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Sunroof Drain Clog - Flood

239K views 420 replies 153 participants last post by  habbyguy 
#1 ·
A friend has a 530xi wagon. Apparently his sunroof drains got clogged and flooded his electronic compartment, causing a malfunction. Has anybody else experienced this? I have done a search and come up empty.

Thanks!
 
#5 ·
There is a TSB on this problem in cars produced prior to 10/05. Apparently there was a design defect that allowed the drains to clog and water to pour into the car. Despite the knowledge of the defective part, and the fact that a known defective part is on my friend's car, BMW is still denying warranty coverage. They would not even allow him to speak with somebody above the phone operator level at BMW USA.

I have been a loyal BMW buyer for 13 years now. In that time I have owned 14 BMW's. In my experience BMW has always stood behind its products. But I must say that BMW's refusal to honor the warranty when the part is known to be defective is reprehensible.:mad: It would make me consider not buying another BMW...

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to resolve this issue, short of retaining an attorney?
 
#12 ·
exactly why I never order a sunroof. too much trouble.
now if you live in arizona I understand, but where it rains a bunch....no thanks.
 
#13 · (Edited)
So here goes...because the problem is now fixed....

I drive a 535 xit and about 7 weeks ago I began to get these weird warning system failures. TPM malfunction, Air suspension failure, everything you can think of to really freak someone out. Then the clock would reset itself and all the car trip data would clear out. I honestly thought I was having battery trouble until it started spontaneously shutting off while driving. Very scarry. Life was a tad bit hectic but finally made it to the dealership.

Ten days later I recieve my car back. They found that yes the pano roof does drain and clog as well. Something that they clean and blow out on normal service visits. My whole back end was flooded and fried some very important instramunts. 11 control units were damaged and needed to be replaced and the vehicle needed to be re-programed. My warranty did cover everything along with a 3 series loaner. My SA was great about the whole thing and very professional about the repair. Labor and parts would have cost me $7,000 if not for my warranty. I am still really fuming that it actually happened but very glad all has been corrected. There was never a question of not covering it and honestly it was a huge safety issue as due to the power loss with my toddler in the car. So the only silver lining is that BMW stood by my car and fixed the heck out of the thing.

Hope it works for you prior to the vehicle shutting down on the highway with your 2.5 year old in the back.
 
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#15 ·
wet wagon

Bucksbud,

Your post regarding taking on water in your bmw 5 series wagon was very helpful and directed me to a new possibility regarding the cause of an identical problem in my 2006 530xi wagon. The dealership here states that I must have driven through high water, forcing water in through the rear baffles, hence the problem was cause by my driving. I am certain I did not go through such water. It's a small dealership and it appears they may not be too well informed.

It would be useful for me to know the name of the dealership where you took your car so that I can contact them to find out more about bmw's suggestions for servicing the sunroof drains. Any other advice you have on this will also be appreciated.

Many thanks.

Stephen
 
#16 ·
Bucksbud,

Your post regarding taking on water in your bmw 5 series wagon was very helpful and directed me to a new possibility regarding the cause of an identical problem in my 2006 530xi wagon. The dealership here states that I must have driven through high water, forcing water in through the rear baffles, hence the problem was cause by my driving. I am certain I did not go through such water. It's a small dealership and it appears they may not be too well informed.

It would be useful for me to know the name of the dealership where you took your car so that I can contact them to find out more about bmw's suggestions for servicing the sunroof drains. Any other advice you have on this will also be appreciated.
I think White05X3's post of the Service Bulletin is the most useful. You can also read about my 530xiT experience with the same problem here:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3366664&postcount=10

Basically driving along, electrical malfunction errors pop up on idrive, open the back-end and find standing water around the fuses. Performance BMW of Chapel Hill fixed the problem under warranty.
 
#17 ·
Bauer 530

Have a 2006 530xi, it is at the dealers right now. Supposedly, dirt clogged drains causing water to damage my electrical system. I was told this drain problem is not under warranty. I was also told that in order to clean the drains properly you have to disassemble some of the sunroof. I told them that if that is the case it is their design defect. The maint. book does not indicate disassemble is necessary for cleaning drains.

Customer service is checking and will get back to me. :mad:
 
#18 ·
While I don't have any electronics problems (yet), when I open the roof after a rain or car wash, inevitably a few tablespoons of water creep forward from somewhere inside the sunroof mechanism and fall into the cabin off the top of the glass.

