2017 VW Sportwagen Panoramic Roof Drain Fix
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- Опубліковано 24 жов 2021
- ** Update 27Aug2023 ** - You may be entitled to a free repair via a VW Service Center. There is currently a class-action lawsuit, Gjonbalaj v. Volkswagen Group of America. Before proceeding with service yourself, check the website www.sunroofsettlement.com/vw to see if your vehicle may be covered by the extended warranty. If you do the work yourself you will likely forfeit your ability to claim reimbursement for parts/labor performed. For those that have already performed the service themselves, sorry, I'm not sure there is anything you can do to claim reimbursement for your time/labor.
The VW Sportwagen Panoramic Roof may look nice but it is prone to clogging and leaking. There is a TSB 60 18 03 October 2, 2018 so check with your dealer to see if you are eligible for a free fix from the dealership. In this video I will show you how to access the drain lines and drain holes and check to see if they are clogged. Also some tips are provided to avoid this issue in the future. - Авто та транспорт
I used garden Strimmer cable to feed it along the drain tube to clear the blockage. Saved me having to pull the interior apart. I melted the end of the Strimmer cable to make it easier to push through.
Thanks for the tip.
I'll throw in my appreciation for your detailed video along with some great suggestions.
We recently bought a used Alltrack and discovered it was pooling water in the spare tire well. After a particularly heavy rain, I found the dog blanket we keep in the cargo area was significantly damp in places. With your help, I found both of the drains tubes coming out under the back of the car were plugged with dirt. Pulling away the side panel near the right rear tail light, I found standing water that had been there long enough to have things growing in it. When I disconnected that' side's interior red drain tub from the coupling going to the bottom drain of the car to see where the clog was , it spilled out several more ounces of water.
Haven't done the remaining testing yet, but I have hope that this will address the water issue we have.
Thanks again!
Happy to help, and thanks for the additional information.
This is a fantastic how to video you spent a lot of time going thru it much appreciated. I'm one of the lucky ones (so far) my 2017 Alltrack SEL is always parked in garage or under cover at work which I'm sure helps prevent debris from clogging drains but others that keep their cars under cover like me have leak issues. I read somewhere about welds by the drain openings at the top partially blocking the drain opening cause leaking too. It amazes me that after around 50 years of VW/Audi making sun roofs they still haven't figured out how to prevent leaking.
Thanks. Ours is always garaged as well. Definitely think they should have figured it out by now.
@@JRsGarage My 2019 Alltrack SEL is leaking. I had some standing water in the spare tire compartment which I scooped out and dried with a towel, but there is clearly water underneath that has soaked in the padding underneath. The car has 29,400 miles on it - still under warranty with extended sunroof warranty. VW is refusing to honor the warranty and I am taking them to court to force them to live up to their obligations. Very disappointed in VW.
I hope everything turns out well for you.
@@JRsGarage I'll give VW one more chance on Jan. 2. If they still refuse, I will put the wheels of justice in motion and I will win. It only costs $20 to file a claim.
.I've been researching this water intrusion issue VW has given us and one of the videos I saw (this was on a MK7 Golf but ua-cam.com/video/6xwKaZdM7PY/v-deo.html and Sportwagen have it too) anyway there's a drain that catches water behind the hatch release/back-up camera (the rear badge) that drains straight down and if it's plugged OR the hose isn't visible apparently it can leak into the spare tire well instead of where it supposed to drain if you open hatch you'll see hopefully in the middle bottom of hatch a rubber tube, the opening is about 3/8" where the end of tube is (should be anyway) mine is visible but reset inside the opening and I think it should be poking out just a bit so water drains out onto rear bumper instead of the inside of the hole. I just looked at mine and I'll have to retrieve that drain hose hopefully it's long enough...what a half assed design. I don't have any sign of wetness but this could be yet another place to check if you're experiencing water intrusion. Here's a link that describes in detail along with part number ua-cam.com/video/6xwKaZdM7PY/v-deo.html
This video saved my car. Thank you! Those stupid caps are useless and they were backed up with dirt. My car always had condensation inside - and frost in the winter. Now I don't have to sell it. Cheers for showing the steps to remove everything too.
My pleasure, happy to help.
Thank you for posting this, my 2011 wagon was leaking into my car and every mechanic I took it to wanted to charge 700$ plus to reconnect the drain hose. I did it in a couple hours thanks to you!!!
My pleasure, happy to help.
I could not agree mmore with you
Cheers for this video
It really save me time
Blessings
My pleasure.
Just another voice to say thank you here. I have a 2016 sportswagon and after a recent bad rainstorm found 5 inches of water in the spare tire well. I've already ordered my trim removal kit and can of stain remover and will be attacking things this weekend.
