Sunroof (or something) soaking left front pillar A160 2010

[jahenix]

Hi. I hope there is someone really clever who can help: sunroof of (or something else) A160 2010 leaking inside on the left front pillar.

Been to garage twice - checked it myself but cant find the reason. It only leaks in when car is not level and leaning forward (our street).
Lowered the ceiling trim but the sunroof drains look dry and fine. Pouring buckets of water on sunroof and directly to the gutters come out fine
behind the wheel arch. Im puzzled.

I wonder if its trickeling slowly overnight somewhere.. accumulating so that in the morning the pillar is soaking wet. The wet area starts from the
hold bar on top of passenger door all the way down the pillar to the little speaker next to windscreen.

Anyone ideas...? Please. I cant keep parking my car always the same direction (its fine pointing uphill)

Thanks!!!!!

 

[Stratman]

Welcome to the forum.

Is the top of the door sealing correctly? Look at the rubber seal for condition, or as a very outside chance check there hasn't been an attempt to break in by pulling the door top outwards.

 

[jahenix]

Hi

Hi Stratman.

I checked the top door seal few times and it seems dry. The wet area starts from around the handle bar on top of passenger side. But cant think anything leaking in that area.

Unless the gutter at some point overflows.. cant handle the water flow. Still not sure... :/

Thanks for your help.

 

[Stratman]

Looking at pictures of the A160, the highest point in the region is the top corner of the windscreen, so any water entering there would flow downhill, namely the A pillar forwards and along the door frame backwards.

It might be worth pouring a bucket of water over the area.

 

[jahenix]

Sorry but I already did threw several buckets on that corner of roof.. i did suspect the windscreen seals, but nothing coming in at least with this technique! Also after pouring water on the roof, if I open the passenger door, the seals look dry to me.

There are plastic trims running through the roof on both sides where the roof rack mounts are, but cant see anywhere water could penetrate the ceiling. Im afraid the leak is something so tiny it only happens over night. Theres also plenty of wiring going through the front pillar, so hope no damage is being done.

Thanks for kind help

 

[lexman8]

Have you checked the sunroof drains?

 

[developer]

A different car but I had water ingress similar to where you've described and I cleaned the water drains - problem solved.

I used a thick strimmer wire.

Water behaves in funny ways - they may seem clear, but maybe not clear enough.

 

[jahenix]

Yes the garage already cleared the drains with some wire. Filling the gutters up seem all flow nicely down.

 

[jahenix]

Found something...

Put it under garden hose for about 10 mins. Soaking the roof and windscreen heavily.

After I opened the sunroof, lowered the interior ceiling trim about an inch and had a look where water could be dripping in. On the left hand side of the curtain roll, the black plastic parts were getting bit wet and it looks like water from there drips on the edge of the ceiling trim (next to the left side gutter).

Could the front panel be the culprit?

 

[jahenix]

Found a good bicycle brake wire to clear the drain, also used hot water with drops of bleach to clear any debris. Im sure the drain is now even more open than when leaving the MB factory!

But still no cure... :/