Steaming North

New Member
Hi all,

After a few months of a leaking sunroof I had a fit of stupidity yesterday and decided to have a go at fixing it - fingers crossed it might have worked so I thought I'd let everyone know what I've done in case you're experiencing the same problem.

I must stress that I am awful at car mechanics - too fiddly and everything seems to snap, but touch wood this went ok.

To start with this covers getting access to both sunroofs.


CHECKING THE PIPES AREN'T BLOCKED

Sat in the front, pull away (by hand) the plastic strip that runs from the dash to the roof (A-frame?) between the windscreen and the door. Near the top of the metal is a hole covered with black tape - remove this tape and hook out the black pipe (carefully - don't pull it away from the sunroof). There will be nearly 2 foot of pipe so pull it all out - there;s one on each side of the car by the way. Blow down the end of the pipe - from this you will tell whether the pipe is blocked or not. Mine weren't so I started stripping the roof lining out. Before you do that though it's probably worth feeding a long piece of wire down it to dislodge any blockages if it does appear to be blocked.

Once the pipe is clear, check it by pouring some water into the corner of the sunroof tray (sunroof open). It wants to be going in at the front of the metal runners for the sun roof, right in the very corner - I couldn't actually see the drain hole. If the water comes out the end of the pipe then put it back - you're laughing. If it floods through the roof lining then you need to go a bit further on in the process.

For the rear the process is the same but you remove the light cluster (brakes, indicators etc) in the panel and you will see the end of the pipe clipped onto the car.


REMOVING THE ROOF LINING

Start at the front - with the two A-frame panel covers removed as described above. Unscrew the sun visors, including the stand alone clip. You'll need a flat head screw driver to remove the little cover on this.
Now unscrew the whole map holder unit - there's a little plastic cover in the centre which you'll need to remove. Also you'll need to unplug the electrics to the reading light.
Pull away the fabric runner which goes around the sunroof.
Using a (7 or 8mm?) socket, unscrew the two Jesus handles (so called because when you go round a corner too fast you grab hold of them and shout Jesus). At this point the front of the headlining will drop down. if it's just the front sunroof causing problems you may be able to stop at this point but may need the next step too.
Remove the plastic covers where the front seat belts come through. To do this, pull away both the front and rear door seals from the area. You'll see two clips on each side - use a screwdriver to get these out the way then simply pull. Bear in mind one of them has the alarm sensor attached - unplug this.
Remove the rear Jesus handles as you did with the front ones.
Remove the fabric cover which goes around the sunroof.
Remove the little plastic cover by the light and unscrew it. You may also be able to disconnect the light from here - I forgot and have now knackered the connections.
Go to the boot.
Remove the clear plastic cover for the boot light and using an 8mm socket or spanner remove the two nuts an pull the light unit away and unplug it.
Pull (hard) away the plastic cover that goes across the top of the door.
Now go to the big plastic cover on one side (surrounding the rear side windows). The two covers which are nearest the window, at the bottom (either side of the window) need to be removed with a flat screwdriver (careful you don't snap this cover clean off) and unscrew. The rest of the covers are actually ribbed plastic studs - just pull them all out with a clean, sharp, hard pull (holding onto the big plastic surround. Some of these are longer than the others - note which ones are which (I didn't and wish I had).
Do the same for the other side. Bear in mind one of these has an alarm sensor on which needs pulling out and unplugging.
Unless there's anything I've missed, the whole headlining is now unattached.

I did all of the above, on my own in less than two hours.


FIXING THE PROBLEM

From what I could see, the two front corners of the sunroof have a plastic box with a ribbed plastic pipe/nipple sticking out - the drain pipe is pushed onto this.
In my case I could see there was water coming through the seal between the metal frame of the sunroof and the plastic box and that the plastic pipe from the box had snapped off.
If this is the case then I would suggest that this is where you need to concentrate your efforts.

What I have done is what I thought - I am not saying it's right or that it will even work (glue hasn't dried yet).

To replace the snapped plastic pipe I went to a camping shop and bought some 1/8" female to nozzle adaptors as used for connecting up gas bottles (brass ribbed connector). I roughed these and the plastic boxes up with emery cloth and applied araldite - I bought some stuff that takes a long time to set and needs to be held in position with tape which was very awkward - if you can I'd suggest buying a quick setting glue.
I then applied marine sealant around to the area to help it stick further and also try and stop any water coming through.

