Sunroof Water Leak Diagnostic Tips - keywords cap carpet center console cowl dome drain driver end floor glass head headliner hose lamp left light liner overhead pillar rail rear roof seal seat sun

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Some owners may comment of a water leak from the headliner or wet carpet at the "B" and/or "C" pillars. The headliner may be water stained in various locations depending on where the leak is coming from and/or how the vehicle is parked.

The information below is to provide diagnostic tips for some common areas that water leaks have been found:

1. Check for excessive water leaking past the sunroof glass weather-strip. The sunroof glass weather-strip is not intended to be completely water tight, but the seal should slow the water to a drip. If excessive water is leaking past the seal at the corners of the glass panel, inspect the condition of the seals at each corner. If the seal looks depressed or concave in the middle (shown below), replace the seal with part number 15912903. It is not necessary to replace the complete sunroof glass panel.



2. Inspect the rear drain tubes to make sure they have adequate downward slope. If not, a foam block can be used to push the drain tube down to provide additional downward slope, as shown below. Note: Review step 3 to make sure the end of the drain tube is not bottomed out against the foam in the bottom of the rear pillar after pushing the tube down.



3. Inspect for a blockage at the rear sunroof drain tube in the rear pillar cavity. In some cases, the drain tube may be too long and the end of the tube bottoms out against the foam in the rear pillar. To correct this concern, cut the end of the drain tube off to provide additional clearance, as shown below.



4. Inspect the rear pillar drain hole for being plugged/blocked with foam, as shown below. The rear sunroof drain tubes empty into the rear pillar cavity and the water then exits the pillar cavity through the drain hole. The drain hole can be blocked by the foam if the foam expands too much during assembly. If the water cannot drain from the pillar cavity, the water may leak onto the floor and dampen the carpet. To correct this concern, create a drain hole in the foam block using a long screw driver. The hole can be made anywhere within a one inch perimeter of the pillar cavity, except for the inboard side of the pillar, and would be more effective if made in a low spot where the drain tube empties into the cavity (as shown below). The reason for staying within one inch of the perimeter of the pillar is that there is a plastic block located under the foam and it is very difficult to pierce through it with a screw driver.




•	1. Screw driver making hole in foam.

•	2. Drain Tube.

5. Install a butyl patch over the 2 bottom holes of the rear pillar as shown below. These two holes are used to align and secure the pillar trim panel. When reinstalling the pillar trim panel, the retainers will pierce through the butyl patch and provide an adequate seal.

Kent Automotive is one of the known sources for this patch. Contact Kent Automotive at 1-888-YES-KENT to obtain Kent part number: KT13306 or equivalent.




6. Inspect for any voids in the seam sealer at the corner where the rear pillar and floor meet, as shown below. If a void is found fill it with seam sealer Kent Automotive High-Tech Clear Sealer Part Number P10200 (5oz. tube) or equivalent.



7. Inspect for water leaks around the drain hose to sunroof connections. If the connection between the drain hose and sunroof is leaking, remove the hose and apply a bead of Kent Automotive High-Tech Clear Sealer Part Number P10200 (5oz. tube) or equivalent around the sunroof nipple and reinstall the drain hose.



8. On Crew Cab Models check for excess sealer that may have been squeezed out between the black plastic end cap and sunroof rail. Any excess sealer may create a damn or block the nipple and prevent the water from draining freely as shown below. To correct the concern simply remove any excessive sealer.



9. On Crew Cab Models check for water leaking between the black plastic rear end cap where it attaches to the side rail, shown below (1). The area marked (2) in the picture is the sunroof drain channel. Any water that gets past the glass seal is routed through the drain tubes. The area marked (3) is the sunroof track and no water should be in this area. If there is water in area (3) it will leak out between the end cap and side rail because the end cap is not sealed in this area. If water is in area (3) this could be caused by one or more of the above items listed in the document.

If water is not getting into area (3) but water is leaking between the end cap and side rails, then remove the end cap and clean any old sealer from the end cap and rail. Use Kent Automotive High-Tech Clear Sealer (Part Number P10200 5oz. tube or equivalent) to reseal the end cap to the rail. After installing the end cap, smooth out any sealer that may have squeezed out so there is a smooth transition between the end cap and rail so water will not damn up or block the nipple opening.

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.