2018 Honda Pilot - sunroof leaks in the car wash

I have a 2018 Honda Pilot, just purchased in September 18, and every time I go through an automated car wash the sunroof leaks. Have taken it to dealer twice and they said “don’t take it to a high pressure car wash”. Well there, that fixes it right? Husband is NOT happy. Lemon law? Poor design?

Offer to pay the wash fee for dealer to drive you through a car wash in ANY other 2018 PIlot off his lot so he can PROVE to you they all leak. If it doesn’t leak, tell him to get busy and fix your. If it leaks, then research what your state’s lemon law states is needed to get Honda to buy it back.

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Most sunroofs are not water tight, that’s why they have drains along the inside. Those drains should redirect any water that enters through a drain to the outside of the vehicle. High pressure wash nozzles are likely to force some past the seals but it shouldn’t be leaking into the interior if the drains are working. The question I have is what do you mean by “automated car wash the sunroof leaks.”. Can you elaborate on what you mean by leaks? Where does it leak? How much is it leaking?

That may or may not be appropriate, given the exact verbiage of the Lemon Law in the OP’s state of residence. Most of those statutes require that the defect be one that “materially affects the safety or drivability” of the vehicle. While I am empathetic in regard to the OP’s problem, I think it could be argued that a leak that takes place only while driving through a car wash does not affect either the safety or the drivability of the vehicle.

I would recommend that the OP contact Honda of America’s customer service staff via the toll-free phone number in her Owner’s Manual, and that she or her husband politely–but firmly–state that they want this problem repaired.

More than likely, Honda of America will either put pressure on that dealership to get them to do the right thing, or they may refer the OP to a different dealership. Just make sure that you don’t tell the Honda folks that you will never buy another Honda, because then you are removing their main motivation to come to your assistance.

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