To try and seal up the box itself I bought some 75mm "Flashband Flashing" from B&Q. Heat the box a bit with a hair dryer and heat the flashing slightly and stick this on over the seams. Once in place heat it again with the hair dryer to make it workable and hopefully get a better hold and seal. Repeat this until you've got all the area you need covered.

Now put everything back again.

From rubbing the opening the glue and the new connectors to getting back in the house took me about 3 1/2 hours - again on my own.


If this has worked I'll be very happy. As long as the connectors haven't moved whilst I was putting the headlining back on I can't see why it won't have and it will have cost me £25 in total.

Every garage I asked told me they'd have to replace the sunroof or that they just wouldn't do it. Hopefully this will be a cheaper, easier alternative.

Joe
 
easiest fix i found was to dum dum around the plastic strip that mounts to the roof,landrover only put a thin sealing strip on the inside of this and this perishes over time,the dum dum was the best way i found without taking all the sunroof cassette out.

hth
Gareth
 
fixing the drain pipes is common but there should be very little water getting to them you will have noticed that there is only drain pipes at the front of the sunroof so if you were parked facing up hill you will still have a leak (just like i did)so i fitted new seals that made it a little better so in the end i striped it down again and sealed betwean the roof and the sunroof this fixed the problem for a year but then i some times got a drip only one or two so i took the seals out and used a little silicone and stuck them back in 6 months no problems
 
I had heard of this as well but the seals all looked good to be and I could see water dripping down between the plastic box and the steel frame.

Also when the sun roof was shut and I poured water onto it I could see it coming through the drain hole where the nipple should have been.

The rear two were blocked - blowing down them and putting wire through them cleared this out. Again, I could see water coming through the join between the box and the steel frame.

When parked uphill I didn't have a leak until I had pulled away and was back on the level or downhill again. I noticed that if I had been going along and then parked up hill it would start to run out the back instead of the front but as I saw yesterday, the water will run around the outside of the lining - i.e. if the water's at the front and you then park nose uphill it will run around to the back and come out there instead.
 
fixing the drain pipes is common but there should be very little water getting to them you will have noticed that there is only drain pipes at the front of the sunroof so if you were parked facing up hill you will still have a leak (just like i did)so i fitted new seals that made it a little better so in the end i striped it down again and sealed betwean the roof and the sunroof this fixed the problem for a year but then i some times got a drip only one or two so i took the seals out and used a little silicone and stuck them back in 6 months no problems

Do you mean that rubber seal that you can pull out rather than the hard plastic surround? Is that rubber seal easy to replace towards the rear (with the sun roof over the top of it)? I did think about replacing these as well as I noticed one of them was pinching - but I think I've got it back in the right place now.
 
I used this fix:-
Leaking Sunroof


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, they’re 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, they’re easy so don’t 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 where the headlining meets the sunroof, it’s only pushed on and comes off easy. All thing that hold the lining in are now off and it’s only taken 45minutes working slowly to ensure all screws are stored and you don’t damage anything. Now gently pull the headlining free working from front to centre post gradually on both sides. It’s easy so don’t worry you don’t 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 it’s been raining or you’ve 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 repair 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 pieces 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, gently 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 won’t have water pouring onto yourself or your passenger anymore. The roof light is not designed to be 100% waterproof and that’s 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.
 
I used this fix:-
Leaking Sunroof


The problem with the sunroof is never the rubber seal. .
Not entirely true. If the seal is not seating properly you will get a BIG leak. Always check the seal first in case someone has pulled it out of line. Tends to happen when rear seat passengers stick their hands through the roof.
 
I too recently joined the leaky sunroof club. It was about the only common fault my Disco (2 - face lifted - 2002) had avoided.

With the help of the descriptions given here I tackled the job today - in the rain!!

Discovered both drain pipes had snapped off the front sunroof. Hence copious amounts of water over the passenger! She wasn't pleased.

Warmed the drain pipes with hot water and removed the stubs. Then used a standard Bic biro and cut a small length which fits very snugly inside the broken stub. Left about 5 mms of pipe showing to push in to drain box mentioned above. You cannot leave more than this as there is a white bit of plastic blocking the hole at about 7mms in.

Carefully coated the stub with rapid set araldite and was careful to avoid any getting inside the tube and so blocking it.