Happy to help. As long as it doesn't sit too long you should be able to get it pretty clean.
videos like this are why I love youtube. My 17 AT had a puddle on the trunk cover after a storm today. I'll have to check it out this weekend and your video will be my reference. Thank you!
My pleasure.
Mine too...these days been raining in Texas like crazy... I'm working on that now.
Good luck
The same on my 16 AT, the trunk full of water :( . I have seen the hole that is behind the rear bumper was stuck, this hole drains the water....have you find something wrong of your AT?
No, so far the transmission is working well.
Thank you for the video. I had my whole headliner and panoramic frame replaced but it still leaked after a year. Will be going back since it’s still under warranty for the work. However will definitely refer to this video when warranty is up.
My pleasure. There is a TSB for this service, just make sure they do the back drains along with the front.
Useful video.
Some cars also had a design flaw where plastic and metal would form a crack, allowing water in on roof.
I have a '15 Sportwagon and haven't had water problems but i had the tsb at dealer done for drain mod.
Thanks for showing how to take things apart.
Cheers
My pleasure, thanks for the info.
Very very helpful video thank you so much! Our 2013 VW Jetta Wagon was leaking on the passenger side and after noticing the sun roofs Drain holes I figured that the drain hose was probably clogged in some way!
My pleasure.
Thank you for your video it’s been really helpful. 😊
My pleasure.
I had aJetta that did the same thing. Great video. Thx for the help, because I'm about to buy this same model car.
My pleasure.
Many thanks for this video it is super helpful!!! Had standing water in the spare tire department and a wet liner in my 2018 Alltrack which I managed to get dry with a regular dehumidifier. Haven't started the repair yet but the dealership wanted to charge me $750 for just looking into what it is, even the car is still under warranty!!! My Fender subwoofer is full of water and I am not sure if I get it working again.
My pleasure. Sorry to hear about your issues.
This video is also relevant for the VW alltrack. A local VW dealer in MD just charged me $250 to inspect these rear drains just to tell me they need to be replaced for $600.
Yes, and I think all VWs with the panoramic roof would be very similar.
Am si eu VW Passat Variant B8 cu acoperiș panoramic,cele 4 scurgeri au fost blocate de la acel vazilin cu care a fost uns mecanismul de la panorama, personal am curățat cele 4 canale si am uns mecanismul cu spray,DAR oricum cînd ploua afara are scurgeri interior,si nustiu ce ar putea fi,poate de la careva îmbinări de la panorama sau si de cele 2 bare de pe acoperiș, as vrea sa ma duc la un servis sa scoată tot si sa vad problema.
What an excellent video. Well done.
Thank you.
Too bad VW didn't over-engineer the drain system. Mine has leaked from the day I bought it. After a brief rain water fills the spare tire well. Despite numerous trips to the local dealer, VW has never been able to fix the problem. It's the one problem that keeps me from buying another Volkswagen. Thanks for the video. Maybe I can fix it myself.
I hope it works for you.
Thanks for explaining this so well. We couldn’t figure out why there was a sloshing sound until the wet NW winter was over and it was dry enough and light enough to see what was happening. It wasn’t a water bottle that had rolled under the seat. I’ll be following your advice.
Happy to help.
Thank you from Brazil!
My pleasure.
Thanks for the detailed video
My VW sportwagen TDI has the leaking because of a crack in the frame. Unfortunately there is not support in México and i will try to fix it by myself
My pleasure, hope you get it fixed.
Thanks for the awsome video. The previous owner cut all my drain exits flush and they got sucked up into the body🤦♂️
Good luck with that. 🙄
@JRsGarage thanks man. I'm gonna need it.😁
Great video
Thank you
My pleasure. Check with VW first before you DIY, they issued an extended warranty for these drains.
@JRsGarage nice
Will do- got my first taste of leaking in the car yesterday on my 14 wagon
Thanks so much av learn a lot
Happy to help.
This is the most helpful and detailed video on the subject that I have found. Thank you. Now, the question is, how do I get the noise dampening cushion and the rug pad to dry out? It is wet as a soaked sponge from the front passenger footwell to the rear passenger well. I live in an area that is rainy all year and do not want my car to become a mold bomb on wheels.
Hair dryer and a lot of patience, or bring it to an interior detailer and have them clean it out.
I have the same issue with my Alltrack with a leak at the rear which filled up my spare tire compartment with water. Was able to get a regular dehumidifier from a fiend of mine. Just let it sit inside for at least 24 hours with all doors closed.
Thanks for the tip.
Great video
Considering taking the preventative measure of creating those couplings for rear drains
Can you explain how you use those now that you have them?
It's only been a few months since I did the job. But every year or so I plan to open up the back side panels and force air through the lines in order to make sure they're clear.
