‘This little seal don’t do anything’: Mechanic says all sunroofs leak. Then he shows this little-known water bottle trick to fix it
Sunroofs may seem like a great idea when purchasing a new car, but depending on the weather, they may be more of a pain than they are worth.
Recently, a popular TikToker known as Alex the Car Doctor (@alexthecardoctor) explained how to maintain a sunroof so leaks on a rainy day are at a minimum. The video was viewed over 286,000 times as of publication.
The doctor's trick to maintaining a sunroof
Standing over a vehicle's sunroof, Alex explains the issue.
"Fun fact: all sunroofs leak," he said. "Yes, that's correct. All sunroofs leak. This little seal don't do anything."
"Now, what you have on sunroofs are called 'controlled leaks,' and each corner of the sunroof, even in the back, you have these drain holes, and over time, they will get stopped up, especially if you park under trees," he added while pouring a bottle of water into the tray to find out how clogged each hole was.
Then, he takes an air hose and blows the gunk out of both holes. "If these drains get clogged up, it will start dumping water on the floorboard on either the passenger side or the driver side," Alex said.
Many viewers added their two cents
"So they don't leak, they drain, until the drain gets clogged," one said.
"Just remember not to do continuous air pressure. do burst to clear it, it doesn't take much to clear the drains. they are hoses and can blow off. Then you'll be getting water straight into your liner," another advised.
"A sunroof drain cleaner is like $3 online," a viewer added.
"The sunroof on my Mini is the only part never to give me trouble in 20 years of ownership," another said.
Others claimed a sunroof was a pointless addition to a car.
"Most people don't even use there sunroof they just want to be able to tell there friends at Sunday brunch that they have a sunroof," a viewer said.
"Sunroof is so pointless I don’t get it," a second agreed.
Watch on TikTok
Other tips for maintenance
Progressive describes a sunroof as a machine, complete with gears, gaskets, and motors. Like any other machine, the insurance company advises regular maintenance.
Rubber gaskets, which create a seal, wear out over time due to sun exposure and age. Luckily, this part is very cheap to maintain, and replacements won't cost an arm or a leg. Additionally, some car insurances will cover water damage.
To unclog the sunroof drain, the insurance company advises car owners to use a metal wire and stick it into the holes to clear them.
However, Atlantic Motorcar Center advises against using a metal wire because it has the potential to cause more damage and clog it more. Instead, they suggest taking it to a mechanic for cleaning at regular intervals.
The Daily Dot reached out to Alex the Car Doctor via TikTok Comments.
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The post ‘This little seal don’t do anything’: Mechanic says all sunroofs leak. Then he shows this little-known water bottle trick to fix it appeared first on The Daily Dot.