Left it for an hour to set.

Refitted the drain pipes - carefully.

Having seen the sitaution in there it is easy to see why they break - they are very exposed and any knock on the roof near them will shear them off - take care!.

Absolutely hissing down outside - but roof dry so far.

Here's hoping.

And a big thank you to others for the detailed instructions - helps loads and gives the confidence to try.

Ian
 
A friend of mine who own a Landy hospital replaces the plastic pipes with brass ones,the plastic ones sag in time and block and kink,pretty **** really.
Every one he's fixed is much better now health wise no leaks
:)
 
Hi all,

After a few months of a leaking sunroof I had a fit of stupidity yesterday and decided to have a go at fixing it - fingers crossed it might have worked so I thought I'd let everyone know what I've done in case you're experiencing the same problem.

I must stress that I am awful at car mechanics - too fiddly and everything seems to snap, but touch wood this went ok.

To start with this covers getting access to both sunroofs.


CHECKING THE PIPES AREN'T BLOCKED

Sat in the front, pull away (by hand) the plastic strip that runs from the dash to the roof (A-frame?) between the windscreen and the door. Near the top of the metal is a hole covered with black tape - remove this tape and hook out the black pipe (carefully - don't pull it away from the sunroof). There will be nearly 2 foot of pipe so pull it all out - there;s one on each side of the car by the way. Blow down the end of the pipe - from this you will tell whether the pipe is blocked or not. Mine weren't so I started stripping the roof lining out. Before you do that though it's probably worth feeding a long piece of wire down it to dislodge any blockages if it does appear to be blocked.

Once the pipe is clear, check it by pouring some water into the corner of the sunroof tray (sunroof open). It wants to be going in at the front of the metal runners for the sun roof, right in the very corner - I couldn't actually see the drain hole. If the water comes out the end of the pipe then put it back - you're laughing. If it floods through the roof lining then you need to go a bit further on in the process.

For the rear the process is the same but you remove the light cluster (brakes, indicators etc) in the panel and you will see the end of the pipe clipped onto the car.


REMOVING THE ROOF LINING

Start at the front - with the two A-frame panel covers removed as described above. Unscrew the sun visors, including the stand alone clip. You'll need a flat head screw driver to remove the little cover on this.
Now unscrew the whole map holder unit - there's a little plastic cover in the centre which you'll need to remove. Also you'll need to unplug the electrics to the reading light.
Pull away the fabric runner which goes around the sunroof.
Using a (7 or 8mm?) socket, unscrew the two Jesus handles (so called because when you go round a corner too fast you grab hold of them and shout Jesus). At this point the front of the headlining will drop down. if it's just the front sunroof causing problems you may be able to stop at this point but may need the next step too.
Remove the plastic covers where the front seat belts come through. To do this, pull away both the front and rear door seals from the area. You'll see two clips on each side - use a screwdriver to get these out the way then simply pull. Bear in mind one of them has the alarm sensor attached - unplug this.
Remove the rear Jesus handles as you did with the front ones.
Remove the fabric cover which goes around the sunroof.
Remove the little plastic cover by the light and unscrew it. You may also be able to disconnect the light from here - I forgot and have now knackered the connections.
Go to the boot.
Remove the clear plastic cover for the boot light and using an 8mm socket or spanner remove the two nuts an pull the light unit away and unplug it.
Pull (hard) away the plastic cover that goes across the top of the door.
Now go to the big plastic cover on one side (surrounding the rear side windows). The two covers which are nearest the window, at the bottom (either side of the window) need to be removed with a flat screwdriver (careful you don't snap this cover clean off) and unscrew. The rest of the covers are actually ribbed plastic studs - just pull them all out with a clean, sharp, hard pull (holding onto the big plastic surround. Some of these are longer than the others - note which ones are which (I didn't and wish I had).
Do the same for the other side. Bear in mind one of these has an alarm sensor on which needs pulling out and unplugging.
Unless there's anything I've missed, the whole headlining is now unattached.

I did all of the above, on my own in less than two hours.


FIXING THE PROBLEM

From what I could see, the two front corners of the sunroof have a plastic box with a ribbed plastic pipe/nipple sticking out - the drain pipe is pushed onto this.
In my case I could see there was water coming through the seal between the metal frame of the sunroof and the plastic box and that the plastic pipe from the box had snapped off.
If this is the case then I would suggest that this is where you need to concentrate your efforts.

