There is not much worse than having the car of your dreams only to find out that you have a leaking sunroof. While this can happen to many brands of cars with sunroofs, it can be even more heartbreaking if you’ve invested in one of the best-engineered cars in the world, the Land Rover. We will go through how to know if your Land Rover’s sunroof is leaking and what to do about it.
Why Your Sunroof is Leaking
Digging into the causes of your Land Rover’s sunroof leak, we will discuss several reasons that this can happen. Here are a few of those reasons:
- Drain tubes are one infamous reason that sunroofs leak in your Land Rover and many other brands of cars with sunroofs. Drain tubes are designed to take any excess water that falls on the roof of your Land Rover and divert it to the ground. The problem is that when these drain tubes clog up with debris (leaves, dirt, tree sap), the water will not be diverted and run into your car.
- Bad seals are another reason for a sunroof leak in your Land Rover. While these seals are meant to keep water from bypassing the gap where your sunroof is installed, they can fail over time. The main reason for the seals to fail is related. Land Rovers that are driven in extreme conditions like excessive cold and heat, or even parked in areas that receive direct sunlight on the sunroofs, can cause deterioration to occur faster. Once the seal has been broken and water is allowed to enter, it will only continue to get worse.
Signs You Have a Sunroof Leak
Now that we know why the sunroof in your Land Rover leaks, it’s just as important to know how to tell if your sunroof is leaking before it gets worse. Listed are a couple of ways to know you are having a problem.
- Leaks after a heavy rain or car wash are one way to tell if you are having a problem. While light rain may not show you that you have a leak, a heavy dose of water from a car wash or an extreme downpour may trigger you to know you have a leak.
- Wet floor boards are a surefire way to tell if you have a leak in your Land Rover’s sunroof. This especially happens when the drain plugs are clogged. Water normally meant to run elsewhere will leak inside your car without anything wrong with the sunroof itself.
- Water buildup around the edge of the sunroof glass or a wet ceiling lining will be a good sign that you have a seal issue around your sunroof.
- A bad mildew-type smell is a certain sign that you have a water leak in your Land Rover. Unless someone has spilled a large amount of liquid recently into your car, you will likely have a leak in the sunroof or from somewhere else in your Land Rover.
Having any of these signs means that you can have a leak in your sunroof and it will only get worse over time. This is the point to make sure you have an expert Land Rover technician troubleshoot and repair your leaking sunroof.
How to Prevent a Land Rover Leaking Sunroof
While knowing the signs of your Land Rover sunroof leak is important, concentrating on how to prevent it from happening is even more important. Keeping your Land Rover in a covered area or garage will always help keep the sunroof drains from clogging up and the seal to last longer. However, this is not always an option for everyone.
Regardless, whether you park in a covered area or out in the environment, there is one thing you can do to help prevent leaks. Having your car regularly serviced according to the Land Rover manufacturer’s plan can keep your sunroof from ever having an issue. Experienced service technicians have a plan to drain and unclog any drain tubes and inspect all seals at servicing time.
Who to Trust With Your Land Rover’s Sunroof
For those living in the Green Bay, Manitowoc, and Sturgeon Bay, WI area, Dell’s Service Center is your go-to Land Rover repair and service center for your sunroof or any other issue that arises. Have our professional experts keep your Land Rover in top condition and enjoy top customer service at the same time.