# Leaking sunroof (SoCal residents, check your Touaregs)



## PabloP (Nov 24, 2003)

Apparently, VW assumes that if you have a sunroof, you must be willing to tolerate rainwater dripping on your front seats and running inside the headliner. I can accept almost anything, but this is beyond belief.
I have seen a mention or two of water on the floor (and I didn't even check for that), maybe a leaking sunroof before, but I never thought it would happen to me.


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## chessmck (Dec 22, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

There are drain hoses for the sun roof. And if I remember correctly the run back across the roof and down each side.
You may need to check and make sure they are not plugged up.


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## leebo (Dec 17, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PabloP* »_Apparently, VW assumes that if you have a sunroof, you must be willing to tolerate rainwater dripping on your front seats and running inside the headliner...

Your dealer actually said that to you when you showed them the problem?


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## Jason H (Dec 6, 1999)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

Hey, sorry to hear that, but I live where it was almost the worst, and was in mine an hour ago, and it is (and has been) bone dry since the deluge began. It has beeen stated before (and is probably buried somewhere in the manual) that there are sunroom drain openings that need to be periodically checked for blockages.
It's kind of like all the roof floodings/collapsings on the news, from people neglecting to clear leaves and ebris from drains and gutters. I feel bad for you, but most likely it could have been pevented if you had checked while the storm was just forcast. If something however is actually defective with your drains, VW should replace your vehicle, or at least completely fix any and all water damage. have it looked at.
And just in case people think we Californians are exagerating, I have lived in Florida, and what we have had in the last two days lives up to the worst thunderstorm downpours I have seen there, except lasting for hours. It has been just insane.


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## TCinOC (Nov 25, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

No problems with mine PabloP. I do wish it would stop dumping rain, however.


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## trollhole (Nov 6, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

I had the same problem and it didn't have anything to do with the drains they were fine. Every time it rained really hard and I would take the T-reg out and turn a corner it would come out of the side of the compass module. They never could get it fixed. They even replaced the grommets for the roof rack. And after that it never rained hard enough to happen + they gave me a new T-reg about three weeks after perfoming this repair so I don't know if that fixed the problem. Good luck I hope it's just your drains.


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (trollhole)*

I habitually leave my sunroof cracked open, back tilted up one notch (I smoke, and that's my chimney, if you will). Except for the most wind-driven rain, I have never had water inside, and even then just the fewest drops. There is definately something wrong if yours leaks as much as you stated.


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## PabloP (Nov 24, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (Jason H)*

Why would the sunroof need drain holes if it's closed? Clearly, you wouldn't design a sunroof to let water into it and then drain it out. If it's closed, nothing should get in. I have an old Honda Accord and a 98 Volvo, both with glass sunroofs that sat out in the same rain, and no problems.
Suddenly today, they tell me at the dealership that VW won't cover the first day of a loaner car. This is my second Touareg, and they've covered day one seeral times in the past. I wouldn not have bought the second one if they had told me it was VW's policy not to pay for the first day of a loaner. I won't buy a new car if I know that the manufacturer won't provide a loaner without restrictions.
I have to advise everyone thinking of buying one of these things to forget about it. Buy a Lexus, a BMW or an Infiniti, a Jeep, a GMC, anything. Don't take the chance on a VW.


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

Umm, once more, mine doesn't leak even _when it is open_. You have something else wrong.


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## chessmck (Dec 22, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PabloP* »_Why would the sunroof need drain holes if it's closed? Clearly, you wouldn't design a sunroof to let water into it and then drain it out. If it's closed, nothing should get in. 

Sunroofs do not always form a perfect seal when closed, therefore the drains are needed. This also protects when the rear is open and it rains. Same reason you need to keep th edoor drain (bottom) open, so rain getting between the window and window seal will drain out.


