California rains.... 4R now leaking

[duke808]

I should get an award for the most problematic T4R :ak472:

Last night we were dumped on with some good rain. I get in my car this morning and... (see pics below). Could it be the door seal which is torn? (also pictured).

In the past I have checked to make sure the sunroof drains, which it does. I'm just trying to pinpoint where the water is coming in from. It seems the sunroof is too far back to show leaking right near the windshield. Bone dry around the sunroof.

Something tells me it's the door seal because I saw a few drops come in earlier near the "oh shit" handle on the A pillar. but why then is it spreading all the way near the rearview mirror?

:bash::bash:This car. Love/hate.

 

[jgue467]

I have a tear about the same size about the same spot but it was still a tiny 1/16" wide 1" long twig that got caught in sunroof rail at front left end that was causing the leaks. Cleaned it out carefully and voila!

I'd triple check that sunroof. In hindsight (or hindear) my sunroof made an odd sound right as the roof came to a close, it was trying to complete the closure but could not due to the twig, so it strained and made that odd sound.

Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

 

[duke808]

I have a tear about the same size about the same spot but it was still a tiny 1/16" wide 1" long twig that got caught in sunroof rail at front left end that was causing the leaks. Cleaned it out carefully and voila!

I'd triple check that sunroof. In hindsight (or hindear) my sunroof made an odd sound right as the roof came to a close, it was trying to complete the closure but could not due to the twig, so it strained and made that odd sound.

Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

Thanks for the reply. The sunroof opens and closes fine, and drains fine, so I'm wondering how else it could leak through there. And even if that were the case, wouldn't there be water around the sunroof? It's concentrating right underneath that tear, as well as up towards the front under windshield and all the way to rearview mirror. everything around sunroof is dry. Hmmmm

 

[ghostmoney]

I would think it would have to be something with the sunroof. If you look at post #4415 at this link http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/104161-what-did-you-do-your-3rd-gen-today-295.html you will see that behind that weather stripping there is a channel where any water would run towards the bottom of the door. The water you have is higher than that channel and I dont really see how it would be able to make its way there from that weather stripping as it would have to travel around the pinch weld and then up.

I had a sunroof leak and it was wet in the exact same spot as yours, but not in a 4runner. I ended up blowing out the front drain hoses and rerouting the rear drain hoses to drain better. If all drain holes are draining properly then it could be your sunroof gasket that is leaking.

I would guess though that either
1) Front drain tube is clogged
2) Front drain tube came unplugged
3) Rear drain tube is clogged or draining slowly allowing the water to back up in heavy rains

I had a vehicle where the rear drain was angled so the water had to travel up a slight incline to drain. It would only leak during heavy rains.

 

[duke808]

I would think it would have to be something with the sunroof. If you look at post #4415 at this link http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/104161-what-did-you-do-your-3rd-gen-today-295.html you will see that behind that weather stripping there is a channel where any water would run towards the bottom of the door. The water you have is higher than that channel and I dont really see how it would be able to make its way there from that weather stripping as it would have to travel around the pinch weld and then up.

I had a sunroof leak and it was wet in the exact same spot as yours, but not in a 4runner. I ended up blowing out the front drain hoses and rerouting the rear drain hoses to drain better. If all drain holes are draining properly then it could be your sunroof gasket that is leaking.

I would guess though that either
1) Front drain tube is clogged
2) Front drain tube came unplugged
3) Rear drain tube is clogged or draining slowly allowing the water to back up in heavy rains

I had a vehicle where the rear drain was angled so the water had to travel up a slight incline to drain. It would only leak during heavy rains.

Ill check the drains again. It does only happen in really heavy rains, or the car wash when I'm using the powerful hose. Maybe they aren't draining fast enough, that's all I can think of, because water did come out of the bottom when I tested the drains.

 

[ghostmoney]

Ill check the drains again. It does only happen in really heavy rains, or the car wash when I'm using the powerful hose. Maybe they aren't draining fast enough, that's all I can think of, because water did come out of the bottom when I tested the drains.

On both vehicles I have had drain issues they both would drain some water out when testing the drains, but I found that they were just not draining fast enough and in heavy rain would overflow.

 

[duke808]

On both vehicles I have had drain issues they both would drain some water out when testing the drains, but I found that they were just not draining fast enough and in heavy rain would overflow.

Ok, great. Best way to unclog??

 

[ghostmoney]

I used my air compressor with a cheap spray nozzle and dropped the psi down on the compressor to not blow hose off

 

[giovannie23]

Ill check the drains again. It does only happen in really heavy rains, or the car wash when I'm using the powerful hose. Maybe they aren't draining fast enough, that's all I can think of, because water did come out of the bottom when I tested the drains.

my sunroof started leaking last rain strom in dec
the drains were fine
mine was leaking from the inner sunroom weather seal
at first i blocked the leak with a putty but the water found its way out the pillar exactly where yours is leaking
im guessing maybe your sunroof window seal has a small leak
mines feom around here

 

[giovannie23]

from the picture above you can see i put a sealant around the inner seal
i ran it around the area of the leak and i got no leaks after last nights rain
this is what i used
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Permatex...38817&wl11=online&wl12=21153075&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[duke808]

from the picture above you can see i put a sealant around the inner seal
i ran it around the area of the leak and i got no leaks after last nights rain
this is what i used
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Permatex...38817&wl11=online&wl12=21153075&wl13=&veh=sem

Thanks! I will definitely give that a try... after the weather dries up!

 

[duke808]

I'm back!

Anybody want to help me torch this ****ing car? I was driving to the gym and thought, hey, maybe it's leaking elsewhere too? I turned my head to look in the back and sure enough there's water above the driver's side rear door second row. Gotta love this thing. Where the hell is that water coming from? Still sunroof related? I'm hoping :50cal:

 

[phattyduck]

If you have a sunroof, make sure all 4 drains are clear and working. You should be able to POUR water around the frame of the sunroof and not get any water on the head liner. All sunroofs leak to some extent, thus the drains.

Fix that and your problem is solved... Unless you also have a leak from your roof rails...

-Charlie