Hi,

New to the forum. We have a 1997 960 with 150k miles. We love the car, but...

We just had the car serviced (timing belt, transmission flush, brakes). We had noticed that there was water dripping from the dome light after a heavy rain in the past so we asked that the sunroof be checked for leaks at the same time. They checked it and said that it was adjusted properly and that they ran water over it an no leak. They said all the drain lines were clear.

Low and behold, a couple of weeks later after a heavy rain, there is water leaking again. This time it seems the leak was big enough to soak the headliner, run down the rear pillars, and down to the trunk. The car is parked on a slight incline (front end uphill). A couple of times in the past we found small grey plastic pieces by the shifting lever which came from the track that the sunroof guide pins ride in.

If the drain lines are all clear, why would it leak into the interior? Is there a common problem with the sunroof?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

I dont have a sun roof in my S40, but I have heard the same thing about ones that do, same thing you are talking about. I have not heard what to problem was thought. I know not much help. The only thing I can think of is to run water over the sunroof in a wide pattern (for a long period of time) I bet the dealer only did this for a few minutes, there might be something that happens after a hour or so.

 

I had the same problem. Took it to 2 dealers in NJ and I told them to replace the guides because you could see they were broken. They said they were ok and that the sun roof frame was cracked and needed a new sun roof ($3500 installed). My son took the sun roof out of the car and we check it out.Almost impossible to be cracked or "rust out". Ordered the replacement guide kits, installed and ran silicon under the glass retaining gasket on top. That was 6 months ago and it hasn't leaked since!

 

I have a similar problem... '97 960.
At first I had a drip coming from the dome light, as the water would collect on the headliner causing it to sag a bit and then shorting out the dome light assembly (I finally got new circuitry for that at a junkyard.) I guess I need to replace this headliner or live with the slightly mildewy smell..

Anyway, after I took it to Volvo to try to get a stronger seal last January ($$-they told me they have to replace the glass too since the rubber is sealed on it, thanks volvo...), I started getting water under the passenger side carpet (and in the back seat too depending if I parked uphill or downhill). I finally took out all the carpet and during the next big storm I sat and waited to figure out how the water was getting down there. Anyway, water from my sunroof was escaping the outermost trough (where it's supposed to collect) through a worn rubber seal (wear and tear of opening/closing?) and travelling elsewhere. (Specifically, in the NE corner of the sunroof) Water was dripping onto the sunroof cover as well as moving across the ceiling towards the top of the passenger door. (I have wrinkled apholstery there where the water is getting in.)

It seems my drain pipes are working fine, so the water is getting to the floor another way- it's sliding down the rubber gasket of the door frame (this takes a while, so it's only noticeable during a prolonged rain and is why hoses and carwashes cannot recreate the scenario). When it reached the curve at the bottom of the door, gravity moves it to the floor of the car... Anyway, after it rains again, check to see if that's wet...

In the meantime I will keep the sunroof cover open and put a small rag in that corner- this way water drips on to my passenger seat instead of travelling down my door frame...

I'm not sure how to fix this leak in my sunroof though... I don't want to try and detach it, it seems too tricky. I'm tempted just to close it forever with some silicone...
Hope this helps-

 

I finally paid an auto shop that specializes in headliners and sunroofs to diagnose the leaking sunroof. Turns out it's the cracked or worn seal that wraps around the perimeter of the glass. We bought this car used and apparently this is already the second sunroof with this problem? They sprayed foam around the edges and then pumped air from below (my headliner was out so it was easy to get to) and the foam bubbled up where there was a broken seal. Anyway, they lined that edge with silicone so that should keep all the water out AT LEAST temporarily. If the silicone wears out, I'll just reapply it as needed (probably $10 a tube at the auto parts store?) Otherwise, I buy a used working sunroof glass (since you have to buy the glass and not just the rubber- it's one unit unfortunately). I found one used for $200 and i think new is probably $600 and up. With installation that's about $100 extra (at least in OH). Otherwise, I was going to permanently seal the roof (line silicone in all gaps of the roof) and disable the motor (around $75 at the shop or do it myself and probably not as neat). But, I will try this for a while. Finally I can put my carpet back in and eventually the headliner...

Anyway, I was just wasting my time trying to figure out where the water was coming in, they figured it out in about an hour...It's much easier (probably necessary) with the headliner out though..

 

You can buy the sunroof seal from the dealer, i bought one for about $150 a few years ago. Also there is a website called VLWORLD that sells them too for around the same price. Also i dont know if they have it in OH, but there is a show called Speedy Auto Glass who did an excellent repair on my s70 sunroof tracks.