DIY: Sunroof maintenance.
#1
DIY: Sunroof maintenance.
Figured it was time for a bit of maintenance on my sunroof as I use it every time I drive the GX (a perk of living in the south). Whoever owned it before me drove on dirt roads a lot so there was a lot of dust and dirt in the rails.
Here is what I did:
Here is what I did:
- Open sunroof all the way, past the initial stop. Take a microfiber towel and some quick detailer and get the insides of the body. This area is the left and right side as well as the front portion where the air deflector is. You can also get the back side, but it is a really thin section of the roof and shouldn't be too bad.
- Clean the forward drains. If you look at either front corner by the spring for the deflector, you'll see a hole, these are the drains that run down to your running boards. I used about a 6' piece of HD weed-eater line and just fed it down. I didn't feel any obstructions or anything, which is good. Pull the weed-eater line out and test the drain now. I took a regular bottle of water and used a razor to cut a slash in the cap, then I used the bottle to spray some water near the hole in a controlled fashion. Both sides drained as they should. I believe we have rear drains also, but I only focused on the fronts.
- The rails were pretty dirty. I used a brush that I sprayed with a light mist of Simple Green and agitated the rails. I then used a microfiber towel to wipe them down.
- I wanted to re-grease the rails, so I used a can of white lithium grease as recommended by a Google search which turned up a 4Runner article. Didn't use an excessive amount. I also gave a light coat to both of the springs for the deflector panel.
- For the seal, you can only access about 90% of it. From the open position, I got the front portion. I used a microfiber towel with 303 Aerospace Protectant and wiped it down several times. I then closed the sunroof and put it in the TILT position and got the rest of the seal that I was able to get. It was pretty gross and I will be treating the seal with 303 on a monthly basis from now on.
- Finally, I ran the sunroof through both stages of operation several times. It's really not any smoother or anything, but I figured it was a good maintenance item to address.
Last edited by Romanova; 12-13-19 at 07:41 AM.
#2
Good tip!
I think the rear drains might not be accessible without dropping the headliner
EDIT: Looks like back at end of tracks for rear drains but keeping things cleaner up front should help. I wonder if introducing some kind of cleaner....not sure what and how that would be done for rear drains could be performed?
Sunroof Seal Replacement
I think the rear drains might not be accessible without dropping the headliner
EDIT: Looks like back at end of tracks for rear drains but keeping things cleaner up front should help. I wonder if introducing some kind of cleaner....not sure what and how that would be done for rear drains could be performed?
Sunroof Seal Replacement
Last edited by Acrad; 11-12-21 at 08:01 AM.
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Romanova (12-22-18)
#4
I had never noticed where the rear sunroof drains come down and exit.
Blue line going down the C-Pillar and appears to exit on rear side of wheel-well somewhere
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...-proofing.html
Blue line going down the C-Pillar and appears to exit on rear side of wheel-well somewhere
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...-proofing.html
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Romanova (01-17-21)
#5
Better picture from GXOR member of rear sunroof drains. Obviously the passenger side rear would be harder to get to.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lexu...85652534899181
This orange piece in the middle appears to be the exit hole on rear passenger side
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/201...194757/page-22
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Lexu...85652534899181
This orange piece in the middle appears to be the exit hole on rear passenger side
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/201...194757/page-22
Last edited by Acrad; 04-17-21 at 07:13 AM.
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nuclearn8 (04-17-21)
#6
A great thread to avoid some of the issues reported here
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...-interior.html
Sunroof Seal Replacement
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...l#post11162884
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...-interior.html
Sunroof Seal Replacement
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-...l#post11162884
Last edited by Acrad; 11-15-21 at 03:12 PM.
#7
I ran some straight windshield washer fluid through my drains today. I try to do this a couple times a year.
This time I used this syringe and it made process a lot cleaner/easier. Tubing easily fits in the sunroof drain holes. I just fill up by pulling the plunger out and filling from that end.
This time I used this syringe and it made process a lot cleaner/easier. Tubing easily fits in the sunroof drain holes. I just fill up by pulling the plunger out and filling from that end.
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Romanova (01-02-24)
#9
[QUOTE=Acrad;11641878]Bump of @Romanova 's thread
Important maintenance thread[/QUOTE
Are there are "baffles" in the exit nozzles which would prevent a length of trimmer line from being pushed all the way through from the top (front drains)? Same question for the rear drains, except the trimmer line would be pushed up from the exit to the top.
Important maintenance thread[/QUOTE
Are there are "baffles" in the exit nozzles which would prevent a length of trimmer line from being pushed all the way through from the top (front drains)? Same question for the rear drains, except the trimmer line would be pushed up from the exit to the top.
#10
[QUOTE=skeener;11642277]
From what I have read, there are no baffles.
Have you been able to locate the rear drain exits?
Bump of @Romanova 's thread
Important maintenance thread[/QUOTE
Are there are "baffles" in the exit nozzles which would prevent a length of trimmer line from being pushed all the way through from the top (front drains)? Same question for the rear drains, except the trimmer line would be pushed up from the exit to the top.
Important maintenance thread[/QUOTE
Are there are "baffles" in the exit nozzles which would prevent a length of trimmer line from being pushed all the way through from the top (front drains)? Same question for the rear drains, except the trimmer line would be pushed up from the exit to the top.
Have you been able to locate the rear drain exits?
#11
Drain is that orange/red grommet.. not really practical to get at on passenger side unless you removed the bumper cover. On driver side perhaps you could disconnect at point in the jack area. Internally they are the blue hoses in pictures above.
Not sure if simply location in front and debris congregates there but rear drain blocks are not really heard of. Perhaps it is because the drain lines seem to be a lot bigger too.
Not sure if simply location in front and debris congregates there but rear drain blocks are not really heard of. Perhaps it is because the drain lines seem to be a lot bigger too.
#12
Check your drains! We are getting torrential rain and I saw water coming in on the passenger side, down the A-trim panel, and on the floor. Pulled over into a covered parking spot, opened the sunroof, and there was some leafy material that was clogging the drain.
Dried up the inside as best I could, ran the heat with the AC on for awhile, and ordered some Damp Rid...
Dried up the inside as best I could, ran the heat with the AC on for awhile, and ordered some Damp Rid...
#13
Highly Recommend. Had mine at the dealership for some work a couple years ago and it stalled in the car wash. They said the sun roof drainage was clogged and water got into the fuse box under the passenger seat. They asked if I park outside maybe under a tree - which I do. Apparently water entry of this sort is NOT covered under warranty AND it could be grounds to reject warranty repairs in the future. Since it happened under their watch they cleaned the sun roof and drains and dried and double checked everything before giving it back to me but kept it 'off the books'. Sort of lucky it happened when it did. So highly recommend checking in there every now and then.
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