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Leaking Moonroof

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3.8K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  dleong  
#1 ·
Hello, all!

I have a 2001 Sentra SE (with the Performance Package) that I have owned since new. While driving through the rain a few days back, I noticed that water was seeping in through the seal along the rear of the moonroof. The seepage was substantial enough that water would drip into the cabin if the sunshade was open.

I have verified that the moonroof panel is flush with the roofline when it is in the "closed" position, so I do not think the leakage is due to the moonroof not closing completely.

Can the moonroof somehow be adjusted to eliminate the leak, or does the rubber seal surrounding the panel need to be replaced?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
 
#2 ·
To answer your question, yes it can be adjusted. There's 4 screws that hold the glass onto the rail. The only thing is that the glass is basically guaranteed to leak either way. That's why there are drain tubes at the end of the tracks. You need to make sure that the tracks' water drain system doesn't have any clogs. Sometimes there's debris that are blocking the water from draining properly and thus creating a dam and the water ends up overflowing into the cabin. To do this properly, you'd need to drop the headliner, have somebody stay inside the car and then simulate rain with a hose. Try to locate where exactly it's overflowing and fix it. Good luck.
 
#3 ·
Thank you for your suggestions.

I ended up not adjusting the moonroof panel as the seal seemed equally tight all around its circumference. Sliding a credit card around the moonroof in the "closed" position didn't reveal any areas where the seal seemed less tight.

But since it is still leaking, I'll try running a thin bead of clear RTV silicone sealant around the inside edge of the opening to see if that reduces the inflow of water. However, I'll have to wait until this weekend to do that as that's the only time when I can let the car sit for the 24 hours needed for the silicone to fully cure.
 
#5 ·
maybe one of the drainage hoses fell off. theres one for each corner. after spraying your car down have you ever noticed the water streaming down by the wheel wells? thats the drainage hoses. your sunroof is going to leak around the glass, regardless.
 
#6 ·
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys!

I ended up putting a very thin bead (about 1mm thick) of clear RTV silicone sealant around the inside lip of the sunroof opening, and letting it set for 24 hours. That seemed to do the trick as the amount of water leaking through the seal is now minimal. I'm not sure if the repeated opening and shutting of the sunroof will eventually peel the sealant off, but if that happens, I'll just reapply it.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions. :)