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## mdjak (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (chessmck)*

Sunroof drains, door drains, let me see, I'm relatively young compared to Spock, only 47 years young. I've only been driving 31 years, have owned in excess of 20 cars in that time, from an 800 dollar Pontiac to a 50 thousand dollar Egg. I've never checked a drain in any car I've ever owned, and almost every one had a sunroof. Never had a leak.
But, hey, man, if you don't want water running on your seats, get out the Roto-Rooter and clear those drains.


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## sciencegeek (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (mdjak)*

chessmk is correct, there are sunroof drains for the reason he states.
depending on how you use the sunroof, they may never clog up ... or they clog up quickly.
it's obviously not clear whether clogged drains are to blame for anyone's seepage problem.


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## PabloP (Nov 24, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (sciencegeek)*

So how do you imagine the drains would get clogged on a 6 month old Touareg with 4,000 miles that has had the sunroof open once or twice on a warm dry day?


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

Okay, it may be clogged drains, it may not be. It might be grommets around the compas wiring, or it may not be.
I think the point many of us are trying to make (and this is really in support of you, beleive it or not) is that there is something wrong with your Touareg. 
It is not normal for it to leak through the sunroof, as you implied in your original post. So, take it to a *good* service department and have them find the problem, fix it, and fix any peripheral damage from the leak.
Good luck.


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## TCinOC (Nov 25, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (4x4s)*


_Quote, originally posted by *4x4s* »_So, take it to a *good* service department and have them find the problem, fix it, and fix any peripheral damage from the leak.
Good luck.

I agree with this point. PabloP, I don't know if you're still taking your's in to Pacific VW or not, but it definitely sounds like your dealer is subpar to say the least.


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## PabloP (Nov 24, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (TCinOC)*

Tim, and Alan, I know people are trying to be helpful and agree that it isn't normal. The dealer didn't say it was normal or imply they wouldn't try their best to solve it. My original comment was intended to display my shock and dismay at having such a thing happen. The Touareg qualified techs at Pacific aren't bad, as far as I know.


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## TREGinginCO (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

In October when I was driving across the southwest (Grand Canyon) it was raining like hell and I developed a leak in my 'T' as well.
Ended up having the entire sunroof cartridge replaced!


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## PabloP (Nov 24, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (TREGinginCO)*

Thanks for that bit of info. How long did it take? Did you drive it while waiting for the part to come in? We're in our rainy season right now and it could last two or three months (or just a week, you never know).


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## TCinOC (Nov 25, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PabloP* »_Tim, and Alan, I know people are trying to be helpful and agree that it isn't normal. The dealer didn't say it was normal or imply they wouldn't try their best to solve it. My original comment was intended to display my shock and dismay at having such a thing happen. The Touareg qualified techs at Pacific aren't bad, as far as I know.

Paul, I was mainly making the comment based on what happened concerning the loaner car issue. No reason why they shouldn't cover the first day, especially considering they've done it many times before. I don't know, nothing about Pacific was ever confidence inspiring as far as I'm concerned. I do admit that you've had some awful luck with the two Tregs you've owned. Hope it all works out.


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## Jason H (Dec 6, 1999)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PabloP* »_So how do you imagine the drains would get clogged on a 6 month old Touareg with 4,000 miles that has had the sunroof open once or twice on a warm dry day?

Well there is a bit of info that wasn't in your original post that clears up a lot. I realize your first post was just venting your frustration out on the car, which is understandable. But if we had known the car was that new and had such little sunroof usage, I don't think anybody would have suggested it was the drain tubes getting clogged. That typically only happens if the car is parked with the roof open under something like trees with falling leaves for an extended period. I have used my sunroof much more than you but I have no problems. Something just isn't right about the buiid quality of your particular Touareg which is I guess your real complaint anyway. I know people have said this never happens on any other car but I have heard of it happening on a variety of German cars, VW's Audi's and BMW's. Maybe it's just a German thing, most brands only had either a glass tilting moonroof that didn't slide, or a solid metal sliding sunroof up until the late 90's. maybe they are still working out how to slide a glass roof, something the Japanese figured out in the 70's.


