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By Dorman Products
Car leaking coolant from engine or HVAC? Check out Dorman’s replacements and OE FIX solutions.
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By NAPA
A sunroof is a wonderful feature to have in a vehicle. You get the open air feeling of a convertible with the weather protection of a hard top. But what happens when that sunroof begins to let the weather inside?
link hidden, please login to view are the results. Unfortunately a leaky sunroof is an all too common problem, but the solution is sometimes quite simple. Here’s how to identify and fix a leaky sunroof. Identifying a Sunroof Leak
Obviously if you are sitting in your car when it rains and water starts pouring from the area around the sunroof, you have a leak. But sometimes the leaks aren’t so obvious. You may notice water on the floorboard or wet carpet. A sunroof leak can let water flow through interior panels like the headliner and pillar panels where it is unseen. If you’ve ruled out a clogged AC drain or leaky door seals, you may have a sunroof leak on your hands.
Sunroof Leak Causes
You can track down most sunroof leaks to these common issues:
Clogged Sunroof Drain
One of the most common causes of a car sunroof leaking is simply a clogged drain. For many vehicles the area around the sunroof opening has a raised edge to catch any water that may get past the main sunroof seal. It is basically a drain pan with a sunroof sized hole in the middle. Water is supposed to flow from the catch pan into drain hoses (usually in the corners of the sunroof opening), which are routed through the body of the car and to the ground. As time passes, debris like leaves and dirt can find their way into the drain openings and clog the drain tubes. Once the drain tubes are clogged, the area around the sunroof will fill with water and spill over into the interior.
Damaged Sunroof Seal
The first line of defense against water is the seal around the sunroof panel itself. While most seals are not designed to completely stop water from getting into the area around the sunroof opening, the seal does hold back a fair amount of water from entering. Sun and heat can eventually damage the seal causing it to dry out, crack, deform or wear down at any areas that contact the body. When this seal is seriously compromised, too much water can get in and overwhelm the sunroof drains.
Damaged Mechanism
Your sunroof mechanism is a complex component that must both slide and lift/lower your sunroof panel in and out of position. It relies on
link hidden, please login to view working in perfect harmony. The sunroof track itself is also precisely designed for smooth movement and solid placement of the sunroof panel. If any of these parts are damaged, worn or misaligned, the sunroof panel will not move to the desired position. Often a sunroof motor will break and leave the sunroof open, making for a frantic manual override to keep out the weather. But the sunroof may also appear to function properly while not moving to the correct closed position. If this happens, there is possibly a gap between the sunroof seal. The sunroof panel may also not close flush with the roof causing a channel for water to travel. How to Fix a Leaking Sunroof link hidden, please login to view
Once you have investigated your sunroof leak and found the culprit, it is time to learn how to fix a leaky sunroof.
Cleaning the sunroof drains is the simplest car sunroof leak repair. Locate the sunroof drains. There is a potential of up to four drains depending on the vehicle with some not easily visible. Referencing a
link hidden, please login to view can help you find all the drain locations. It is tempting to grab a compressed air hose and blow out the drain tubes, but that is a mistake. Blowing compressed air into a clogged tube can cause the tube to pop off an internal connection leading to a time-consuming interior panel disassembly. The simplest method for clearing a sunroof drain is with a piece of link hidden, please login to view. String trimmer line is stiff enough to push through a blockage while also following the drain tube twists and turns. Now you can move onto your leaking sunroof repair: Dip the tip of the trimmer line in dish soap to help it slide along the drain tube. Feed the trimmer line into the drain tube opening feeling for any resistance. When resistance is felt, push gently on the trimmer line, then pull back gently. Move the trimmer line in and out of the tube until the clog is no longer felt. Remove the trimmer line and pour a small amount of water down the drain tube. The water should exit underneath the vehicle. If the water does not flow out, repeat the trimmer line technique until all clogs are removed. If the drain tubes are clear, turn your attention to the sunroof itself and the mechanism.
link hidden, please login to view with a soft cloth and apply silicone lubricant spray to help it stay flexible. Observe how the sunroof moves while it opens and closes, noting any places where it stutters or does not move smoothly. If the movement is not smooth give the sunroof panel tracks a spray with the same silicone lubricant spray. If the sunroof does not close flush with the roof panel, it may need an adjustment. If there is no time for proper repairs, a temporary fix for leaking sunroof problems is to simply seal it shut. Good quality
link hidden, please login to view works just fine. Masking tape will hold through a rainstorm while you make plans for an adequate car sunroof leak repair. Masking tape also releases easily and reduces the chance of harming your vehicle’s finish. Once the sunroof is taped shut, you can place a piece of masking tape over the sunroof button to remind yourself not to use it. Sunroof Leak Repair Costs
So how much does it cost to fix a leaking sunroof? If you are a DIYer with a stocked garage, the cost of repair is possibly only your time for something simple like a clogged drain. But if the issue is more serious, the sunroof leak repair cost could reach into the hundreds or even thousands. Modern vehicles with panoramic sunroof panels are wonderful for feeling the sun on the road, but these are very complex mechanisms. A leak in one of these mammoth panels could take hours for a technician to repair.
