I'm looking to buy a 2003 Outback 5D Wagon LTD, and found where water is leaking in near the rear drivers side of the hatch right over the jack storage area. I had the dealer fix it and was told that the power dual moon roofs drainage rails were plugged and they cleaned them and that should solve the leak. Does this sound plausible? I mean they would be shut in the rain. So how do they get plugged and has anyone else experienced this.
Have you looked inside the recess? If you never open your sunroof then that recess is always sealed. Do you never open your sunroof? How about to let your car vent out hot air when you leave it sit so it isn't so hot when you return later? Well, the roof is open which means debris can fly or fall in. I doubt the drainage holes in the track are very big. It wouldn't take much more than a falling tree seed to plug one.
Yes they do, and tree debris can clog them up. Make sure it is written down and if you still get water build up later hold them to it to get it fixed.
I'm trading in my '99 30th Anniversary Outback 5D Wagon LTD, use the moon roof all the time except when it's raining. I've left it open accidently overnight and under our tree. I also leave it open on sunny days when out and about to help keep the dog cool. I had no idea their were drain rails and never had any issue which would have pointed to clogged rails.
The original and only owner hit all the maintenance schedules and when I called him, he said that it had been leaking for a some time. This flies in the face of his regular maintenance.
My next question is where do these drains normally go and since they were plugged, what additional problems/damage may have been caused by the leak?
There are indeed drains, and they do indeed sometimes plug up.
Mine have not plugged up, yet ('03 LL Bean OBW with the dual roofs).
Dave
A lot of people don't think of these, or don't even know they're there. I didn't know until I took an old Corolla apart for parts for my other old Corolla, and the 'new' old Corolla had a sunroof. It basically just bolts in, so i pulled it in case I ever get my 'old' old Corolla running again...
Anyway there were plastic tubes that run through the body panels and come out behind the tires. I would think running a long plastic 'fish wire' would help to keep them clear.
As a matter of fact, I didn't think of this until I opened the sunroof this week and smelled mildew. It's been raining for almost 2 weeks here, and the smell was horrible. So, when (if) it ever stops raining I'll get a long plastic 'wire' and make sure the drains are clear...
Yes, they can plug up. Also the drain holes can plug up with gunk around the mud flaps Way to test is park the car slightly nose up, open the roof all the way and pour some water from a soda bottle into the drainage rails. You should see it drain from behind the rear wheels. (Conversely, if you park nose-down you shoud see it drain behind the front wheels) If the right rear is still plugged you'll see the water will leak into the rear cabin as it had before.
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