How to fix a sunroof leak in a car?

What to do if the hatch in the car is leaking? This problem occurs in drivers with enviable regularity. The reason for this is the technical characteristics of the design or shortcomings during self-assembly. Often there is no need to turn to specialists, because you can fix the hatch leak in the car yourself.

The sunroof is leaking in the car: the main reasons

The most common problem is breakage of seals and their wear. The seal is a rubber element glued around the entire perimeter of the frame. It ensures tight contact of the panel with the body and improves the tightness of the hatch. The rubber wears out little by little and begins to crack over time. This interferes with the fit, and water begins to flow through gaps and cracks.

The second malfunction is typical for sliding structures and their varieties. The most insignificant guide element defects can lead to closing problems. The panels do not reach the edge and do not ensure tight contact with the seal, resulting in streaks.

One more problem - drive failure. It is more often characteristic of electric drive mechanisms that use internal combustion engines. In severe conditions, it burns out and stops moving the panel correctly.

Also, leaks can be caused by blockages. Because of this, water cannot pass, the pipes do not cope with the task. Moisture has nowhere to go and a leak forms.

Most sunroof problems are caused by lack of tightness. However, moisture can pass not only through. Water It happens that it flows into the cabin due to incorrect installation of the frame.

The sunroof is leaking in the car: a solution to the problem

How to fix a sunroof leak in a car? It is not difficult to solve the problem of a roof leak in a moment: it is enough to have a sealant with you and seal the leak with it. But to solve this problem capitally - you will need to tinker.

Drain. When a car sunroof leaks, the drainage system may be to blame. Clogged drain pipes will have to be cleaned. Arm yourself with a long thin cable, for example, from bicycle brakes. Loosen the end a little and slide it into the tubes, clearing the blockage so that the water can pass through.

Replacing the gasket. If the whole thing is just a cracked gum, then you need to replace it. To do this, the old rubber is removed, the place of its shrinkage is cleaned from the remnants of glue and dirt, carefully smeared along the width of the seal and a new one is mounted. If there is no cast o-ring on sale, then you can put a door instead of it, but only the joint is necessary.

Hatch electric engine repair. Replacing a burned-out electric engine is also a simple goal. Access to them on all machines is good, so unscrewing it and installing a new one is easy. You can temporarily eliminate the leak by disconnecting the drive rod from the panel and putting it in place manually and then press it again with the drive pin so that it does not open with the wind.

Repair of guides. Repairing damaged rails can be the hardest part, as the entire mechanism must be disassembled to get to them. It is not always possible to find the necessary spare parts. It happens that it is easier to buy a second, not entirely serviceable donor hatch, and then remove all the missing parts from it and transfer them to a working element.

But if you don’t have to use the hatch often (when the car is equipped with air conditioning, such a need is generally eliminated), then the owner can simply silicone it tightly - he will get rid of the leaking ceiling, but he won’t be able to move the panel.

The car sunroof is very expensive. Its replacement will cost the owner dearly, but it happens that, especially if the model is quite new, one cannot do without it (parts for repair are difficult to find). Therefore, before buying a car with an opening sunroof, every motorist should think about whether he needs it?