You may wonder if car insurance covers leaking sunroof issues, and the answer is “maybe” depending on your insurance coverage. Read your insurance policy carefully, consult with your insurance agent and weigh the cost of your deductible. In some cases, damage caused by a sunroof leak is covered by insurance, but the likelihood is small.
Check out all the
link hidden, please login to view available on link hidden, please login to view, or trust one of our 17,000 link hidden, please login to view for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how to fix a leaky sunroof or figuring out how much does it cost to fix a leaking sunroof, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your link hidden, please login to view. Photo courtesy of
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By NAPA
While automobile brakes are meant to stop a car, sometimes they can do their job a little too well. Thanks to hydraulic pressure and
link hidden, please login to view muscle, it is quite possible to completely stop a wheel from turning while the vehicle is still in motion. When this happens, it is called brake lockup and it is not a welcome situation. Let’s look at what causes brakes to lock up and how to fix the problem. What Does Brakes Locking Up Mean? link hidden, please login to view
Brake lockup happens when the grip of the brake friction material overcomes the grip of the tire on the road. It can happen on dry pavement during a panic stop or on an icy road with just a touch of the brake pedal. Power brakes make it easier to lock up due to reduced pedal effort, but it can happen with manual brakes as well. It can also mean a situation where the brake mechanism fails to release its grip on the wheel, such as a stuck trailer brake.
Why Is Brake Lockup Bad?
A wheel that isn’t turning also isn’t controlling the travel direction of the vehicle. If this happens to a front wheel, it can no longer steer the vehicle.
Brake lockup can also damage your tires. If the vehicle is still moving while the tire is locked up, the road will cause a flat spot on the tire where the tread is worn down far more than the rest of the tire. This can throw off the tire balance, as well as cause erratic handling.
What Causes Brakes to Lock Up?
Let’s take a look at a few common causes of brake lockup.
Sticking Brake Caliper or Wheel Cylinder
If a link hidden, please login to view or wheel cylinder isn’t retracting correctly after brake pressure is let off, then it can stick in place. This causes the link hidden, please login to view to hold in place against the drum or rotor. Corrosion around the brake caliper or wheel cylinder pistons can prevent them from moving freely. Damage to the piston bores can also cause the pistons to stick in their travel. The solution is to rebuild or replace the brake caliper or wheel cylinder.
Corrosion
If your car brakes locked up and now won’t move, you probably have severe rust affecting the braking components. Drum brakes can’t retract the shoes if all the parts are unable to move freely. This is less likely to happen with disc brakes, but in severe circumstances a brake rotor can rust badly enough to prevent it from passing through the brake pads. This is rare and usually only happens to vehicles that were parked for an excessive amount of time.
Non-Functioning ABS Unit
Almost every modern vehicle is equipped with an anti-lock brake system from the factory. So, what do anti-lock brakes do? Simply put, they prevent the wheels from locking up during braking. The anti-lock brakes unit is usually connected to the brake master cylinder. The link hidden, please login to view is a complicated component made up of a pump, valves and a control module. If any of these components malfunction, the overall unit will not operate correctly.
A problem with the anti-locking brake system unit will almost always trigger the anti-lock brake system warning light on the dashboard. If the ABS light comes on, understand that your anti-lock brakes are probably no longer working and need checked immediately. You should never ignore an ABS problem.
Worn Tires
This seems obvious, but too many drivers ignore their tires as long as they are holding air. Take the time to
link hidden, please login to view. If the tread depth on a tire is less than 2/32”, the tire is worn out and needs replaced. A bald tire can’t grip a wet or icy road, making brake lockup a likely possibility. Tires also wear out due to age. Check the tire
link hidden, please login to view. If the tire is more than six years old, it is no longer able to perform at its peak. Rubber gets hard and cracks as it ages, which reduces its ability to grip the roads and thus in turn can lock up your brakes. How to Stop Brake Lockup
The key to preventing your brakes locking up when driving is good maintenance. There’s more to maintaining your brake system than just replacing worn brake pads and shoes. Each braking assembly needs inspected on a routine basis along with getting cleaned and lubricated where necessary. Tires need inspected and replaced as necessary. Ask your
link hidden, please login to view for a brake inspection to make sure your vehicle is in top braking shape. A Brake Lockup Exception
There is actually one scenario where brake locking is done on purpose. For those who drag race, there is a point where it is necessary to spin the drive tires while holding the entire vehicle in place. This is done using a
link hidden, please login to view that allows for one pair of wheels to stop. The driver steps hard on the brakes, activating the line lock to hold brake pressure on the desired wheels, then lets off the brake pedal to allow the driven wheel to turn for a burnout. Once the burnout is over, the brake locks are deactivated and the brakes work as normal. Check out all the
link hidden, please login to view available on link hidden, please login to view or trust one of our 17,000 link hidden, please login to view for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on figuring out why your car brakes locked up, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your link hidden, please login to view. Photo courtesy of
link hidden, please login to view. The post
link hidden, please login to view appeared first on link hidden, please login to view.
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