Finally, a fix for clogged sunroof drain tubes
#142
Thanks to the original poster and all who contributed to this post. Just bought an Alpha H3, and forgot to heck under the OEM floormats. When I took delivery of the vehicle and drove it home, the passenger side carpet was wet, front and back.
Pulled out the driver side drain tube, used a Dremel to remove the "x", and pushed back in the grommet and tube in a few minutes. Same for the passenger side, but could not get the grommet and tube back in for the life of me. Had to open up the side dash a little (another poster had suggested that), Vaseline the grommet (didn't want to ask the wife for the KY), and pushed it in by itself (without the drain hose connected).
Removing the "X" allows the drain hose to go further into the grommet, and enlargens the grommet, making it difficult to put in the firewall. Poured water in to test: driver's side fine, passenger side drenched the carpet. Had to lower the roof liner to reattach the hose to the sunroof drain hole. Not sure how that came loose, but I didn't do it.
Pulled out the driver side drain tube, used a Dremel to remove the "x", and pushed back in the grommet and tube in a few minutes. Same for the passenger side, but could not get the grommet and tube back in for the life of me. Had to open up the side dash a little (another poster had suggested that), Vaseline the grommet (didn't want to ask the wife for the KY), and pushed it in by itself (without the drain hose connected).
Removing the "X" allows the drain hose to go further into the grommet, and enlargens the grommet, making it difficult to put in the firewall. Poured water in to test: driver's side fine, passenger side drenched the carpet. Had to lower the roof liner to reattach the hose to the sunroof drain hole. Not sure how that came loose, but I didn't do it.
#143
EJ
#146
You've fixed the symptoms, not the cause.......gonna happen again. If it clogs and rains BETWEEN 'air blast' treatments you're going to end up with wet carpeting or worse (BCM).
#147
Check your work! Take a pitcher of water, open the sunroof, and carefully pour it into the channel(so you don't splash interior). The water should flow out(underneath the firewall), as fast as you pour it in.
#148
Agree with HUMMERZ and once you are satisfied that the tubes are flowing properly, pour a generous amount of CLEAN SHOWER through them at every oil change ! I have been doing it on two H3’s for years.
#149
Many people have tried that, most did it using too much pressure and ended up with disconnected drain tubes..... that is why this thread is here. To help people fix the problem correctly without crating another.
#150
Drain tube fix
The drain hoses are crimped on the ends. They will stop up again. Air can,will and have blown the hoses apart at the joints. Mine were packed and would not blow out.
I fixed ours permanently and have not had an issue since. I ran new hoses and stuck them out the floor on the front and cut the crimped ends off the ones in the back. To each his own but I had the pillars out and saw how those damn things were ran and new if had to be fixed. Good luck!