Need Help... Sunroof Odor Only When Shade is Open, No Leaks

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C
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Need Help... Sunroof Odor Only When Shade is Open, No Leaks

Postby C » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:55 pm

Hi Everyone! I searched sunroof and moonroof leak, odor, smell, musty, etc., and didn't find anything like my problem.

There's no odor at all, even if smelling right up against or around the sunroof shade as long as the shade is closed.

Once the shade is opened, the sunroof area smells very musty.

No leaks anywhere that I am aware of, even after a high pressure touchless carwash.

No stains on the headliner or anywhere else.

Thanks in advance!


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C
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Postby C » Wed Aug 24, 2016 1:31 am

Just thought, since there is no evidence of a leak, could it be possible:

1.) The sunroof may have leaked in the past (previous owner) and for some reason only wet the top of the sunroof shade... Or something similar?

2.) The sunroof was partially open during rain/snow and only the top of the sunroof shade got wet?

Sorry... I'm just really trying to track this down...

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:26 am

I vote for #2.

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C
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Postby C » Wed Aug 24, 2016 7:20 pm

Thanks, Terry!

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AZ_Path
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Postby AZ_Path » Sat Aug 27, 2016 5:58 am

Can you let it dry out and see if the smell goes away? That would make me think there is a small leak somewhere. If not, something crawled up there and died. :lol:

DanJetta
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Postby DanJetta » Sun Aug 28, 2016 1:22 pm

Are you smelling it when you're moving or sitting still?

DanJetta
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Postby DanJetta » Sun Aug 28, 2016 1:28 pm

Sorry, I just realized you said you're smelling it when the shade is open, not necessarily the sunroof glass. If that's the case, I'd say, yeah, there's some moisture above your headliner.

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C
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Postby C » Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:47 am

AZPath - That's the thing, it's not wet anywhere, just musty smelling. If I get more desperate, I'll start looking, lol. Fortunately, the smell is only present if the sunroof shade is open! Otherwise, it's totally smell-free, even if you put your nose right up by the sunroof shade as long as the shade is closed.

DanJetta - Agreed. Weird thing is that there's no condensation between the sunroof and shade when it's parked in the sun or anything, and there's no mustiness or moisture detectable elsewhere.

Thanks guys! Anymore ideas, feel free to chime in!

I'm going to have to track this down! It's not a big deal, I don't open the sunroof or the shade generally anyway, so I never smell it, but otherwise my PF is 100% and I don't want there to be a moisture issue I don't know about.

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McMac
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Postby McMac » Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:35 pm

Did you ever get this resolved? I'm in the Northwest (obviously, lots of rain) and when I bought my 2008 used a few years ago it had the same smell of mildew and, like yours, only when it was open. Also, my previous 2001 Infiniti QX4 (purchased used)- same thing. No leaks on either. If I had to guess, water just gets in there if it's opened right after a car wash or rain and is trapped, then mildews because it can't evaporate. In both of them, I got rid of the smell permanently by leaving it open as much as possible when it was hot and dry. It took a few weeks but problem solved. I never open it when it's raining or the car is wet and the smell has never returned. Anyways, just a thought.

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Wed Feb 01, 2017 6:23 am

There's also a lot of potential for condensation up there this time of year. Then it warms up and...

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C
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Postby C » Mon Jul 10, 2017 3:47 pm

McMac - Thanks for weighing in on this, especially with experience from the Northwest and multiple vehicles.

Terry - Very good point.

First off, my apologies for the VERY late reply to both of your messages!

I'm calling this one solved.

Here's what ended up being the fix for me...

1) On an unseasonably warm, sunny day, I left the sunshade closed and opened the back of the sunroof upwards ('vent' setting).

2) Through the partially open sunroof, I sprayed the top of the sunshade area as thoroughly as possible with a fairly liberal amount of unscented Febreze (https://www.febreze.com/en-us/products/ ... -freshener). I couldn't reach everywhere I would've liked to, since I was using it straight from the original spray bottle. I was going to rig something up for better access if this showed promise, but there was no need.

3) I closed the sunroof and let the PF sit in the sun.

4) I waited a few days and opened the sunroof shade from the inside with the sunroof closed. No smell at all.

This is a very simple solution, but it worked for me and so far no re-occurrence and no need to redo.

Thanks to all who contributed!

weaver
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Postby weaver » Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:55 am

Took awhile for me on this one too. Thanks for the tips! Check all of the sunroof drain hoses and channels. I couldn't find much info about them in FSM (Which I've been finding alot of info is different than what's actually on my 08 rig). On mine there are 2 drain holes/tubes at front corners of sunroof that run between headliner and roof to front lower corners of body (through A-pillars to below & fore of front door hinges), and 2 that also run under the roof above the headliner from rear sunroof corners, behind & aft of C-pillars, then through the top of rear wheel wells (that tube sticking down above tire. Maybe low-air-pressure/venturie effect at tube bottom created by tire rotation helps drainge and keeping them clear? Road draft for the front ones?). The rear ones can be seen when cargo/luggage trim panels are removed. They are clear vinyl tubes; mine had an enitre science fair project established inside. Made all the creatures scream with Simple Green carefully poured in at top. Death from above!! Problem solved.

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C
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Postby C » Fri Mar 08, 2019 1:41 am

Weaver, thanks for weighing in on this. Glad to hear about your experience and fix.

Not sure how the hoses function. It is my (limited) understanding that, at least on most vehicles, they are supposed to function based on gravity alone and that may be part of the reason for the clogging. I am NOT positive about this, however. Please take my hunch as only that. I have not researched this.

The one or two vehicles I have had with clogged sunroof drain hoses were, like yours, thankfully easily remedied. I believe I just used hot water and it relieved the issue for me.

I'll be on the lookout for these lines getting clogged on my Path from now on, and will use some Simple Green if necessary![/quote]

weaver
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Postby weaver » Fri Mar 08, 2019 8:49 pm

C- Thank you for your reply. I'm positive you're right, I just over-think things. To me (this is the shade tree engineer in me) it doesn't make sense to place a drain tube that is already prone to clogging right next to a spinning tire, that slings dirt and whatever else right onto/into its terminus. I keep trying to think why it would be put there, and the only answers I can come up with are that A: It's been designed to function using the wheel as an element. B: Economics. It was probably the most cost-effective place for it. Guess which one is the reason! :D May our tubes remain unclogged!!


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