LEAKING PANORAMIC SUNROOF

[T6NYY]

Have a 17 plate C7 S6. Its been back to my local Audi dealership 6 times to fix a leaking panoramic sunroof. Sunroof cassette has been taken out and sunroof seals have been replaced twice and it's still leaking - they haven't a !Removed! clue.

I've paid £1,800 so far and I've had enough of their incompetence.

Can anyone recommend an automotive water leak specialist in Lancashire (North West) that can solve this issue. Thanks for any recommendations .....

[Steve Q]

Might be worth speaking to an.ecperienced body shop to see if they can help. 

[T6NYY]

Hi Steve, yes ...... I'm trying to find a specialist in automotive water leaks .... have you any recommendations?

[Magnet]

Hello Tony,

As Steve says, you should find advice at any large local bodyshop. 
Just pay visits rather than e-mail or phone, and by doing it that way, you will get a feel of your confidence in them.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[T6NYY]

Thanks Gareth .....

[56Doc]

Got the same problem, seems to be coming from somewhere in the front corners of the sunroof, but haven’t found the source yet.

havent asked Audi yet either, 

found a few useful videos on you tube, last one looks more promising, I’ve removed the wind deflector and there’s signs of water under the seal in both corners, guy who posted the vid said he put silicon sealer in the trough for that seal, cannot put much in as the seal won’t go in properly if I do.

Hoping for a bit less rain tomorrow!

[T6NYY]

Let me know how you get on, getting a bit desperate now, Audi dealership is flippin clueless! 

Do you have YouTube link also please ...... thanks

[56Doc]

Try this, (not sure if it’ll work!)

https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=xVZFIwLIRPdg4dKl&u=/watch%3Fv%3DLJtU3fV22tE%26lc%3DUgwEOIOc62jI3G1NIyp4AaABAg.A-jZYkZKSffA-lG_ogQjfz%26feature%3Dem-comments

 

 

[56Doc]

Main dealers don’t teach their technicians how to find faults, they get taught how to use the diagnostic computer. There’s a big difference.

leaks are basic engineering, which they just don’t seem to teach anymore!

[T6NYY]

Never a truer word said! 

[56Doc]

Did the link work? Haven’t tried copying from u-tube before

[T6NYY]

Yes, that did work thank you, I'll study that in a bit more detail at weekend ...... thank you

[56Doc]

I found this on U-tube, I’ve removed the wind deflector on mine and there’s some wetting under the seal in both corners, so hoping I’ve found the culprit, too wet today to do anything else.

https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=xVZFIwLIRPdg4dKl&u=/watch%3Fv%3DLJtU3fV22tE%26lc%3DUgwEOIOc62jI3G1NIyp4AaABAg.A-jZYkZKSffA-lG_ogQjfz%26feature%3Dem-comments

[56Doc]

Sorry all, should have posted this weeks ago but been busy helping mum, the lift in her flats is busted so she can’t get out!

I cleaned the narrow trough the wind deflector seal sits in with cotton buds and glass cleaner (no residue). 
there are 2 small (about 1 1/2” long) leaf springs (1 either side), that help push the wind deflector up into position when you open the roof, there are 2 holes in the roof cassette under each of them as well, so they got the same treatment.

the 2 coil springs (1 each side again),  are a bit tricky to remove / replace but a bit of care and patience worked the 2nd time!🤦🏻‍♂️ 
I managed to drop the sides of the headliner but couldn’t release the front, so I could only reach in underneath for about 8”, I taped up the holes over the 1st 8” from each side of the car in the seal trough from underneath (bit tricky with tight access, best option I found was to use small bits of tape (about 1-2” long) on the end of 2 fingers!), then applied a generous squirt of black silicone adhesive sealant into the bits of the trough I’d taped up,  refitted the leaf springs and wind deflector, (I used a couple of bits of wood to tap the seal down into the trough against the pressure of the silicone) and left it for 24hrs before testing with a watering can!

make sure the seal sits right down into the trough, as I don’t think there’s much clearance when the roof closes.

it’s worked though,  no more water getting in.

 

hipe this helps.

Edited March 24 by 56Doc
Missed info

[T6NYY]

This repair you have detailed seems to be the solution. Many threads over Facebook and elsewhere say the same. Just waiting for a few days dry weather and I'll give it a go.

How easy is it to remove the flexible wind deflector? Any tips for removal?

Thanks

[56Doc]

I used a small flat blade screwdriver to help ease one end out then just gently lifted the seal free inch by inch by hand being careful to keep the deflector as straight as possible and not bend the seal (it appears to be metal reinforced), suspect if it gets deformed, it won’t fit correctly.

 

[T6NYY]

Thanks for the heads up ........ will be careful .... cheers T

[56Doc]

The videos pretty good for releasing the coil springs and the plastic hinge arm.

but it doesn’t show removal of the 2 leaf springs.

the end of those (front, but you can’t see it, it’s underneath the moulding) has a small locating hole in it, push that end down slightly to release it and you should then be able to slide the spring forwards to release the back end  and lift it out. I used a small screwdriver to push down with and a small pair of long nose pliers to pick it out.

[The Donne]

Hi , 2017 a6 with the same leak on both sides of the car , running down A frame and into foot well . 

The water as I'm sure is the same for most gets in where the water flow / level becomes to much for the drain and builds up ( doesn't take much ) it overflows to the inside of the wind defector and the leak gets in where there is a steel spring finger . Water gets in where it locates towards the front .... BUT regardless of that , iv found at the rear of the spring finger , under hole is a 10mm × 10mm square hole in the frame on both sides which flows directly in onto the headliner.  

Joke of a design. 

I'm working on a fix at the minute 🤞

[56Doc]

If you read through the above thread, (see my long my post on 24th March) it covers that, same fix as all the other holes in the wind deflectors seal trough.

it worked, I also left the roof covered to stop any rain getting in (small tarpaulin tied to roof rails and under wiper arms) for 24hrs to allow the mastic to dry thoroughly too. 
 

there are numerous threads both here & on U-tube covering the subject.

 

good luck

[T6NYY]

My car is booked in to my local garage in a couple of weeks time to sort the sunroof leak caused by the poor design around the wind deflector and springs.

Please let me know what product you've used to seal the holes, is it just a standard sanitary sealant or something different. Thanks .......

[56Doc]

I bought an automotive silicon adhesive sealant, (black) online.

normal domestic (eg; bathroom) type silicon, doesn’t have the same adhesive quality, it’s why you can peel it off to a degree.

ill dig it out for the trade name but, I’m sure there are plenty of different makes. 
 

I did it myself due to so many reports of garages & dealers being unable to fix it. 
but I found that a steel spring net curtain wire was perfect for Cleaning the drains out,  (there’s 4, the rear 2 are best accessed from the bottom end, rear wheel well I think), it’s flexible enough and the outer plastic coating means the steel spring doesn’t damage anything.

i just used a drinks bottle with a nozzle to dribble water into the sunroof cassette to see if & where it came out.

i did have to get the airbag module reset afterwards as the airbag light had come on after I’d removed and replaced the A pillar trims to release the headlining.

Be careful you don’t pinch/pierce the airbags (if fitted) with a trim removal tool when you release the headlining above the front doors and behind the A pillar trims.

 

and good luck!

[T6NYY]

Thanks Dave, all the info is very useful, I'll let you know how I get on ...... 

[T6NYY]

Guys, apologies for the very late reply. Tried this method and my car is finally dry inside. This solution works!

 

[56Doc]

Glad to hear it😁