It's real nice to get doused by moldy water when you're dressed nicely to meet a client. :thumbdwn:

I brought the car in for this and the dealer cleaned the drains (just got the car back two days ago), and today there's a 100% chance of rain in the forecast. Hopefully it's fixed, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's not.
 
#19 ·
:thumbup:Hey guys. Don't panic! I have an E61 as well and suffered the same issue with water leak. Fortunately I was quick enough to recognise the issue and it didn't do any damage. Also, fortunately, it is a simple enough thing to resolve if you are DIY enabled. My leak came in the rear passenger side through various holes in the roof liner, mainly over the boot area.

Simply unscrew the rear pillar interior trim panels in the boot area, bearing in mind they will have an electrical connectyion for the light and the luggage cover release mechanism. These unclip simply enough. This will expose the edge of the roof liner at the pillar. Also pull off slightly, just enough, to expose the roof liner edge, the rubber tailgate seal. Gently prise the roof liner from its clips, taking care not to crease or dirty it. There are 3 main clips about 200m in from the edge of the liner fixed to the car roof structure. These will unclip easliy enough if you're careful. You only need about 200mm access space so it's not that hard to achieve. This will eventually expose the interior of the roof area and you will see the rear of the cassette assembly. The drain hose can be see running from the left and right rear corners toward the rear pillars. It's simple enough to disconnecnt them from the cassette and clear the blockage. My blockage was in the actual connection point of the cassette and I cleared it by rodding it with a small pen. I did the right side too even though it wasn't obviously leaking. reconnect the drain tubes and water test by pouring water into the sunroof eage whilst open. You will soon see if the drain is working.

Reassemble the car when complete taking care not to dirty the roof liner and making sure all the trim pieces are clicked into place properly on the rear pillars, connect the electrics again and screw it all together. I spent about an hour in total, bearing in mind I was operating 'blind'. If I had to do it again it would take about 30mins. :thumbup:

BTW, I had my cassette replaced under wearranty since because of another fault, but there you go.
 
#25 ·
:thumbup:Hey guys. Don't panic! I have an E61 as well and suffered the same issue with water leak. Fortunately I was quick enough to recognise the issue and it didn't do any damage. Also, fortunately, it is a simple enough thing to resolve if you are DIY enabled. My leak came in the rear passenger side through various holes in the roof liner, mainly over the boot area.

Simply unscrew the rear pillar interior trim panels in the boot area, bearing in mind they will have an electrical connectyion for the light and the luggage cover release mechanism. These unclip simply enough. This will expose the edge of the roof liner at the pillar. Also pull off slightly, just enough, to expose the roof liner edge, the rubber tailgate seal. Gently prise the roof liner from its clips, taking care not to crease or dirty it. There are 3 main clips about 200m in from the edge of the liner fixed to the car roof structure. These will unclip easliy enough if you're careful. You only need about 200mm access space so it's not that hard to achieve. This will eventually expose the interior of the roof area and you will see the rear of the cassette assembly. The drain hose can be see running from the left and right rear corners toward the rear pillars. It's simple enough to disconnecnt them from the cassette and clear the blockage. My blockage was in the actual connection point of the cassette and I cleared it by rodding it with a small pen. I did the right side too even though it wasn't obviously leaking. reconnect the drain tubes and water test by pouring water into the sunroof eage whilst open. You will soon see if the drain is working.

Reassemble the car when complete taking care not to dirty the roof liner and making sure all the trim pieces are clicked into place properly on the rear pillars, connect the electrics again and screw it all together. I spent about an hour in total, bearing in mind I was operating 'blind'. If I had to do it again it would take about 30mins. :thumbup:

BTW, I had my cassette replaced under wearranty since because of another fault, but there you go.
Holy crap! And your signature complains about the CupHolders??! :rolleyes: With this design, and in my climate with all the grime from the road spray etc... I can't imagine having to go through this procedure frequently!

Cal
 
#20 ·
Well, I spoke too soon.

The roof is still leaking, and now my windows will not close as the car is kicking in the "pinch protection" when there is nothing to pinch. I believe that is sign #1 of electrical problems.

I called my dealer and have an appointment next week.

I've also noticed that the car interior is making all sorts of creaking noises -- I don't know if there is any correlation.
 
#21 ·
Well, I spoke too soon.

