[sirjeff]

Hi all, the sunroof drains on my 05 finally started acting up. I've searched hi and low and now I'm stuck. Hopefully someone can shed some light!

To start, the cabin filter is dry and the condenser drain going out the firewall is clear. Rear and driver side sunroof drains are clear as well as the plenum drains in the wheel wells. Upon talking things apart a bit, I think I've isolated the problem.

Where does this rubber hose coming off the front passenger sunroof drain pictured below go to? Water does not seem to drain somewhere past this point and gushes out where the rubber meets the plastic from the buildup!

 

[Hugo0815]

Hi there , I had the same problem,Passenger side drain hole wouldn't drain. I had water soaking the passenger carpet. Friend and I, we started to tackle the problem, we tried to snaked it from above with a wire, removed the plastic cover at the wheel, blowing air from above into the tube, Nothing. We took it apart where you did and separated the 2 hoses, finally blowing air through the hose going down to the wheel it blew the dirt and water out. We couldn't see where the hose exits but it in the general area where the Driver side is. After that I glued the 2 hoses back together and the passenger side is dry now. It was so frustrating not to find the hose exit, Driver side is much more easier to see. I hope this helps...

 

[Hrtthumper]

I am having the same issue with my 04'. I took it to the VW dealer who charged me $200 to tell me they couldn't figure it out so they drilled a hole in the passenger side rail so the water that was swishing around during driving could drain out!?!? Can you guys explain what panels you removed to access this drain? So that I can fix this problem the correct way!

 

[noobytoogy]

I am having the same issue with my 04'. I took it to the VW dealer who charged me $200 to tell me they couldn't figure it out so they drilled a hole in the passenger side rail so the water that was swishing around during driving could drain out!?!? !

??? Drilled a hole? In the steel?

There are three rubber grommets in the cill/rail: you simply remove one of them on each side of the car: no more sloshing sounds as several pints of water drain out.

If you get down on your hands and knees and look carefully, you will see them.

In the T3 the grommets have a drain now and I understand the T3 grommets fit the T1/T2 holes if you want to retrofit.

 

[johnk]

Same problem and could not find exit for front sunroof drains after trying to snake from top. Rear come out behind rear wheel liner and not a big deal. Bentley shows the front drains coming out behind the engine at firewall. Finally went to dealer and spent $400.

The tech told me that they drain out into the plenum and then from the plenum out the drains behind the front wheel liners. Taking off the plenum cover is a pita mainly because it is difficult to pull the wiper arms off of the drive shafts. I bought a wiper puller that works fine on passenger side but is not ideal for driver side, but I eventually can get it off. Then, taking off the plenum cover is easy.

Mine are clogged again about a year later, so I will have to see for myself where the sunroof drains enter the plenum. I hope the tech wasn't BS'ing me and I can find the drains in the plenum. I will pour some water into the sunroof tray and watch for some water dripping out. If anybody knows definitively where the front sunroof drains empty, please let us know.

 

[Hugo0815]

I am having the same issue with my 04'. I took it to the VW dealer who charged me $200 to tell me they couldn't figure it out so they drilled a hole in the passenger side rail so the water that was swishing around during driving could drain out!?!? Can you guys explain what panels you removed to access this drain? So that I can fix this problem the correct way!

I never found the Hose exit, but it drains through a hole onto the top of the plastic in the passenger wheel well, you have to take the plastic cover off. If you put your finger through that hole there a lot of cables and some other stuff and a lot of leaves. If you look at the picture above you can see a hose, a smaller hose from the sunroof drain is going into that hose. We separated the hoses and blew air through the big one and after many tries it became unclogged. I hope it helps.

P.S. Cannot believe they drilled a hole into the Body of the car.

 

[sirjeff]

Thanks for the insight everyone! I figured I'd ask before splitting the 2 hoses up and snaking from the black rubber onward. It sounds crazy but I wasn't sure if it drained into the plenum or tapped into the air con stuff and dumped out the condensation outlet! Kinda relieved now!

I managed to find this on google images last night, I'm assuming its from the Bentley manual..... Wish I found it last weekend in my state of desperation hehe

 

[johnk]

the hole that drains into the wheel well is the plenum drain and the diagram is from Bentley.

If the sunroof water comes out the plenum drain, the sunroof drain must empty into the plenum.

Plenum gets full of leaves and other debris. Plenum drain gets clogged all the time, but at least easy to get the wheel liner out.

 

[Hugo0815]

Thanks for the insight everyone! I figured I'd ask before splitting the 2 hoses up and snaking from the black rubber onward. It sounds crazy but I wasn't sure if it drained into the plenum or tapped into the air con stuff and dumped out the condensation outlet! Kinda relieved now!

I managed to find this on google images last night, I'm assuming its from the Bentley manual..... Wish I found it last weekend in my state of desperation hehe

I was not able to snake it through, even with the hoses split. It only worked with compressed air, but you might have better luck...

 

[johnk]

I couldn't get a wire or weedeater line all the way down either. Without air, I think you have to clean it out from the exit in the plenum. Would still like to know exactly where it comes out.

