Leaking Rouatn Roof...Anyone Else?

[blizno]

2009 Routan SEL Premium
Purchased new 12/10
Extended Warranty purchased at dealer 7/100K miles

This past Saturday I ran the Routan through the car wash (in a hurry). As I pulled away from the car wash on to the street water started to pour from the overhead map light /conversation mirror console. Water poured onto the center console, passenger seat seat and cup holders under 2nd DVD player. My first thought was maybe the sunroof was left open. Check and confirmed it was closed. I took pics as soon as I got home (see below). Then called dealer to setup drop off for inspection. At the time I thought, I have an extended warranty I should be ok.









Finally had a loaner for me yesterday so my wife dropped off Routan at the dealer. This morning the dealer calls and tells me that the sunroof drain tube cracked and allowed water to flow into the Routan. The headliner and tube will need to be replaced. I thought ok cool. Not so fast...extended warranty company (Fidelity) denied the clam because they do not cover hose, grommets or other "wear and tear" items. I made sure the dealer knew I was very disappointed and called Fidelity myself. The gentleman on the other line was polite but told me that the dealer notes stated that the sunroof drain was clogged and that's why they denied the claim. No mechanical issue caused the clog. I am know waiting for the dealer to call me back to clarify what is the root cause of the leak since I am getting two different versions.

Oh and by the way, the dealer cost to repair is $2,900.00 I am tired of the issues with this Routan. Anyone else have/had the same issue? Any luck getting it fixed?

Should I call VW Corp?

Video of documented leak on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efB2SBRe_dQ

[58kafer]

I never use a car wash so I can't comment on that. Did you check the drains from the sun roof. I don't care whose car it is, if those drains plug, your taking a bath. Our Passat did it-garage kept. My father in laws Caddy- garage kept drives 4 miles a day, TOTAL, his drains were plugged. It's not any ones fault per say, just something to keep up on with a sun roof. The Caddy was packed with yellow pollen dust from trees. They just fill with whatever. There should be drains near the corners that you can blow air thru with an air compressor. Make sure you get a good seal, we put a little water in them then blew through the water. Now I better check ours!

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2

[VWroutanvanman]

Here's a previous post on this problem: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...t=sunroof+leak

[Zambee500]

Sunroof drain clogged or cracked? Two different things. As 58kafer pointed out, sunroof drains do have a tendency to clog and I could see how that wouldn't be covered by a warranty (Passat being an exception given the recalls on sunroof drains - whole other story).

I take it you have over 36k miles and that's why you're dealing with the 3rd party extended warranty? If not, then it should be covered first by VW under the mfr. warranty. If that's the case, then I'd be all over the dealership... "you said cracked drains, under VWoA warranty...fix it."

If you're past 36k mile and now stuck on the after-market warranty, you might try one more time and say not clogged, but cracked, and argue those aren't wear & tear items. To make the point on not being wear & tear items, ask them to point out in the VW maintenance schedule the intervals for these wear & tear items to be serviced. But if hoses and grommets are excluded items on your warranty, good luck with that.

Last chance would be to make the argument that you purchased it new and purchased an extended warranty that you were led to believe was the mfr extended warranty, and the dealership bait & switched you on a 3rd party warranty. Complain first to the dealership GM, then VWoA. But I think the response will be caveat emptor...you should have read the documents before signing. Or, you did and did know better.

Good luck.

[Zambee500]

I should add that the sunroof controls on our 2009 SEL do have some gremlins. It often doesn't stop when it's supposed to. When closing from the open position, it has a tendency to keep going to the rear-vent open position. Go the other way, and it often keeps going and opens up. Frequently takes 2-3 times going back and forth before it stops where it's supposed to in the "closed" position. This would definitely cause rain to pour in if you thought it was closed and, for example, the rear vent had opened. Just pointing it out b/c clogged sunroof drains would be the obvious first place to check, and if they appeared clogged in any way, the dealership could have diagnosed it as such even if they've been like that for some time without leaking into the vehicle cabin.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

[58kafer]

Our Passat was covered under warranty. What's crazy is, our 2000 Passat wagon had the sunroof--no issues in 5 years. Our 2005 Passat wagon, 2 years and those bitches were plugged. They cut the flap off the drain exit in the door jams--5 years later, now relagated to living outside since I drive it--no problems.

Our Routan Sunroof, flawless, opens and closes perfect everytime. It gets either slid back almost daily or the rear popped, so it gets a work out.

Keep us posted.

[thaddyusmaximus]

I had that same issue. I bought my 09 routan sel used with 23000 miles on it. It rains a lot in Oregon and didn't notice it leaking until the dealer ran it through the car wash a month after I bought the van. The seals were busted on my mine. There were no clogged drains. They basically replaced the entire moon roof because they did not offer the seals separately.

[VWroutanvanman]

One thing to consider about blowing out the drain hoses: be sure to blow them out from the bottom, as the hose can be blown off of the drain lip (tube) if blown out from the top, then the whole sunroof surround would have to be removed to re-attach the hoses.

[blizno]

Drain hoses were drained by dealership. They dried everything out and detailed the interior. It has rained in LA since then and its been dry in the cab. Dealer and extended could not come into an agreement so I was stuck in the middle. Dealer did not charge me the $75 diagnostic fee and covered the loaner vehicle. I am not neither satisfied or dissatisfied just fed up with the Routan.

[kctdi]

Has there been any sunroof issues with the 2011 & 2012 that anyone knows of yet?

KC.