Water Leak - do I need to spend £2500 pounds to replace the infamous roof panel?

[NRDSRFR]

I did a test as recommended by an official dealer and poured a bottle of water down the front drain which is under the elevating roof right near the a pillar. Some of the water drains out by the wheel well on both sides but on the right side some water leaks out of the roller blind.

I thought the drain has a rubber tube or something which guides the water where it needs to be. I don’t know what it looks like on the inside but they inspected it and said I have to go to the body shop and do the whole process of cutting out the top panel and replacing it with a plastic or fibreglass one.

Last year I had a body shop fix some of the paint bubbling on that infamous panel but they didn’t take the whole panel off I don’t think. They also took off the windscreen and resealed it so that shouldn’t be the source.

It looks like I can’t upload a video from my phone so I’ll post that later to show if it helps.

I just need some better information about that little drain hole because water is obviously getting to the wheel well where it should exit but I just can’t get my head around how the panel should have anything to do with it because where the drain hole starts it looks like it should go under the panel


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[WelshGas]

I did a test as recommended by an official dealer and poured a bottle of water down the front drain which is under the elevating roof right near the a pillar. Some of the water drains out by the wheel well on both sides but on the right side some water leaks out of the roller blind.

I thought the drain has a rubber tube or something which guides the water where it needs to be. I don’t know what it looks like on the inside but they inspected it and said I have to go to the body shop and do the whole process of cutting out the top panel and replacing it with a plastic or fibreglass one.

Last year I had a body shop fix some of the paint bubbling on that infamous panel but they didn’t take the whole panel off I don’t think. They also took off the windscreen and resealed it so that shouldn’t be the source.

It looks like I can’t upload a video from my phone so I’ll post that later to show if it helps.

I just need some better information about that little drain hole because water is obviously getting to the wheel well where it should exit but I just can’t get my head around how the panel should have anything to do with it because where the drain hole starts it looks like it should go under the panel


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It would help to know which vehicle, and year, you have?

 

[Perfectos]

Hi NRDSRFR

assuming your details are correct, you have a T5 174 se ?

there are various posts on the subject, some show the physical drain pipe, location and route it follows, some have had issue with it pipe leaking, some with the top part of the roof drain entry point not sealing, the threads discuss in length the original issues and the remedial measures others have taken.

have a search of the forum using the search function, ( or google) you should be able to find various posts showing you what you have asked.

would I let VW hack my roof about, definitely not, particularly if I was paying for it, there are many posts from disgruntled members who wish VW had never touch the roof “repair”.

post the vid so we can see the issue and comment can be made accordingly

 

[NRDSRFR]

I have managed to pry the top of the a pillar trim off, but despite searching the forums which lead to YouTube links of taking the trim with no roller blind off and diagrams with share parts but not any narrative I’m stuck and I cannot get this trim off

I can see the little brown tube but I think I need to fully get the trim off before I pour more water through to observe whether the tube is leaky or the seal. I did see the diagram of the tube that drains the water and this reinforces my belief that a correctly working drain tube should certainly have nothing to do with body panels!

Indeed I have a T5 SE as my signature shows. It’s a 2006 LHD if that helps.


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[Perfectos]

There is an A trim pillar removal guide in the resource section, if you are a VIP member you can access the resources

Screen shot of VIP resource

 

[NRDSRFR]

I feel like I’m going crazy here. I am a VIP member I think. Can’t see Loz’s post even searching the exact title. Maybe Tapatalk app is not compatible with parts of this forum.

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[NRDSRFR]

Looks like the app doesn’t work because the how-to guides for VIPs are in a different section which technically isn’t the forums.

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There is an A trim pillar removal guide in the resource section, if you are a VIP member you can access the resources

Screen shot of VIP resource

View attachment 74424

So eventually I found the link you’re talking about but it’s not for the trim with the roller blind. There are not three mounting points like in the diagram there are clips or something else holding it because where the normal trim has mounting points down the middle, the roller blind takes up that space...

Thank you for the suggestion but it would be great if this forum had diagrams for the California not a regular T5 trim


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[WelshGas]

So eventually I found the link you’re talking about but it’s not for the trim with the roller blind. There are not three mounting points like in the diagram there are clips or something else holding it because where the normal trim has mounting points down the middle, the roller blind takes up that space...

