once a customer had their car towed to my shop after pulling into a car wash with the sunroof open. Though they closed it immediately, that 10 to 30 seconds was enough to cause $4,200 in electrical damage,” he says.
About the Experts
- Chris “Moose” Pyle is a master-certified technician with 20-plus years of automotive experience and an auto expert on JustAnswer, the expert on-demand platform.
- Jason Silder is co-founder of the online retailer Carbarn, and has 15 years of experience in vehicle maintenance, automotive innovation and communicating practical solutions to help drivers keep their cars in top shape.
