MoBetta

uibalnme, you are my hero. My 2013 GS had the same rattling/wind noise problem. I followed your directions and installed a new seal in about 25 minutes. After a little adjustment to level the front of the glass with the roof, the rattle is gone and there is no wind noise. The Lexus dealer quoted $3,000 to fix the problem and would not consider just replacing the seal to see if that would work. Your fix was less that $50 and I actually like my car again. Thanks for the help.

rog1206

iTrader: (4)

My 2013 GS originally started with a slight clunking noise several years ago when I go over a uneven road or drive up ramps at an angle but no wind noise at all. Took it to the dealership right before my warranty expired, they said they couldn't reproduce it. Fast forward several years later, the noise has gotten worse, with added creaks, pops, and chirping when I go over potholes, take tight corners or go up driveways at an angle. The noises were still there even with the sunroof opened or closed. I changed the sunroof gasket to the newer version but the noises were still there. It also seemed these noises originated from the roof area right behind my head above me.

This last weekend,after being driven crazy by the noise, I dropped the driver side of the headliner and found a bolt that holds the sunroof frame to the roof was only finger tight while barely being threaded on. I tightened this bolt, along with putting a little more torque on the other bolts, the noise has disappeared! Tried driving over the same speed bumps, ramps and driveways that I could always reproduce the noises on, the car was completely quiet.

charley95

That's interesting to know. My 18 does it occasionally and I knew it wasn't the seal with a rattle when open. Ya have to wonder do a lot of GS's have loose bolts on the frame like yours?! Maybe a disgruntled employee who installs the sunroof frames on the assembly line?! What exactly did you do to drop the partial headliner? Years ago a new Cadillac owner had a door rattle and the dealer found a Coke bottle inside the door shell from the factory.

IntrinoX

iTrader: (1)

You mind showing a picture of where this bolt is located? I want to look into it as well.

rog1206

iTrader: (4)

I didn't take pics during the whole process but the bolt was located between the B and C pillar, closer to the outside of the car and it's a 10mm bolt. I needed a deep well socket for this one and it sat in a more recessed area of the roof preventing me from using a regular 10mm socket. This bolt was silver in color compared to the other yellowish/gold looking ones that held the rest of the roof on.

rog1206

iTrader: (4)

Here's what I did for the driver side (my guess is dropping the headliner for both sides would be a lot more involving):

1. Take off grab handles front and rear. This was the hardest part of the job since those plastic clips were hard to remove without scratching them up. Once the covers are off, you can take the grab handles off.

2. Remove the driver side sun visor by using a plastic pry tool to remove the cover from the hinge. You'll see 2 big phillip screws that you need to remove and the visor comes off after.

3. Remove or loosen the front and rear door sills. These are really easy to remove, just pull upward and they snap off. You can place these aside just enough to get the lower B pillar trim off.

4. Remove lower B biller interior trim. Make sure to move the driver seat just enough to take this off. Pull outward/away from pillar and this is held on by a few round white pop clips. Make sure they are still attached to the trim and didn't fall off to the area below where all the wiring harness runs along the frame or under the seat.

5. Remove the upper B pillar trim. This one is held on by 2 small phillip screws. Take these off and slide it out and downward along the seat belt path.

6. Loosen the C pillar trim just enough for the headliner to come down a little.

I started pulling down the headliner from the corner of the sunroof opening on the back driver side. It's held on with plastic clips and velcro. Don't pull down too hard or the headliner will bend or crease.You'll be able to see the bolts holding the sunroof frame to the car.

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Bullets Garage made a video on the rear Suspension Clunk sound and replacing the sunroof seal fixing it on his GS-F. Anyone who hasn't replaced the seal sould go ahead and do it. It was one of the first things I did when I bought my car almost 3 years ago.

charley95

The gasket is not always the case. Mine rattles occasionally with the roof in the open position where the gasket is not in contact with the roof. Someone on here posted that their mounting bolts were loose on the track system.

charley95

rog1206 on post #122 is the one.

AuScott

Appreciate the easy fix idea, however, the dealer confirmed this is an issue and that it is the cables that need tightened. The costis $1,200 from the dealership to drop the moonroof and tighten cables. First for a $45,000 car, this is not acceptable and I did not experience this issue with my 2008 Lexus iS or my Toyota Solara of which my sister drove to 200,000 miles. I think Lexus needs to take ownership of this problem. I would expect it to be the manufacturer of the moonroof, or the install.

RuninRoach

anyone tried replacing the driver side/passenger side window trim to get rid of the wind noise there?

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

The wind noise is not from the window trim. It's from air getting behind the Black black plastic triangle in front of the side mirrors.

Please see this thread:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...-resolved.html

Also search the previous generation LS forum, this is a common issue there too and a guy did a full write up on the fix. I have been meaning to getting around to fixing this, will do later this year.

933005spd

Thank you for the write up. This fixed the annoying rattle and noise on my 2013 ES 350. Super easy and fast fix.

aachowhan

I just changed mine. All I have to say is I wish I had done it sooner.

The car is so much more quite, less wind noise, no more rattles and clunking. It's unbelievable how much difference that weather strip made.

I did the easy way and just popped my sunroof up and pulled off the strip and replaced it with my new one. I worked my way around, once the sides and back were on, I moved the sunroof down and opened back into the roof and then did the front. Total process 20 minutes easy. No screws to remove, no extra removal, easy diy.

I wish I had done it sooner. Really made a huge difference, so much more quite and it was so easy.
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Nasnasg

Hi to all from France.
thanks to you i've oundf the the answer of my clunking problem 6 months ago.
Lexus dealer here in France changed me the sunroof seal.
And it worked greatttt till.....
But guess what. After only 6 months it's back.
I bought a new seal and i have to say there is a huge difference between them in only 6 months.
The new one is like fluffy and the old one is all smooth.
Plus you can see a gap between seal and body frame like if the seal was retracted on it self.
i remember when we changed it 6 months ago i had the same reaction with the new seal and old seal.
The question is, how the seal can degrade that way in only 6 month?