 

[sirjeff]

I couldn't get a wire or weedeater line all the way down either. Without air, I think you have to clean it out from the exit in the plenum. Would still like to know exactly where it comes out.

Ill let you guys know how I make out this weekend with a electricians wire feeder snake thingy... If that won't do it then ill put the air to it on Monday!

Judging by the diagram I'm thinking it dumps out underneath all that abs stuff mounted near the top right side of the bulkhead..... Getting a wiper arm puller and yanking all that stuff off and exploring is a last resort for me so I'm hoping the snake and/or air will so it.

 

[sirjeff]

No luck with the snake. No matter what I just couldn't get it past that stupid 90 bend right before it enters the god forsaken bulkhead.

not able to try the air out till tomorrow, i stuck a garden hose in the pipe and the water (low pressure) somehow found its way back in the car..... Just finished sucking out a bunch of water with the shop vac..... Now the egg can sit in the sun all day and think about what its done while it dries out again.

This is a nice forum so ill bite my typing fjngers and continue screaming obscenities in the garage in the meantime.

I just saw all my old Japanese cars drive by and they were thumbing their noses at me, the nerve!

 

[sirjeff]

Ok the air worked in unclogging the pipe BUT, I've come to the conclusion that the drain pipe going thru the firewall was in fact pulled out of hole in the firewall in my attempts to make it straights as possible for the failed snaking.....

So after going mental for hours trying to think how to thread the pipe back into the hole that is in the worst place conceivable, a light bulb went off.

6$ and 20 minutes later... Simplicity defeats over thinking!!

 

[noobytoogy]

Well done!

After all that effort, I think I'd have run that clear pipe outside the trim so I could have the satisfaction of watching the water run down it as I drive along!!

 

[tadpole]

I enjoy this seris of posts and have been amazed at the lack of simple engineering missed with this system of drainage. DID NO ONE IN GERMANY EXPECT it would rain and a car would be around more than a few yrs. Duh. A euro car not designed to handle rain,hard to believe,and it happens to all the models,Jetta,Tregs , Passats Tiguans.

 

[Hugo0815]

Ok the air worked in unclogging the pipe BUT, I've come to the conclusion that the drain pipe going thru the firewall was in fact pulled out of hole in the firewall in my attempts to make it straights as possible for the failed snaking.....

So after going mental for hours trying to think how to thread the pipe back into the hole that is in the worst place conceivable, a light bulb went off.

6$ and 20 minutes later... Simplicity defeats over thinking!!

How did you figure that the pipe was pulled out the firewall?

 

[Niner]

I enjoy this seris of posts and have been amazed at the lack of simple engineering missed with this system of drainage. DID NO ONE IN GERMANY EXPECT it would rain and a car would be around more than a few yrs. Duh. A euro car not designed to handle rain,hard to believe,and it happens to all the models,Jetta,Tregs , Passats Tiguans.

That's the Power of German Engineering! No one at VW ever uses or mentions in their ad campaigns "That's the Power of German Cost Accounting" I wonder why? Epic fail, VW... Epic. You only understand recurring repair costs due to subcontractors building cheap crap out of rotten plastic, or rubber, wiring looms cut too short to save on a bit of copper, narrower gauge wire, etc, etc. And your engineers never design anything to be worked on or serviceable in the field easily, in reach. You shouldn't have to pull a motor out to work on it or service it for wear related parts.

 

[sirjeff]

Thanks guys!

Believe me Noobytoogy, I got the satisfaction with a good test gallon or two! I couldn't get it all put together and cleaned up fast enough, my car was a mess of pulled up carpet and interior pieces all over the place for far too long.

How did you figure that the pipe was pulled out the firewall?

I was yanking on it pretty good so that i was able to cram the snake down there... Come to think of it, it could have been blasted out when I tried a shot of water down it with the hose. I thought the hose was working as I heard some stuff clearing until it filled the passenger floorboard with water. After blowing out with air and testing again it continued to flood..... Then the reality sank in haha.

Ill probably do the drivers side as preventative maintenance. My sunroof dust seal is shot and my car sits at a sawmill all week so it's just a matter of time before it plugs up too. The rear sunroof drains work great and are less dopey so not too worried about those.

 

[Hugo0815]

Thanks guys!

Believe me Noobytoogy, I got the satisfaction with a good test gallon or two! I couldn't get it all put together and cleaned up fast enough, my car was a mess of pulled up carpet and interior pieces all over the place for far too long.



I was yanking on it pretty good so that i was able to cram the snake down there... Come to think of it, it could have been blasted out when I tried a shot of water down it with the hose. I thought the hose was working as I heard some stuff clearing until it filled the passenger floorboard with water. After blowing out with air and testing again it continued to flood..... Then the reality sank in haha.

Ill probably do the drivers side as preventative maintenance. My sunroof dust seal is shot and my car sits at a sawmill all week so it's just a matter of time before it plugs up too. The rear sunroof drains work great and are less dopey so not too worried about those.

Ok, I was worry about that also, but for now I think it still works how it post to. When i poor water down the passenger drain it still comes out on top of the wheel plastic cover. Good job on you solution, you don't have to worry about clogging now...