I have a 2008 Chevy Express Explorer conversion van with a high top. We purchased the van used in great condition in 2011. The sunroof leaks. It always has. I first called the Explorer company to ask what we could do. They said we needed to replace the seal. We ordered one from them and had it replaced. I was desperate to have it stop leaking that I had my husband put clear caulk to try and seal it up. I am at the point of putting a tarp inside to keep my kids (4) car seats dry. The water has already damaged so much. Even the wood colored plastic now has a white haze (would like to know how to fix that if possible). Most of the water soaks in the ceiling around the sunroof and spreads out and down to the windows and in the upper cabinets. Is there anyway to fix this without having to spend more than we owe on it. Thank you!
Cannot find the video but one link I saw was inserting a plastic tube into the weatherstripping.
Can you post photographs?
To replace or repair the sunroof could be 800 to 1500 dollars. Have an auto body shop give you an estimate for putting panel over it or sealing solid. Also with this thing leaking for 3 years at least why subject your children to the mold that has to be all over the van.
Any chance this van has been rolled or wrecked in some way? If so, stopping a leak may be a very tough and expensive thing to do.
Three years of mold, rot, and rust is not doing it any good either. I’m not familiar with the layout on this van but any chance it has drain tubes as most cars do and which may be clogged up?
Park near or under trees, etc?
A friend of mine in another state was working for a GM dealer in the late 70s when the Smoky And The Bandit movie came out. Everyone wanted a black Trans Am with T-Tops.
Everyone who got a black TA with T-Tops complained about water leaks from new.
He said that on some of those cars they replaced the seals, T-Tops, and latches and still they leaked.
In one case a guy brought it back in and said to hxxx with removing the T-Tops; glue them in or whatever. They used about 8 tubes of clear silicone caulk which assured they would never leak or even come off again without great difficulty.
Somebody had a good line about sunroofs. He said “It’s a car, not a submarine”. The point was that the drains matter. If they don’t work, the sunroof will leak into the car. I don’t know if that will help you but I’m not any good at fixing leaks.
Three years of mold, rot, and rust is not doing it any good either. I'm not familiar with the layout on this van but any chance it has drain tubes as most cars do and which may be clogged up? Park near or under trees, etc?
+1 I’m going with clogged/damaged/loose drain tubes. If re-sealing didn’t do the trick it’s about the only thing left.
I have never owned a vehicle with a sunroof, moonroof or T-tops that didn’t leak. I would seal the sunroof completely on this van. It’s an easy and fairly inexpensive fix.