Great video! I cleared my front drain tubes but pretty sure I detached the tube from the sunroof tray as water goes in the drain hole but then comes inside the car by the front floormats. The reason I think I detached the tube is I see water stains at the top of the windshield pillar on the material. Do you know if those pillar panels come off easy? Hoping I could remove them and re-attach the hose to the sunroof tray drainaige hole area? I may have damaged the tube clearing it with wire so not sure how difficult it is to replace. Thanks again, hope I made sense.
The pillars come off. Just be careful not to break the clips holding it on or you will have trouble getting it back on.
Thank you for the most helpful video. I've got a 2016 sportwagen limited. same problem. Spare tire well full of water after a hard rain, and also stains on the roof liner :( I am wondering two things. 1. Exactly where are the rear drain holes. At the very corner? not quite in the corner? Since you used your camera to find them, I'm not sure where they are and wondering if I route some weed wacker cable up from the bottom drain, when it makes it all the way to the top, will it get stuck or will it push through that rubber flap and be visible so i can yank it back and forth to clean the tubes. Or is it possible to route a cleaning cable from the top even though you can't see the holes. 2. ) What did you actually use to clean out your tubes, if it was some kind of wire or cable, were you able to get it all the way from top to bottom so it's sticking out on both sides?
1. It is pretty much in the corner or just inboard of the corner. Yes, trimmer line should work. It would be very difficult to feed it top to bottom as the drains start at the back of the sunroof which is inaccessible. But if you push enough up from the bottom eventually you should be able to grab it at the top. There is some plastic pieces at the rear corners of the sunroof which may make it difficult to feed all the way through.
2. I used bicycle brake cable. I did not go all the way through. I just cleared the obstruction at the rear corners of the sunroof and then flushed it with water.
@@JRsGaragethank you!!
Hi, thanks for your videos. I have a 2014 VW Golf 7 Sportsvan, I need to change the panoramic sunroof motor, do you know where it is? thanks
I'm not sure where the motor is but I would think it is probably under the headliner behind the sunroof.
this is exactly what's happening to my car - and I have standing water in my wheel well in the back
It happens to nearly all VWs with the panoramic roof.
This is the game VW is playing with their sunroof warranty: If you maintain the drain tubes yourself and modify the defective drainage system, they'll deny your warranty due to "outside influence". If you pay a VW dealer $200+ to inspect the drainage system and clear any blockages - and it promptly leaks again - they will accuse you of improper maintenance. They simply won't admit that the drainage system is defective.
I'm sure the proper fix would end up costing them millions so they will try to play the blame game any chance they get.
Hi, at 9:56 you mention to check the inner lining. I do have some water that comes in at that point in both corners.. looks like it comes trough the rubber window seals and gets underneath the glass. Any thoughts about that? Water pours out just fine at all 4 holes..
Water will get underneath the glass- by design. It is meant to get in at the outside edge where the front and back glass panels meet. It should then run along the inner lip of the sunroof towards the rear drains and out. If you have dirt build up in those channels then it may cause water to overflow the channel onto your headliner even though it seems to be flowing out fine at the exit.
My alltrack is at the dealership for this issue, luckily I’m covered under warranty for a new headliner!
That's lucky. Make sure they take the caps off the ends of the drain lines and don't just clean them out and leave the caps there, because you'll end up with the same issue in a couple years.
@@JRsGarage got an update this morning, Apperantly there’s damage to the pano frame and they will be replacing it completely
Interesting.
Very good detailed video. Question where did you buy those couplings?
They're from the irrigation section of Lowe's or Home Depot. 3/4" if memory serves.
@@JRsGarage Seems like a good idea, but super nervous about cutting that cable. How have they been working out for you?
I bought a used Alltrack from Carmax and surprise surprise less than a week and a few flash storms and already saw leaks in the back corners near the pano roof.
I really like the car and there aren't many options in the wagon department so I'm torn.
Removed the rear flappers today, but I have no garage or workspace to remove the headliner. I could perhaps snake the rear drains starting from the bottom which may help or push the gunk back up in them.
Again, I like the coupling idea because then you could snake the drain from the middle in either direction, but seems a risky proposition cutting the line in the middle. Better be dang sure one has the parts and can finish it before moving onto something else
No leaks since.
I have a 2012 Jettawagon and I’m leaking in all directions pretty bad. I can’t find where the front drains run out to on both driver and passenger sides. The water is leaking into and out from fuse box! Fabulous design! 😮 Any ideas on how to fix the front drains in addition to the rear?
Thanks.
Find the holes in the corners of the sun roof and push a 3 foot wire through till it pops out somewhere. I find that bicycle brake/shifter cable works great. The exit may not be visible but if you clear it out with the wire and then flush it with water it should drain properly after that.
