Water in my 2012 Highlander - dealership telling me I have mold and mildew ...

[JoeM]

gadje wrote:
So how do you plan to fix the hole?

I'm not sure there's a hole. I'm not really sure of anything yet other than they said the drain had a rock stuck in it and there's mold and mildew. I'll find out more when I pick the car up tomorrow.

[JoeM]

Fritz wrote:
common in almost any auto with a sunroof.
crud clog, or freeze defrost in winter. the drain hoses aren't very big in diameter.

Yes, exactly. This will be my last sun roof, for sure.

[JoeM]

Spiff wrote:
We had this problem with our 2013 highlander hybrid. You have to specifically state “blow out of sunroof drains” for them to actually do it. Not Standard operating procedure. 6300 is a little high. We got charged roughly 2200 for ripping out our carpet and sound dampening material, cleaning the carpet and putting it back all together.

I think so too but they said most of the cost is labor. Did you have mold and mildew?

[JoeM]

Smote wrote:
[quote=mrbigstuff]
Yeah auto detailer - that has a good shop!

Only sunroof and windshield can let in that amount of water. You'd notice if it were the door seals for instance.

Find the cause, fix that and move to the next phase.

if the welds and/or seal at the base of your windshield have failed, you can gets lots of water on the floor. i've seen it myself.
I'm pretty sure it's not the windshield and they did say it was the drain at the junction panel. Hoping that's the case.

[C(-)ris]

I would look for a detailer, not a repair center. They are well versed in cleaning carpets, removing seats, etc. I'd expect that they can clean that up to be good as new without replacing things, even if they do need to replace the carpet it is only $1200 for the Toyota carpet or find used carpet at a junkyard for considerably less.

[Racer X]

JoeM wrote:
[quote=Smote]
[quote=mrbigstuff]
Yeah auto detailer - that has a good shop!

Only sunroof and windshield can let in that amount of water. You'd notice if it were the door seals for instance.

Find the cause, fix that and move to the next phase.

if the welds and/or seal at the base of your windshield have failed, you can gets lots of water on the floor. i've seen it myself.
I'm pretty sure it's not the windshield and they did say it was the drain at the junction panel. Hoping that's the case.
sure, just a general fyi for anyone searching in the future. It sure was a galloping zebra moment when we found broken spot welds.

[JoeM]

C(-)ris wrote:
I would look for a detailer, not a repair center. They are well versed in cleaning carpets, removing seats, etc. I'd expect that they can clean that up to be good as new without replacing things, even if they do need to replace the carpet it is only $1200 for the Toyota carpet or find used carpet at a junkyard for considerably less.

Thanks C(-)ris, will definitely be doing that.

[RAMd®d]

My car is 22yrs old and the moonroof doesn't leak.

I don't know that I've every had freezing temperatures my way in the many decades I've been alive, so that may have a lot to do with that that.

That said, I wish manufactures had a 'moon panel' option where a there's a 'window' that doesn't open and a sliding shade to block it.

Opening it doesn't do a lot for me, so just opening a slide to light sunlight or moonlight in would be fine by me.

[rgG]

RAMd®d wrote:

That said, I wish manufactures had a 'moon panel' option where a there's a 'window' that doesn't open and a sliding shade to block it.

Opening it doesn't do a lot for me, so just opening a slide to light sunlight or moonlight in would be fine by me.

My husbsnd’s Audi A4 had a set up like that.
Although, you could open the panel if you wanted, but you could just slide the shade back without opening.

[JoeM]

rgG wrote:
[quote=RAMd®d]

That said, I wish manufactures had a 'moon panel' option where a there's a 'window' that doesn't open and a sliding shade to block it.

Opening it doesn't do a lot for me, so just opening a slide to light sunlight or moonlight in would be fine by me.

My husbsnd’s Audi A4 had a set up like that.
Although, you could open the panel if you wanted, but you could just slide the shade back without opening.
My 2012 Highlander has that. It also has an option where the moon roof panel can just be tilted to allow air in besides sliding it all the way back. I've always loved the moon roof in the car. It's the drainage system they have that's been a PITA.