Posted 15 July 2007 at 21:04:00 UK time
stan, manchester
the problem with the sunroof is never the rubber seal..the problem is the connection to the roof tray.the tray is metal and the drain pipe is connected to a plastic outlet box which is factory sealed with silicone and pressed into the metal tray.THIS IS THE JOINT WHICH BREAKS DOWN AND LEAKS,(PLASTIC TO METAL)there is a box and connection on each front corner.this is easy to repair and costs no more than £2..what to do..Remove the covers at each side windscreen to A frame(just prise them off,theyre held with 3 spring clips).remove all screws from map holders above your head,including the one behind the blank above mirror.remove winding handle for sunroof.lower away map holder and disconnect light.remove screws from visor fixings.remove screws from visor locator bracket and wiggle and pull till it comes out.(easy)Pull away slightly the door seals on the centre post in front and rear doors and look for 2 little claw like tabs holding internal cover to post,spring these clips round and off post,theyre easy so dont need a lot of effort,now prise off the covers by inserting flat screwdriver behind cover and work the clips out.these are only spring clips into the metal,they hold well but come out easy.pull some seat belt through and just move the cover clear.open covers on high level handle grips and remove 2 4mm bolts from each.if your car has alarm sensor on head ling pull it out,unplug electrical connector and remove.Now remove the finishing trim wher the headlining meets the sunroof,its only pushed on and comes off easy.All thing that hold the lining in are now off and its only taken 45minutes working slowly to ensure all screws are stored and you dont damage anything.Now gentley pull the headlining free working from front to centre post gradually on both sides.its easy so dont worry you dont need to apply lots of force.it falls down with a little help.lower the lining and you will see where the drain pipes connect to the plastic box which in turn connects to the metal tray.You will now see the joint and if its been raining or youve pored water into the tray from the top you will see where it leaks from.To repair this joint dry the area,if you can heat it with a hair drier or carefully with a small flame blow lamp the reair will be easier to complete perfectly.USE BITUMEN BACKED ALUMINIUM FLASHING TAPE(TRADE NAME IN UK IS FLASHBAND and is available from plumbers merchants or B+Q.You will need 4 peices 35mm long x 15mm wide.Make sure as we said earlier that the joint is dry,warm the metal and plastic slightly(this helps the bitumen to adhere well,slightly warm (very little)the bitumen tape and offer it onto the joint making sure it covers onto the plastic and metal,gentley press it all round to ensure a good seal.the joint will accept water immediately and will be good for years.The tape is actually FLASHBAND FLASHING as used in the plumbing trade.The whole job takes no more than 2-3 hours and you wont have water pouring onto yourelf or your passenger anymore.The roof light is not designed to be 100% waterproof and thats why it has drain pipes..the fault is not the seal it is the tray to drain pipe joint.HOPE THIS ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS..THIS IS THE FIX.
