1996 965 - Leaks whenever it rains

Post by **sanfelice** » 05 Jan 2014, 22:31

I've tracked two areas where it leaks:

1. the sunroof moulding. this I have read about and understand that the gasket wears over time. I've applied some silicone but not enough. however, it has slowed somewhat.

2. this I cannot figure out: the rear of the wagon is getting wet. the windows fog in the rear whenever it rains. I have seen condensation along the metal structure that borders the two storage compartments (oddly, the compartments each are dry). this is the area right at the main center compartment. the rug feels wet around this area.

any ideas on #2? is it related to #1 at all?

thanks, very desperate at this point as I don't want to worry any longer when it is raining...

Post by **kcodyjr** » 05 Jan 2014, 22:34

I suppose it's possible the sunroof leak is running down the pillars and into the floor. Could also be leaking around a door.

Try dropping the headliner, pulling down the drain hoses, and blowing some compressed air through them. Regrettably, it's normal for sunroofs to leak a little, so there's provision for draining that can get clogged.

Post by **sanfelice** » 05 Jan 2014, 22:59

yes, it is leaking around the front door, I believe, as i have seen water stains on the upper forward part of the driver door panel. weatherstrip is in great condition but i understand they can shrink over time. i do hear a bit more of road noise than i should from that side of the car.

so, another issue to add to the list. not sure if that is causing the rear moisture problem.

2720r · Post by **2720r** » 10 Jan 2014, 05:14

Fabricate a metal tube of narrow diameter, and adapt the end to connect to an air hose. You can use this to blow out the drain tubes that run down the A pillars. This will save you trying to disassemble your headliner. All sunroofs leak. The issue is whether the water has someplace to drain out.

Post by **sanfelice** » 10 Jan 2014, 11:34

Thanks, but where is the point on the pillar that I would insert the air hose?

Post by **kcodyjr** » 10 Jan 2014, 11:57

He means the bottom of that same hose, I think. It comes out under the cowl below the windshield, the one the wiper arms bolt through. There might still be a black rubber end on the hose there; it was meant to prevent crap from coming in, but had the effect of preventing crap from coming out. Remove or cut it.

That said, I'm not thrilled about trying to blow the hoses out from below. Any crap in there has to go somewhere; now it's going to go out the top and into the sunroof rails, where it'll just wash right back down the hose next time it rains if you're lucky, or get stuck and gum up the works.

If you've got this problem, the "right way" is to open it at both ends; cowl and headliner out at the same time. Remove that black rubber thing, and blow them out from above. That way you know they're clear.

jotzgr · Post by **jotzgr** » 15 Feb 2014, 15:49

I bought a 96 960 wagon a few months ago. The sunroof shade had what looked like a lot of water damage on it. Of course, the seller said that had been fixed. Yeah, right! At that time, it had not rained a drop for months. Sure enough, a week later, it starts raining nonstop. I had standing water in all four floorboards as well as wet headliner and trim around the doors. The outer seal had separated on the back edge of the sunroof so I tried to reglue it. Didn't work. Soon as I tilted the sunroof up it ripped off again. All the drains were clear and working properly so that wasn't the issue. I found a complete used sunroof glass with seal on Ebay for $100 including shipping. It came from TX so the rubber had some divots on the flat surface of it, but the outer seal was intact and still pliable. First I used black flexible gasket maker to fill the divots and seal the front center where the pieces of the outer seal come together. Then I ran a bead of clear silicone sealer all the way around between the outer rubber seal and the top of the glass, as I had read on the forums this is where the leaks come from (water seeping between the glass and the seal). Then after all that dried, I very carefully masked only the seal and my silicone bead off and sprayed the whole thing with black Flex Seal -- the stuff you see on TV that floats a boat. Looked really nice actually. While the sunroof was out, I took the shade to be recovered since it was ruined and looked frightful. Only cost $30 and matched perfectly. All back together, we've had monsoon rains since: not a drop of moisture anywhere. Fortunately the headliner doesn't show any water damage and I've since cleaned the carpets.