The roof is still leaking, and now my windows will not close as the car is kicking in the "pinch protection" when there is nothing to pinch. I believe that is sign #1 of electrical problems.

I called my dealer and have an appointment next week.

I've also noticed that the car interior is making all sorts of creaking noises -- I don't know if there is any correlation.
There may be a correlation...

If the window seals are wet, it could cause the anti-trap system to activate. If the door seals are wet, they might creak.
 
#22 ·
Good lord I simply HATE this car.

All the gaskets and roof seals are fine, drains apparently unclogged. The reason I get water is because either (1) it's the water that still is on the roof (duh!) or (2) the drains take a while to empty because they are "activated" by the car's inertia. They are $^@*@! drains!!!!

I have had ~10 vehicles, all with sunroofs, and they worked just fine.

So I shall just drive around with a towel on my shoulder so I don't soak another sleeve. :tsk:
 
#23 ·
Good lord I simply HATE this car.

All the gaskets and roof seals are fine, drains apparently unclogged. The reason I get water is because either (1) it's the water that still is on the roof (duh!) or (2) the drains take a while to empty because they are "activated" by the car's inertia. They are $^@*@! drains!!!!

I have had ~10 vehicles, all with sunroofs, and they worked just fine.

So I shall just drive around with a towel on my shoulder so I don't soak another sleeve. :tsk:
I don't think it's safe to blame the design of the drain when just about everyone else's car is dry as a bone. Obviously, the drains do their job 99.9% of the time.

Clearly, something is/was wrong with your car -- hopefully it'll be resolved soon...
 
#24 ·
sunroof leak

I had just purchased a 2006 530 xi wagon from a reputable used car dealer in Marin County. Within 48 hours, my girlfriend was driving in the rain and all of the electical signals from the dash and the i Distract came on warning her of a serious malfunction. I located that the leak was coming from the rear of the sunroof. There was about one inch of standing water on the fuse boxes/ rear compartment storage areas. Unbelievable!!

So I google it tonight before bedtime only to find this forum and that it has happened to other people. This needs to be recalled.
 
#26 ·
me too!

I have an 06 CPO 530 Xit that I got this summer. Has been in shop for a variety of electrical issues, 8+ times since June- including rear suspension failure, failure of read hatch lock, erratic behavior of radio and bluetooth, finally failure of Sirius module. Have questioned leak issue with dealer, they pooh-poohed. Yesterday washed car in high pressure wash, suddenly i Drive flaked out, bluetooth quit then came back. When I got home, opened compartment where all these electronics were, upper cable sheath was wet, carpet at bottom of compartment door was wet, drops of water seen in fuse area. Also, saw small areas of oxidation (rust) on top of Sirius module. Went to dealer with printout of this thread while insides were wet. they agreed this might be the ultimate problem, were very apologetic and is in shop right now. I would suggest that any flaky electronics in the rear (suspension, communications, entertainment functions) should first address this possibility, and was in car wash, then check back. And BMW does cover this under warranty. Any dealer that says they do no is lying. Should then just call a lawyer.:thumbup:
 
#27 ·
2008 535xi with sunroof leak

Our year and a half old wagon has developed the exact same problem. One day of rain in LA last week, and the entire electronics system goes berserk while my wife is in the car. Windows going up and down, radio on and off, iDrive barking about a major malfunction, etc. The only saving grace was that she was on surface streets and not on the freeway... Otherwise it could have been an extremely dangerous situation.

Anyway, car was flatbedded over to Century West BMW in North Hollywood where the SA confirms that there's several inches of water in the well where the spare tire resides and that it has shorted out all of the computer modules in the car. Says it'll be repaired under warranty. Then they call back a few hours later to say that it was caused by outside elements clogging the sunroof drains (leaves) and that warranty would not cover it -- it's going to cost us $4200.

A conversation with BMW N/A this morning resulted in no help whatsoever. They stood by the fact that "outside elements attacking the car" could result in catastrophic damage like this. When asked how a car owner could possibly avoid such damage by keeping the drains clear, they replied that it would not be a good idea for the owner to do that. When asked who could possibly keep the drains clear, then, they replied that the dealer could do that during routine servicing. When asked if the dealer was responsible for that, then, they replied that there was no way the dealer could inspect every little item on the car every time, unless it was specifically requested. When asked who might request such an inspection, they replied the owner could do that. When asked how the owner would know to request that since there's no mention of it anywhere in any manual --- silence.

