Conference terri::cars_uk

    All the problems I have ever heard about in factory electric sunroofs
    have been due to blocked drains.  If it's not that, then I no idea.  I
    can't see the glass panel wearing out, (there is nothing to wear).  I
    guess it could be a seal but then it should be visible.  Make sure they
    check all the drains, there should be at least 4 0r 5.
    
    good luck,
    JP

    The (after-market) sun roof on my escort leaks, and that's due to a
    defective drain. I agree, it's the most likely cause.
    
    Laurie.

    I can't see how the glass panel would 'wear', but is it at all
    possible that it has warped with time ?  If so, I would expect
    you could tell by uneven 'shut lines' around its perimeter.
    
    J.R.

    
    Can glass warp? I had a similar problem with the Britax roof on my
    Renault 5 GT Turbo. It turned out to be that the sealant between the 
    rubber seal and the car roof had either not been correctly done in the
    first place or had perished. 25 quid put it right (may not've even been
    that much). 
    
    I, too, was told the glass had warped, which I disputed as I didn't believe
    that it could have warped. The dealer soon backed down, so I suspect
    it's just a good money earner for them. 
    
    Try taking the car to someone who fits sunroofs for a living (is what I 
    did). They quickly found the fault, despite the car having been taken
    to the Renault dealer on a number of occassions.
    
    Mark

  
>   Does anyone have any experience of leaky sun roofs and possible cures.


Your cue, Heather ? 

>Your cue, Heather ? 


	How can I resist.

	I bought a 3-month old MG Maestro ex-demo.

	My car sunroof (metal) leaked.

	Rover had it back on many occaisions, the drains were NOT blocked.

	They tried replacing the seal.

	In the end they told me "your sunroof is designed to leak".

	So, I asked them nicley to put it in writing, so I could go back to
	to the manufacturers, as it was obviously not their fault by selling
	me something with this "design feature".

	They decided then that they thought they might be able to fix it.
	In the end they did fix it by replacing it with a glass sunroof -
	as part of the warrenty, thank you very much.

	Interestingly enough, it was the last model with a metal
	roof, all the ones after mine came with a glass roof.
	
	...........so maybe the metal ones were designed so they leaked.

	This was with Penta, they subsequently went out of business.

	have fun!!!!!!!!

	Heather

    My Renault 5gtt is going into the garage next week to have the leaky
    sun-roof fixed,this is an after-dealer Britax roof.I have noticed that
    the glass roof does not shut correctly on the passengers side.i.e the
    glass does not seat down on the rubber stand-offs.
    After reading the previous replys I expect I will get the "warped"
    glass answer.
    
    And I thought this problem was uncommon ...............sigh !!
    
    steve.

    Thanks for the replies. I was getting a bit fed up with the "very
    unusual problem Sir" attitude - I now know i'm not alone!
    
    I think I'll try taking it to a sun roof specialist as Mark suggested.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Rupert
    

    
    There's a sun roof,alarm,and stereo speciallist in Pangbourne,it's
    called Autosound,they guarentee all work for a year.
    
    There address is
    		 Unit 5 The old mill 61 Reading Rd Pangbourne.
    
    	Telephone :-0734 842295
    		    0734 842919
    
    	If you need directions give me a shout!
    
    		Hope this helps.
    				Andy..

	The bottom line was,

	Once they had prooved is was NOT blocked drainage channels, they didn't
	know waht else to do.

	It was all guesswork, starting off with the easiest thing to repair
	(seal) and moving upwards to the more complex (whole sunroof).

	Heather

    I've just had a leak fixed in the after-market Britax on my Alfa
    Sprint. It wasn't warped glass or a perished seal - I had the entire
    unit removed and refitted with new sealer (see .4). It hasn't rained
    since so I will have to test it with a hose !
    
    Cost me �42 though.
    
    Steve.

    Ref my Tipo, I contacted a friend of mine who has a body shop business
    and he has offered to check it out - he did admit that fixing sun roof
    leaks is a problem (now I feel really hopeful!?).
    
    I wonder how much I'd get for it if I traded it in ????
    
    Ever hopeful,
    
    Rupert
    

    
    My girlfrients R5 sunroof leaked. It was a Renault roof but fitted by
    the UK importer probably by Britax or someone like that. Its just a
    simple glass flip top. 
    
    It started leaking about 13 months after we got the car. A temporary
    cure was to seal all around on the inside. About a year later it
    leaked again and got worse and worse to such an extent that she
    threatened to sell the car...While she was away a couple of weeks ago I
    removed the entire roof and found that a combination of mis-aligned
    seal and wear had made it leak . The seal is between the metal roof and
    the sunroof metal frame and. I cleaned up the seal and put the roof back in
    using a clear silicone sealer all round the roof. This has cured it
    thank goodness. To do it took about three hours and cost 2.50 for the
    sealer. 
    
    Three pieces of advise:
    
    1. Dealers are a rip-off, they know less about it than you do. They
    will charge an arm and a leg and it will still leak.
    
    2. The water never comes through where the leak is, it always comes
    through somewher else
    
    3. Be a bit brutal. The only way to fix is to take the roof out (if it
    is a simple one).
    
    
    							G.P
    

    Well in the end I paid up and got a new glass roof fitted. I did go to
    a body work specialist beforehand. He said (sharp intake of breath,
    shake of head, sympathetic look) "these can be very difficult to fix,
    i'd go back to the dealer, I don't think we can help". In other words a
    complete waste of time taking the car over there for the day and asking
    his opinion.
    
    I am convinced the problem was with the rubber finishing strip which
    retained the seal. But it's acedemic now - I just couldn't be bothered
    to keep carting the car around trying to get someone to take it on.
    
    However I am now �240 pounds lighter (plus the original �70 for the
    first seal) - in other the equivalent of a new pair of Skiis I had been
    promising myself for this season.
    
    But - the sun roof is now not leaking - so far!
    
    Cheers and thanks for the feedback,
    
    Rupert