Turbostar

I am chasing a leak so I have been inspecting my sunroof drains. Used a turkey baster to put some water into each corner hole and they seem to be draining well except for the front passenger side. It drains, but it is slow.

So, with the recent post about how to remove the "oh ****" handles, I decided to remove my A-pillars and take a peek at the drain tubing. The photos are below. I was somewhat surprised by what I found. On the passenger side, there is a maybe 1/2" wide black rubber hose, but that does not appear to be the drain tube. I can feel a smaller, harder tube inside of that one. In my photo, you can see where it appears the wider tube ends, but it is taped up. No water felt there when I tested it. You can also see a white round piece...appears to just be there for rigidity or something.

On the driver side, the tube looks completely different...cant actually see the tube. Its under some type of wrap, but again it is smaller than I imagined. I can squeeze it and feel it under the wrap.

LeX2K

Pretty sure what you're looking at is a wiring harness.

Turbostar

Yeah that’s what it looks like to me too, at least on drivers side. So where are the drain tubes then??? Inside the metal frame?

LeX2K

This diagram suggests there are only two so none in the A-pillars

https://www.japan-parts.eu/lexus/us/...window-glass/2

Turbostar

I don't think that is correct. I've read countless threads on here about leaks, and most of them talk about the four corner drain tubes. Some even talk about the drain tubes behind the A-pillars. There is most definitely some kind of drain, because I can put a turkey baster into each of the four corner drain holes and for the rear, the water comes out by the rear tires, and for the font it comes out by the front tires.

I'm glad we're discussing this in case someone else is having the same issue. All of the information I've seen up until this point led me to believe the drain tubes were there behind the A-pillar moldings.

LeX2K

You are right there ARE 4, I spotted the front ones hard to see the hose is depicted very short.



On my Camry the hose clamps were not doing much of anything so I RTV's the hoses on just to make sure.

Turbostar

Yes, I see them too now. They are very short. I wonder where they connect? I really don't want to drop my headliner to see, but I'll take photos if I do.

LeX2K

I had to drop the headliner. Wasn't that hard at all and it easily came out the front door. Not sure what you mean, "where do they connect" they go onto metal tubes on the sunroof frame then down to the bottom of the car. On my car the rear right hose was pinched by the jack that was causing my problem.

edit - the length of the hoses in the diagram do not even remotely accurately depict the actual length.

Turbostar

I guess I am getting more confused. I meant where do they connect up near the sunroof? Other threads say there is a metal tube from the sunroof drains that connects to the hose. Well, then where is the hose routed??

We have established that there are four drain hoses, one at each corner of the sunroof. The REAR hoses are not that hard to spot inside the trunk.

But where are the front hoses routed from their connection point on the roof?? That is what I am trying to understand.

LeX2K

On my car the front hoses are inside the A-pillar I suspect yours is the same. The hose itself is not going to fail either it is clogged or the hose leaks where it connects to the metal portion.

Turbostar

Well, I've posted photos of the insides of my A-pillars. Does yours look like mine?

LeX2K

Pretty much same deal, the L-hook type wire holders and wire. But the hose is right inside the pillar can't see that in your photos.

1997Soarer

iTrader: (1)

The tube on the passenger side in your photo, the black one, is the drain tube. That's the exact location mine is in however my tube is a smoked clear and is held in by clips. What year is your car? I wonder if maybe there was a revision at some point (or someone maybe repaired it?). I know its the drain tube in my car because I traced that same hose thru the dash to the exits behind the fenders.

Turbostar

I'm not sure this is correct, for a few reasons. The black tube is about 1/2" wide, maybe more. When I squeeze it, I can feel what feels like a smaller diameter, harder tube inside. Also, if you look as my passenger photo, it appears the larger diameter hose stops near the top of the dash, but it is taped up.

Also, there is no matching tube on the driver side! There is what appears to be some kind of wiring harness (or at least it is wrapped like one), and when I squeeze that, I can also feel what I think might be a smaller, harder hose inside. The black hose on the passenger side is fat...there is no matching hose on the driver side in my car, or on the few other photos of other cars whose A-pillar trim has been removed on the driver side.

But, I have no idea what is correct now.

LeX2K

The tube is inside the pillar, I've already posted this.