This is unbelievable. I am about to lose every ounce of respect I had for the BMW brand. To top it off, we now own two of them.
 
#29 · (Edited)
If this were to happen to me, I would take a few hours off and go to the dealership in person (after scheduling an appointment with the service manager) with my wife. I would start from scratch and do my best to slowly and calmly explain your situation including the safety issue the problem caused you. I would then ask him to explain to you how this problem is anything other than a BMW design issue. Somehow it is harder for (most) people to look you in the face and give you absolute BS. If still no response, I'd call BMWNA again and ask them who your attorney should contact regarding an unresolved safety issue on one of their cars. BTW, was the sunroof closed during the rain? If so, how the heck can water get around that seal? Maybe water got in around the liftgate? I don't get it. And how can leaves/debris get in the drains? Isn't the sunroof supposed to seal this stuff out when closed?
 
#30 ·
X3 Clogged Sun Roof Drain

X3 is an OK car, but I've confirmed has major problems with a clogging drain in the sun roof, wihch IS NOT covered under warranty and cannot be seen or cleaned out by the owner and is not part of routine maintenance. The clogged drain apparently caused water to leak into the computer of my X3 and short it out, the replacement of which cost $2,000!! I'm hearing FROM BNW that this is a common probelm with the X3 and 5 series wagon, both of which have a similar sun roof. I asked the dealer to show me the clogged drain and they said they couldn't because it wasn't accesible. Their suggestion was to submit a claim to my insurance company! Obvious design flaw or oversight in routine servicing!!!!!!!!!!
 
#31 ·
This is an old thread but glad I found it.

Had the same thing happen to me about 2 weeks ago on my CPO 06 530xiT. I first saw the rust on the test drive in the back left corner panel. Asked my CA about this and he said "not to worry about it"

Car came from TX. Lot's of humitidy down there. Take car home and all is good. Get windows tinted at the place the dealer recommends. All is good. Take it to the recommended dealer car wash and all is not good. Get the SOS malfunction error message and nothing works. Make appointment at the dealer and take it in on a Monday. 2 days later he calls and tells me that the electrical is fried because of water. Asked how this happend and he asks me when I got the windows tinted. Explained to him they have been tinted for only 2 weeks. Tells me that the window tint place jacked this up and it is not covered under warranty, going to cost me over 700 dollars to fix. I explain to him that your dealership recommended this place and there is no way that if there was any water left over would rust in 2 weeks in Colorado with single digit humitidy in January. He tells me that he will "try to push through to BMWNA"

Get a call the next day and tells me that he has found the issue. Clogged drains. Asked him how to unclog them and he tells me that they will have to force air and liquid through them to get them clean. Tells me that they drain in front of the rear tires on both sides. There are 2 holes that can drain. One that you can see in the front of the sunroof and one that is not visible. Ask how we can stop this from happening again and he tells me not to park under trees....nice job dude!!!! There is no way for the consumer to test this or do any maintenance and just hope that they can use the internet to find an answer.

They keep my car for 4 days with cleaning, reprogramming and working on this so it does not happen again. I show up on Friday and all is good. Ask to speak with a Service Manager and they tell me that they have all left for the weekend...at 330p. I am just glad that my dealer covered this under warranty and they now have a record of this. If it happens again, they can cover this again.

Below is a link for all known SIB's for for newer 5 series but did not see this one on that list.
http://www.bimmerdrivers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1042

Good luck to everyone that has had this issue. Print out the SIB and take with you to the dealer. They cant deny thier own recall can they?
 
#211 ·
Hi All,
I did print out the article and brought it with me to 2 BMW dealers in northern NJ last week, both of them denied to check on the issue. They said this is not an internal authorized article and they do not have the same article in their database. They told me it will cost me $140 to have the drain cleaned on my E61. Rats! :cry:
 
#32 · (Edited)
Another 530 xiT In the Shop

Hello,

Well, better late than never. This thread is gold. The '06 530 xiT my wife and I bought to haul our new baby and groceries around in has this exact problem. After the recent rains, the electrical system freaked out a couple of hours before we drove to the hospital in labor. We had to take the '99 528i. Needless to say, we were *not* pleased.

After a trip to the dealership, they said leaves clogged the drains and replaced the battery to the tune of $800. Right now it's in the shop again as the next time it rained, the battery was dead. I am fuming.

I am scheduling an appointment with the service manager immediately. I'll keep you posted.

