Sunroof leaking

Tiny
CORY2427
  • MEMBER
  • 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE
  • 3.6L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 118,761 MILES
I believe sunroofs leaking in car. It is dripping water down front side airbag pillar and where seat belt side is. How do I take it all apart to unclog? Not familiar with Buick set ups.
Monday, October 7th, 2019 AT 2:02 PM

15 Replies

Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello, I'm Danny.

Here is what I've found for your Buick. I've attached the pictures below. Hope this helps and thanks for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Monday, October 7th, 2019 AT 3:53 PM
Tiny
CORY2427
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I pulled the elbow out of the firewall and cleaned it and some of the line. Anywhere else it can stop up with out having to remove sunroof?
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Monday, October 7th, 2019 AT 3:59 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
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Hello again.

As you can see by the pictures I've attached there are front and rear drain. Hope this helps and thanks again for using 2CarPros.

Danny-
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Monday, October 7th, 2019 AT 4:29 PM
Tiny
CORY2427
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Cannot make out exactly what is what on pictures. How do I get to rear main drain lines to unclog without removing sunroof?
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Monday, October 7th, 2019 AT 8:20 PM
Tiny
CORY2427
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  • 288 POSTS
  • 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE
  • 3.6L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 116,761 MILES
Need more and better information on how to pull headliner and stuff down so can get to rear drain tubes. It’s leaking down both pliers on passenger side only.
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Tuesday, October 8th, 2019 AT 5:44 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Welcome back. For these they don't show a lot of information. However they are not that difficult, the trim around the edges gets removed enough that you can lower the headliner just enough to reach the drain hoses. As it is leaking at both points I suspect the hoses have come off both drains, There are three drain connections, one goes down the A-pillar and a second one Ys together for the rear drain that goes down the C-pillar. I would suspect they either got plugged and the water is draining out the sunroof itself and down the pillars or the hoses came off when someone attempted to clean them out, both are very common.
The pictures tell more than the information does.
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Tuesday, October 8th, 2019 AT 5:44 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CORY2427
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So how do you access the rear drains to unclog? I know there’s 2 in front and 2 in rear.
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Tuesday, October 8th, 2019 AT 5:44 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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You drop the sides of the headliner by removing the trim enough that you can get to the tubes. Or you can try the drain snake method. Get a long piece of somewhat stiff wire or weed whacker string, the heavier stuff. Then you feed it through the drain ports that are in the corners of the sunroof. Sort of screw it down through and it will clear them out. On some you can find the lower ends of the tubes and feed it up through to clear them, that actually works better sometimes as it doesn't try to force the clog in harder.
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Tuesday, October 8th, 2019 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
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Mine would have to have headliner remove because you can't even see rear drain holes.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 3:20 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Most of the time you don't need to fully remove the headliner to get to them, you remove the trim down one side and gently pull the headliner down to get access. Clean the drains and put the trim back, then do the other side.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 7:04 AM
Tiny
CORY2427
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My headliner you can’t just pull sides down the way it’s set up vents come off pillars and everything just to get to it.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 1:05 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Correct, As it states in the first image, you need to remove the trim around the edges. That means the pillar trim. However you don't need to remove all of it at once, you should be able to remove only the rear trim and to the front door. Then lower the headliner enough to get to the drains.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 1:23 PM
Tiny
CORY2427
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I was able to get to the lines where it was wet on pillars but no line was clogged or undone. Do you think it could be something else or because had down pours on rain other day it could keep up? Or what I’m lost.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 5:14 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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About the only places they normally leak are the drains. However they are not really well sealed so I would look at all of the seals and tracks to be sure it does close as well as it can and that the water can actually drain, use a water bottle and test that they work while you watch it. Next I would look at things like the roof rails and rack areas to see if there is an issue there. Sunroof leaks can be a real bear to find if they are not in "expected" areas.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 7:47 PM
Tiny
CORY2427
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I poured 5 gallons bucket of water on sunroofs with headliner down no leaks all drained well and gurgled at drains couldn’t make it leak down pillars, but could see water coming in but was going down drain pan just in the corner.
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Wednesday, October 9th, 2019 AT 8:08 PM

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