What I have done is what I thought - I am not saying it's right or that it will even work (glue hasn't dried yet).

To replace the snapped plastic pipe I went to a camping shop and bought some 1/8" female to nozzle adaptors as used for connecting up gas bottles (brass ribbed connector). I roughed these and the plastic boxes up with emery cloth and applied araldite - I bought some stuff that takes a long time to set and needs to be held in position with tape which was very awkward - if you can I'd suggest buying a quick setting glue.
I then applied marine sealant around to the area to help it stick further and also try and stop any water coming through.

To try and seal up the box itself I bought some 75mm "Flashband Flashing" from B&Q. Heat the box a bit with a hair dryer and heat the flashing slightly and stick this on over the seams. Once in place heat it again with the hair dryer to make it workable and hopefully get a better hold and seal. Repeat this until you've got all the area you need covered.

Now put everything back again.

From rubbing the opening the glue and the new connectors to getting back in the house took me about 3 1/2 hours - again on my own.


If this has worked I'll be very happy. As long as the connectors haven't moved whilst I was putting the headlining back on I can't see why it won't have and it will have cost me £25 in total.

Every garage I asked told me they'd have to replace the sunroof or that they just wouldn't do it. Hopefully this will be a cheaper, easier alternative.

Joe
After 1 year trying to find someone who can tell me were the drain hoses are Joe turns up. Well done. Pipes were clear stripped down lining and found all joints OK. it seems that the water is running to the rear of the drip tray to where their are two milled holes all the water runs through these into the head liner and runs down onto the passenger seat. i have stripped down half the head liner and have started stripping out the drip tray but why oh way is there factory holes through to the head liner??? can I fill these ?
 
Last edited:
9 times out of 10, it's the complete sun roof seal that is around where the whole unit is fixed into the roof, this seal on mine was totally gone, when you split the unit to remove the bottom half, the top half was loose, follow threads on here to tell you how to re seal,
 
I repaired my 2 sunroofs ( 2001 Td5) about 2 yrs ago .
First I read many posts and the general consensus was that :
(a) blocked drain pipes not a very common problem ;
(b) seal under glass often blamed in the wrong;
(c) worst cause of leaks was failure of the seal between sunroof frame and vehicle roof .
So removed headlining and drove around for about a week to see where water would appear .
Drain pipes and connections remained dry - and pipes were clear .
Then I removed both sunroofs .
The seal between sunroof frame and vehicle roof was about the thickness of one sheet of newspaper - absolutely useless as a seal .Maybe it was more substantial when new but had worn away to nothing .
I removed the boxes and resealed then - just to be on the safe side .
Then I cleaned everything up and refitted both sunroofs using a good thick bead of Tigerseal to bed them on .
After tightening up the 14 screws on each I then left them undisturbed for 24 hrs .
Then used Disco for about another week before replacing headlining .
Has been dry since :).
 
I repaired my 2 sunroofs ( 2001 Td5) about 2 yrs ago .
First I read many posts and the general consensus was that :
(a) blocked drain pipes not a very common problem ;
(b) seal under glass often blamed in the wrong;
(c) worst cause of leaks was failure of the seal between sunroof frame and vehicle roof .
So removed headlining and drove around for about a week to see where water would appear .
Drain pipes and connections remained dry - and pipes were clear .
Then I removed both sunroofs .
The seal between sunroof frame and vehicle roof was about the thickness of one sheet of newspaper - absolutely useless as a seal .Maybe it was more substantial when new but had worn away to nothing .
I removed the boxes and resealed then - just to be on the safe side .
Then I cleaned everything up and refitted both sunroofs using a good thick bead of Tigerseal to bed them on .
After tightening up the 14 screws on each I then left them undisturbed for 24 hrs .
Then used Disco for about another week before replacing headlining .
Has been dry since :).

that's just what i did, personally i think it is the only way
 
done mine a few weeks ago replaced broken drain tube with plastic tube for joining hoses and used araldite and silicone to seal it and resealed sunroof around roof of disco as it wasn't sealed to roof and water was ****ing in. it has survived heavy downpours with no leaks so hopfully no more problems there apart my sunroof motor decided to die just after i sorted the sunroof out
 

Similar threads