Automatic Carwash water pressure sprays through sunroof seal, anyone experience this?

[table5511]

I took my CX-9 to an automatic carwash a week or 2 ago, first time ever, it was cold out, I was sick, and salt was all over, so I had no choice, and hopefully will never have to do it again.

Went to one of those fancy 1 mile long carwash places.

When the big thing with the water jets started moving rearward over the roof, I feel water pelts hitting my head. I look up, so happened to have the sunroof shade open, and see that the pressurized water is penetrating the rear sunroof seal (between the rear of the sunroof, and the roof).
Not a ton, but enough to get the front of the sunshade wet (sunshade in the slid all the way back position) and a little on me and my front passenger.


As this was my first time ever taking it to an automatic carwash, has anyone ever had this happen? I had a 97 Passat with a sunroof, took it to a carwash a few times and never had anything like that happen.

 

[55V8]

Happens on my 08 GT too. With the sunroof shade fully open, no water splashes onto the shade or inside the cabin though, they just drop onto the tray/rail above the shade. I thought this was perfectly normal and that's why the rails are there -- to guide that water out into the drain holes?

 

[dsc888]

I just went through a "Laser Touch" auto car wash with my CX-9 this week and didn't notice anything. It's no touch so a pretty high pressure jets are used. It's very possible that the cold weather may have hardened and shrunk the seals just enough for the water to get in. It's never a true seal as 55V8 alluded to but sometimes the right factors all come together and this happens. Please keep us posted.

 

[table5511]

I don't actually plan on doing anything about it. That was my hypothesis as well was just the cold temps, which rubber just does not seal as well in cold weather. My solution is to avoid these deathly automatic carwashes. I always hand wash...you never know when a utility truck is gonna go through one of those and get all sorts of sealants, adhesives, screws, nails, etc stuck onto those brushes. No thanks.

 

[55V8]

Yeah, I do not use automatic car washes too, except for the "touchless" ones during the winter just to rinse off all that road salt.

I can't wait for spring to come so that I can whip out my DA polisher and do a full detail on my cars

 

[knowaczark]

Been using high pressure, touchless car washes for years and have never had a sunroof leak.

Can't wait for spring to get back to the hand washing.

Keep the drains cleared and the channels will work as intended.

 

[table5511]

Keep the drains cleared and the channels will work as intended.

Thanks, but this discussion is revolving around the tightness of the seal, not about the drain trays.

Like I said, the force of the high pressure spray, sprayed between the seal and roof panel, some of the high pressure water bounced off the edge of the sunshade and hit my head... just a few dabs of water.

Drain trays channel water entering the sunroof opening (such as while having the sunroof open and water comes in, etc) and send the water to the ground.

 

[sts7049]

never had mine leak the few times i've run through, and pretty sure one of those times was in the cold.

you'd have to think they'd test for this in cold weather testing and wouldn't be "normal"...maybe your seal is just a bit worn out now with a few years on it?

 

[knowaczark]

sorrrrrryyyyyyy.........didn't mean to offend!

 

[table5511]

Well, this May, the car will turn 4. I ran my 10 year old Passat through the carwash and it wouldn't leak. But I remember it had a much stiffer seal, not as soft as the one on the CX-9. I'm just gonna avoid auto carwashes. Maybe I'll try replacing the seal if I get some free time.