Thank you for the suggestion but it would be great if this forum had diagrams for the California not a regular T5 trim


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RHD California’s didn’t have the A Pillar Blinds until the advent of the T6 or 6.1.
Only California’s in continental Europe had these blinds.
More likely to find such information on the German California website.
Maybe one of the German members could help/investigate and point you in the right direction. @westfalia ?

Personally, with the trim partly off I would use a syringe and gently inject some water into the drain inlet. If nothing comes out of the drain tube then I would look closely at the sealing mastic around the drain inlet.
You’ve already said the tube is patent and water drains out of the wheel arch.

 

[NRDSRFR]

RHD California’s didn’t have the A Pillar Blinds until the advent of the T6 or 6.1.
Only California’s in continental Europe had these blinds.
More likely to find such information on the German California website.
Maybe one of the German members could help/investigate and point you in the right direction. @westfalia ?

Personally, with the trim partly off I would use a syringe and gently inject some water into the drain inlet. If nothing comes out of the drain tube then I would look closely at the sealing mastic around the drain inlet.
You’ve already said the tube is patent and water drains out of the wheel arch.

Thanks, I've ordered one of these so I can hopefully peer into the A-pillar when I do the water test again! fun

 

[briwy]

To see the whole system you have to drop the cab roof liner down. You can then see the tube where it comes from the plastic 90 degree bend which is a few inches in from the drain hole in the roof channel. It's possible that the bend has got pushed off the tube from the drain hole or the downward tube has come off the bend. Absolutely stupid design asking for problems. Who the hell decides to drain the roof through the insde of the vehicle. VW.

 

[westfalia]

To remove the pillar, one of the procedures is to first remove
the speaker cover, its also connected to the sun visor at the top,
in-between it has the plastic pull off clips. Hard to get off.

When i partly removed my headliner i could see the joint where the
drain pipe connects. Its the headliner that you need to attack, removing
the A pillock will only show you the pipe, like this, its a straight downhill
run.

 

[KGCali]

Thanks, I've ordered one of these so I can hopefully peer into the A-pillar when I do the water test again! fun
View attachment 74435

If you just need to see the top of the drain tube where it bends you should be able just to remove the driver's sun shield and use your boroscope, see my photo from my boroscope at ...
Post in thread 'Drain holes under elevating roof - location?' https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/drain-holes-under-elevating-roof-location.4470/post-462550

 

[steve_b]

I was just about to suggest an endoscope. I got one donkeys years ago, a tiny camera on a long USB cable. plug into a laptop which sees it as a video camera and off you go.

Resolution is awful and it is hard to control light and direction, but if you fiddle enough, suddenly BINGO you can see. Paid for itself several times and I think I got change from a tenner when I bought it.

 

[pjm-84]

Will be replaceable . I did one on my Landrover as its quite common for these to perish where it exits the car, dumping all the water into the footwell.

Fiddly but not overly difficult.

 

[NRDSRFR]

https://imgur.com/a/6N6cM3s

so I popped off the cover and carefully inspected where the drain hole is and if I move the cluster of wires a little bit with my hand to nudge the rubber grommet it’s obvious water is getting sucked in and out on the other side from the drain hole, and presumably this should be sealed well enough for that not to happen...

 

[KGCali]

https://imgur.com/a/6N6cM3s

so I popped off the cover and carefully inspected where the drain hole is and if I move the cluster of wires a little bit with my hand to nudge the rubber grommet it’s obvious water is getting sucked in and out on the other side from the drain hole, and presumably this should be sealed well enough for that not to happen...

If you clean and dry around the rubber seal you could put some black Sikaflex 512 around the bottom and sides of the seal as long as you keep the drain hole open but Sikaflex can be messy and difficult to remove so perhaps just some external silicone or you could try Captain Tolley’s Creeping Crack Cure (leak/crack sealer)...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003T6EJ9A/?tag=eliteelect-21

 

[Perfectos]

It would appear you’ve found your issue,
if your going to seal that up, I would get a wet vac and suck out as much of the moisture as possible, give the whole roof channel area a really good clean, allow it to dry fully ( possibly assist with a hair dryer) get a cotton bud and clean under that seal, then mask up all the surfaces and pipes etc to keep the sealant where it should be and off the other surfaces.

