Multivan Sunroof Leaking

[ganebrain]

After some heavy rain my 2007 Multivan started to drip quite heavily inside the car front passenger foot well. Our drive is on a slope, so I parked it around the other way. The dripping in the foot well stopped, but the roof lining in the back seat area then got damp. After the rain I checked the sunroof out and found that the drain holes (there is one in each corner) were blocked. The front two were easy to unblock (push down a piece of tubing and blow out any debris by mouth or airline). The back two are difficult to access. After pushing the sunroof blind back too far to try and get access, which is the wrong thing to do,as it pushes back too far quite easily, but then you can not shut the sunroof as it jams. I then pulled down the roof lining under the sunroof (three plastic clips can be levered wit ha screw driver). I was ablt to pull down the back of the sunroof blind and this allowed the sunroof to close..phew that was a lucky fix. With the roof lining pulled down a bit, I was able to blow out the rear two drain pipes by pulling them off the sunroof structure (pulled off very easily). The end of the rear drain holes are at the top of the rear wheel arches. I could not get the plastic mudguard off to be able to see them, but by blowing water through them, I could see they were now working. The front drain holes are near the front wheels behind the dash in the bulkhead.
Hope this helps someone with a similar problem.

[Sunny43.5]

Good information Ganebrain I spend most working days doing just what you have done {not jamming sunshades} as I have been repairing and installing sunroofs for over 35 plus years . The one prime rule to remember is never never force a sunroof no matter what . The parts are made of plastic and also die cast alloy none of these materials like being forced TRUST me on that one . The problem of water leaks are usually caused by several problems . Dirt in the tubes is the main one because when ever the roof is open a small amount of dust can accumulate in the housing , when you close the roof and it rains the dust is washed down the drain tubes . Problem is that the tiny amount of water flowing down does not flush out so it dries in the tube and every time it rains the process repeats until the dust becomes a mud plug . next one is in some VW models and dozens of othe makers they exit the tubes outside through one way flow grometts these also become blocked [very common with Honda's] . The last one is where the installers at the factory do not correctly allow the tubes to have a constant down hill flow , this will cause water to try and flow uphill before draining away . So if any one has a sunroof in any car or van the best advise I give customers is to twice a year flush the drains , open the sunroof and park the car front downhill pour water into the outer part of the housing and allow the water to flush the tubes , then repeat for rear drains and have car rear downhill . Never use compressed air it may blow the tube off the housing or even split the tube .

[Tombi]

Ok thanks for the advice fellas'. My 09 Crewvan has a factory sunroof, which has leaked in heavy rain also. Disappointing.