I was just able to get under the back of my car and find the bottom of the two tubes to clean them out. They are pretty hard to see post the mufflers, but they are right up inside the bumper cover next to the heat shields. I removed the little stoppers and used a zip tie to clear out the blockage.
well you could just blow air up from bottom to free the block, if your gonna make a spot in trunk panel then wont be any different just sending air from drain under car, just dont blast full power so hose dont fall off sunroof
Just be very careful as you risk sending 5ft of gunk and sludge up onto your sunroof shade and headliner. Which would be a pain in the ass to try to clean.
Wow, great video but what a headache. I just bought a 2019 Alltrack, from someone I work with, who told me that there was an issue once with this but the dealer had fixed it. Well, after a few soaking rains I found water in the spare tire well. We got it all dried up, I don't think there's any water damage but I have to check it out and pull up the lining, check the drains, etc. But even assuming there's no damage, and I can unclog the drainage tubes, this will happen again. So, extreme idea here but I don't care whether I have a panoramic roof--do you think I can use clear silicon caulking and fill in all around the sunroof, to prevent any water from getting in there? Obviously, I can never open the roof again, but I don't care about that.
Thanks for any ideas.
That's too extreme for my taste. I wouldn't do that. Just add checking the drain tubes to the annual maintenance. That's my plan.
@@JRsGarage, I thought I’d escape this particular known GSW curse, but after 115K miles, I got hit with a couple, oil burning (TDI) and pano roof leaking. How many miles on yours when this leak appeared?
A side note, what an MVP! 🤝
Not a leak in my case. The drain lines were clogged causing the water to back up in the line and overflow onto the headliner. I had about 47k miles when it started.
Why does water get into the drain tubes when the roof is closed? Isn’t the roof designed to be sealed & watertight? Thanks 🙏
No, the roof panels are not sealed. If you pour water on the sunroof you should see it dripping from all four corners of the car through the drain tubes depending on how level the car is.
this is the one thing that I hate about my vw. It got so bad that the water flooded the body control module and had to be in the shop for 6 months and paid over 1000 to barely get fixed. the doors still don't lock :(
Yea, one of the engineers really screwed up with the design.
Best "fix" for this kind of problem: avoid sunroofs. More trouble than they're worth, IMO.
That sure is one way to do it.
Following this fix, did jr confirm whether it fixed his issue? 0:02
I haven’t had the leak return since but I also take the time to clean out the drains once a year.
@@JRsGarage thanks for confirming, really appreciate it. What do you use to clean the drains?
@shamm6880 water. Watch under the car and ensure it flows freely out the bottom drains.
Where do you order the plastic piece to remove the panels?
Amazon, search for "car trim removal kit".
@@JRsGarage thanks
My pleasure.
the back ones you can reach for underneath.. its just a plastic trim to be removed with 5 screws-ish.. the front ones one you can reach by hand and the other with you wife-s hand only :))
For all 4 remove the small red covers they are the culprits. (automotive regulations... no bugs can go in but somehow the dirt does not go out)
You should have no more problems after this
This is what I have done.
Can you show where those 5 screws are and what plastic you are referring to? thanks.
@@jonathancorcio3668 dude. Underneeth the car.. In the back there is a plastic cover.. 5 screws visible.
can you tell me where exactly the rear drain is located .
In the corners of the rear bumper. Up under the bumper cover.
@@JRsGarage hello good morning
but where are they by the window.
at the part of the glass on the roof that cannot move
They are at the 2 corners. Only accessible if you completely remove the headliner.
@@JRsGarage okay thanks
❤❤❤❤ 🇵🇭
Happy to help.
had this blockage on my Passat B8 GTE, water then ran into my PHEV wiring loom at the bottom of the A-Pilar, resulting in up tot 2000€ worth of damage. because of this stupid plug and the lack of checking this at the dealership each time the car has to go in for routine check-ups. VW and AUDI know of this problem, the internet is FILLED with sunroof drain issues but the like the €€€ it provides i guess. I'm having my car repaired, the sold of. No VW for me anymore.
It sure is a major pain to deal with.
@@JRsGarage Volkswagen has had this issue with sunroof drains since the original Rabbit back in 1975. They never got it right.
Vw did a recall. 2016 sportwagon.
Yes, I received that paperwork in the mail a few months ago. A few years too late.
Minuto 2:46
Do you have a question about minute 2:46?
VW has had this problem at least since 2006 Jettas (mine) and their solution hasn’t changed either (cut off the nipples that can’t handle the real world dirt)! 😂😂😂
You'd think that they would have solved it by now.
That was a hard job completely unnecessary. The problem could be fixed with 5 minutes easy job cleaning the small conduit rubbers at the Front/Back. Take a look to this video ua-cam.com/video/2GB1s-EqeAI/v-deo.html
Yes, but no need to repeat a video that's already been done. If people have trouble with the sunroof tray drains, drain lines, or headliner, now they know how to access them.
So if we just cut the tips off the front and rear drain plugs it should solve this?
Yes, the flappers at the end of the lines should be removed. They can be pulled off once you locate them.