 

[ArunAlec]

Are you sure the water that is being sucked in and out is not just residue? Before sealing the grommet/seal I would make sure that the leak isn't in the pipe and its joint by pushing water down it ( I use a syringe with a bit of tubing pushed into the drain hole. Hopefully you have found the problem but it would be a shame to seal it all up then find its not the grommet!

 

[incarpaul]

Hi NRDSRFR looks like I'm having the same issue with one of my front seals, would anyone know what VW use to glue/seal these front seals in on the inside of the panel? Like a white body panel sealant.
Mine it's leaking in at the top where the rubber seal runs across the front roof panel and connects to both front drain seals. It's a very thin part of the seal that keeps the water out and no matter how much sikaflex I'm putting on it the keeps leaking, I'm getting to the point that I'm thinking of removing the whole front panel and replacing the rubber front seal and glue from the inside like VW would.
Anyone used that white stuff before?

Sorry to jump on your thread Nrdsrfr, hope you get your's fixed soon.

 

[KGCali]

Hi NRDSRFR looks like I'm having the same issue with one of my front seals, would anyone know what VW use to glue/seal these front seals in on the inside of the panel? Like a white body panel sealant.
Mine it's leaking in at the top where the rubber seal runs across the front roof panel and connects to both front drain seals. It's a very thin part of the seal that keeps the water out and no matter how much sikaflex I'm putting on it the keeps leaking, I'm getting to the point that I'm thinking of removing the whole front panel and replacing the rubber front seal and glue from the inside like VW would.
Anyone used that white stuff before?

Sorry to jump on your thread Nrdsrfr, hope you get your's fixed soon.

Any pictures? What California do you have? Year/Model

 

[incarpaul]

It's around a 2008-2009 electric version cali roof, been fitted to a panel van.

 

[WelshGas]

It's around a 2008-2009 electric version cali roof, been fitted to a panel van.

I think you will have to post some photos of the roof etc:.

 

[Twintokill]

https://imgur.com/a/6N6cM3s

so I popped off the cover and carefully inspected where the drain hole is and if I move the cluster of wires a little bit with my hand to nudge the rubber grommet it’s obvious water is getting sucked in and out on the other side from the drain hole, and presumably this should be sealed well enough for that not to happen...

Hey NRDSRFR!
Did you get to seal the rubber grommet in the end? what sealant did you use of the suggested from KGCali if any? I hope you sorted the problem out by doing that and it wasn't a leak on the pipe and its joints.
Please let us know how did it end it up this water leak, and by the way how did the bubbles of the front panel reappeared after the body shop repair?
Best wishes and lights!!

 

[NRDSRFR]

Hey NRDSRFR!
Did you get to seal the rubber grommet in the end? what sealant did you use of the suggested from KGCali if any? I hope you sorted the problem out by doing that and it wasn't a leak on the pipe and its joints.
Please let us know how did it end it up this water leak, and by the way how did the bubbles of the front panel reappeared after the body shop repair?
Best wishes and lights!!

I used Captain Tolley’s sealer as advised for £10 and it seemed to work. I squirted a water bottle full of water into the trough around the tent and no water came in.
I also bought a big syringe which I used to squirt a lot of water directly into the drainage pipe and eliminated that as being the problem because all the water drained onto the front wheel as designed and nothing came into the cab

 

[ArunAlec]

I recently found water was running down the inside of the A pillar trim onto the carpet in the footwell adjacent to the door. After days of investigation using a borescope and the usual checks of the roof drains, screen etc I have hopefully found that it was the roof drain grommet as @NRDSRFR post above. I've cleaned it and sealed with an Auto sealant from Euro Car Parts and so far so good.
Whilst investigating I discovered that the water somehow was tracking down between two layers of body panel at the top of the A pillar. Also unless both grommets left and right were leaking, then water was flowing across the panel above the screen as I was getting the same leak on both A pillars. I also found that the water must have been pooling as if I moved the van forward and applied the brakes water would flow as it "surged" forward.
The roof lining was not getting wet and water was not running on the outside of the brown drain only as shown.
Whilst sealing the grommets I discovered that the rubber sealing strip across the front of the roof panel has a gap each end which I assume is there to stop a build up of water.