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## Northwest (Dec 31, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (Jason H)*

After one year of ownership, I have never had any sunroof leak up here in the Northwest were we tell everyone that it rains here all the time. Since we are tired of the rain, we decided to push it down to Southern California. Enjoy it!


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## TCinOC (Nov 25, 2003)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (Northwest)*

Ha. Yeah thanks a lot. You can take it back now!







I had plenty of that crappy weather growing up in the NW and enjoy the sunny warm weather of Socal just fine.


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## TREGinginCO (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (TCinOC)*

My dealership ordered the sunroof cartridge and had it overnighted - so it wasn't long at all to get the parts.


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## MUG318 (Nov 13, 2003)

The drain tubes could also have been pinched during the installation of the sunroof. With the normal rainfall we get in SoCal, you might not have noticed it. But with the recent toad strangler-type rain we have been getting, and the rest of the country will get soon, you are now seeing the effect. A pinch like this may well be corrected without the wholesale replacement of the window, but I'm no expert.
As far as Pacific VW goes, I have not had any bad experiences with them since they moved from Hermosa Beach to Hawthorne.


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## kangelov (Oct 4, 2007)

*Re: (MUG318)*

We've had quite a bit of rain in the past few days and my sunroof developed a leak as well. I took my treg to the dealer to get this addressed. I just got a call back from them saying that this will not be covered under warranty. I have the RealDriver extended warranty Platinum coverage which I am being told does not cover water leaks.







WTF?????
Has anyone have the same problem? If yes, I could use some help/advise. 
Thank you!


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## taras (May 5, 2009)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (PabloP)*

I have same problem...
I took my car to the dealer, they told me that they resealed the windshield.
It didn't help.I checked the drains yesterday and they were just fine. I poured water in the gap in open sunroof and I saw a water running under my car...have no idea


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## kangelov (Oct 4, 2007)

*Re: Leaking sunroof (taras)*

Here is the latest on my issue:
Dealer diagnosed the leak to be from the seal of the sunroof glass. When I asked the question "Even if it is leaking why isn't the water drained through the drain holes" they replied there was excessive amounts of water coming in and drainage could not keep up. Oh, and there was a disconnected drainage hose???.







I still believe my seal was just fine and the problem was only the disconnected hose. This time I got thrown under the bus by the dealer but for all of you out there who have the same issue - don't pay the dealer $400 for a disconnected hose - DIY.
Cheers!


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## 123mike (Jun 9, 2011)

*leaking sunroof 2009 jetta wagon*

ours has leaked since new, it has been replaced 4 times and counting. their offer is an extended warranty. every time they fix it the interior detereorates a littlle more. the last repair they took out the floor mats to "make sure" the car is dry, now the trim pieces around the doors are also falling off. In our case this all started when the car had only 5000kms on it. now we have 55000 and their offer is $3000 toward extended warranty or on a trade---I don`t think so.
be carefull folks -stay away from Volkswagon


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## 123mike (Jun 9, 2011)

*We know it isn't the drains the roof has been replaced 4 times.*

You posted that VW replaced your car. Do you have any suggestions. We've been waiting 2 1/2 years and four sunroof replacements. All we are getting offered is $3000 of extended warranty or $3000 towards a trade.


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## Yeti35 (May 17, 2006)

123mike said:


> You posted that VW replaced your car. Do you have any suggestions. We've been waiting 2 1/2 years and four sunroof replacements. All we are getting offered is $3000 of extended warranty or $3000 towards a trade.


You do realize how old this thread is and the person you are asking the above question to may not even own a Treg anymore. This thread was started back in 04.


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## 123mike (Jun 9, 2011)

*old thread*



Yeti35 said:


> You do realize how old this thread is and the person you are asking the above question to may not even own a Treg anymore. This thread was started back in 04.


Yes I do see that now. I was frustrated and did not notice the date. I just searched leaking sunroof and google found this thread. If only I had seen it before I bought the darn car. 
Mike


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