Cheers!

p.s. The Service Manager never did take my calls, but the SA called last night to say they were kicking this up to BMW NA. I'll have an answer Monday. That SI B was did the trick I think. I'll post again with the resolution.
 
#33 ·
Don't let them get away with it....

SI B 54 06 06
Special Roofs November 2006
Technical Service

This Service Information bulletin supersedes S.I. B54 06 06 dated August 2006.
designates changes to this revision
SUBJECT
Water Leak from Panoramic Sunroof
MODEL
E53 (X5 SAV), E61 (5 Series Sport Wagon) and E83 (X3 SAV) equipped with Panoramic Sunroof (S402A)
SITUATION
Customer may complain of a water leak from the overhead console area during heavy rain or when driving/parking on a steep slope facing downhill.
CAUSE
Possible Causes:
A. Obstructed or damaged drains or drain tubes.
B. Void in the windshield urethane bead.
C. Excessive gaps between the glass panels and the perimeter seal.
D. Inadequate water management system in the sunroof cassette.
CORRECTION
In case of a customer complaint, inspect various components of the sunroof system. Perform a leak test and then perform the recommended repair based on the outcome of these inspections.
An improved sunroof cassette with an optimized water management system has been implemented in production since 10/05.
The current improved part is available as a complete color keyed cassette as opposed to the bare frame previously available.
PROCEDURE
Inspect for the following causes and perform the applicable repair.
Cause A: (Obstructed drains)
• Inspect the cassette drains and drain tubes for any obstructions or kinks in the tubes.
• If any concerns are found with these items, they should be cleaned/repaired/replaced as necessary.
Cause B: (Windshield sealant)
• Inspect the top edge of the windshield glass for any possible voids in the urethane bead.
• Using water or compressed air may help in locating a leak.
• If any voids are found, the windshield must be replaced.
Cause C: (Excessive panel gaps)
• Inspect the condition of the perimeter seal and the gap clearance between:
1. The sunroof glass and the roof panel.
2. The two glass panels.
3. Note: 5.8 plusmn; 0.3mm gap all around (without seal) is required and can be measured with the special gap tool, P/N 00 9 341, or similar.
• If any excessive gaps are found, adjust the glass panels as per RA 54 13 003.
• If any damage to the perimeter seal is found, replace this seal as per RA 54 13 055 and adjust the glass panels as per RA 54 13 003.
Cause D: (Inadequate water management)
• If no fault could be found with causes 1-3, perform the following actions:
1. If the vehicle was produced before 10/2005, replace the sunroof cassette per RA 54 13 080
If the vehicle was produced after 10/2005, do not replace the cassette but still perform the following countermeasures.
Note: The cassette available is the color-keyed updated cassette, complete with headliner and glass panels.
2. Apply light electrical contact grease on to all the electrical connectors and emergency call (SOS) switch in the front interior light console. The surface area must be cleaned as necessary.
3. Replace the perimeter seal as per RA 54 13 055.
4. Install the absorbent pad kit as per the instructions provided in the appropriate Absorbent pad kit attachment.
Note: This kit must be installed exactly as shown in the attachment for maximum effectiveness.
5. Perform additional sealing operation as described in the Cassette Sealing attachment.
6. Initialize sunroof per Repair Instruction 54 0 ...
7. Water test to ensure proper water management.
PARTS INFORMATION
Part Number Description Quantity
54 13 7 184 903 E53 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Light Grey 1
54 13 7 184 904 E53 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Light Beige 1
54 13 7 185 572 E53 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Anthracite 1
54 10 7 185 573 E53 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Pastel Green
54 10 3 436 363 E83 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Anthracite 1
54 10 3 435 213 E83 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Basalt Grey 1
54 10 3 435 217 E83 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Light Beige 1
54 10 3 436 311 E83 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Grey 1
54 13 7 184 899 E61 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Grey 1
54 13 7 184 900 E61 Panoramic Sunroof Cassette – Beige 1
83 23 0 149 149 Electrical contact grease (NyoGel 760G) 1
52 20 3 421 311 E53 Felt Pad 5
51 48 8 211 922 E53 Roof Insulation Material 1
52 20 3 421 311 E61/E83 Felt Pad 2
54 13 7 180 747 E61/E83 Foam Pad 1
54 13 7 072 786 Perimeter Seal – E53/E61/E83 1
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Covered under the terms of the BMW New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
 
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