E60 Discussion Anything and everything to do with the E60 5 Series. All are welcome!

Leak during car wash

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-28-2011, 04:19 PM
  #1  
Members
Thread Starter
 
aharper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Indy
Posts: 245
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I went through a carwash yesterday and my son pointed out the interior panels wet on the passenger's side of the car in the back over the top of the door and down the rear a-pillar location. When I opened the door to look for anything that could be wet there I couldn't find anything. Could the water be coming through the seal on the rear window? It looks chipped/worn from the outside. Could it be coming in the "channel" on top of the car? Any idea how to fix?
Old 05-28-2011, 04:25 PM
  #2  
Senior Members
 
rctmthouse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

possible roof molding?
Old 05-28-2011, 06:30 PM
  #3  
Senior Members
 
turboawd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 BMW 550i
Default

i'd check your sunroof seal first, and if you have an older car, i'd go ahead and replace it. do you have any wind noise on the highway, particulalry if you have the sunshade open? if yes, then definetly change the seal.
Old 05-29-2011, 07:44 AM
  #4  
Senior Members
 
NoQuarter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
Default

Originally Posted by turboawd
i'd check your sunroof seal first, and if you have an older car, i'd go ahead and replace it. do you have any wind noise on the highway, particulalry if you have the sunshade open? if yes, then definetly change the seal.

+100
It is your sunroof seal. If it leaks too much it can't drain fast enough through the proper drains so it overflows over the track in the sunroof then drains into the car. The drains themsleves may need some maintenance but the root cause is too much water getting past the seal in the first place.

Search this site for sunroof issues - lots of stuff to read about. You can buy the seal for $30-$50 from your parts dept and do it yourself. Afterwards you will need to do an "initialization" of the sunroof to reset the movement - you do this by depressing the button as if you were opening the vent - hold it for about 30 seconds until the roof vents, then comes down, then opens and closes on its own. If that doesn't work, your dealer will need to update the software to get it to handle the new tighter seal.

Or.. your dealer will do the whole thing for about $200. For those in warrantee, the dealer will also remove and clean the water stains from the interior panels - at least mine did - twice.

-Jim
Old 05-30-2011, 04:17 AM
  #5  
Members
 
jhnnyfiv's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cape Elizabeth, ME
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2005 525i, 6spd manual, Premium pkg, Cold Weather pkg
Default

Mine was doing the same thing. Found out one of the drains was plugged. Haven't been through a car wash since the drain was cleared, but hopefully it's fixed.
Old 05-30-2011, 04:19 AM
  #6  
Members
 
jhnnyfiv's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Cape Elizabeth, ME
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2005 525i, 6spd manual, Premium pkg, Cold Weather pkg
Default

Originally Posted by NoQuarter
+100
It is your sunroof seal. If it leaks too much it can't drain fast enough through the proper drains so it overflows over the track in the sunroof then drains into the car. The drains themsleves may need some maintenance but the root cause is too much water getting past the seal in the first place.

Search this site for sunroof issues - lots of stuff to read about. You can buy the seal for $30-$50 from your parts dept and do it yourself. Afterwards you will need to do an "initialization" of the sunroof to reset the movement - you do this by depressing the button as if you were opening the vent - hold it for about 30 seconds until the roof vents, then comes down, then opens and closes on its own. If that doesn't work, your dealer will need to update the software to get it to handle the new tighter seal.

Or.. your dealer will do the whole thing for about $200. For those in warrantee, the dealer will also remove and clean the water stains from the interior panels - at least mine did - twice.

-Jim

Hmmmm, this is interesting. I had my sunroof seal replaced (for another issue) and I was still getting water in the passenger rear c-pillar. Hopefully having the drain unplugged will do the trick.
Old 05-30-2011, 07:05 AM
  #7  
Senior Members
 
NoQuarter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
My Ride: 2007 530xi: Sport, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, HD Radio, SAT, Custom NCS coded options 2008 535xi: Sport, Night Vision, NAV, PDC, HUD, Cold Wthr, CA, Logic 7, SAT, Custom NCS coded options, Rear Seat Heat Retrofit, Passport 9500ci
Model Year: 2008
Engine: N54
Default

Originally Posted by jhnnyfiv
Hmmmm, this is interesting. I had my sunroof seal replaced (for another issue) and I was still getting water in the passenger rear c-pillar. Hopefully having the drain unplugged will do the trick.

These drains are parts of my routine checks now. With the sunroof open, and the car parked uphill in the driveway, pour about a cup of water into the sunroof track. It will drain to the rear of the sunroof track and will come out down by the rear tire. If it doesn't come out, stop pouring

After dealer replaced mine and cleaned the interiror panels, it leaked again. They fixed it again and cleaned it again. Now I know enough to maintain it myself.
Old 06-01-2011, 08:18 AM
  #8  
Members
 
HiOffcr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Killeen, Tx
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 05 545i 19" MRR GT1 Interior LED retrofit
Default

While I was backing up today, I noticed water stains on my C-pillars and the headliner. Poured some water into the sunroof and it drained at the back tires. However I opened up the back doors to check, and the pillars were wet. Both in the same places (at the C-pillar top, where it meets the headliner, and at the very bottom where it meets the rear deck.

My car is an 05 with 67K on the clock, so I plan on replacing the sunroof seal ASAP. Do you guys think this is a case of just too much water being used.....or clogged drains? Is there a DIY for the drain maintenance?
Old 06-01-2011, 08:27 AM
  #9  
Members
 
BMDubb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 5 Series ????
Default

You don't wash your own j/k
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jwdominick
New Member Introductions
4
05-19-2015 02:50 PM
TexaZ3
E60 Discussion
9
04-08-2015 10:50 AM
Quarta2six
E60 Discussion
2
04-03-2015 07:32 AM
andrek
E60 Discussion
3
03-26-2015 08:00 AM
blk550
E60 Discussion
2
03-14-2015 11:02 AM



Quick Reply: Leak during car wash



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:49 PM.