This 1999 Felica of mine now has a leaking sun roof. The seal is shot.

It is a manual tilting roof, controlled by a 3 inch wheel/handle.

Does that make it an after market, giving me a problem getting a seal?

Or is it possibly original?

Haynes only reference to sun roof says take it to dealer. So I assume this would be a power roof

I'm pretty sure that you have an original sun roof. I couldn't understand why the Haynes manual says that, by the way. Taking it apart and out is a pretty straightforward process. You unscrew the crosshead screws inside the car and separate the two halves, having first disconnected the wheel/handle and lifted out the glass. I haven't checked, but I should imagine that the seal can be bought from a dealer. However, don't forget to check with Jorily first. They really are very good on price if they have what you need.

Good luck and best wishes,

Mr Music

Mine leaked but a clean and vaselining stopped the leak.

I think Jorily Skoda had a seal.

To take the roof off you dont need to unscrew anything. A big screwdriver, unclip something and it'll lift off the hinges.

Got a leak in my sun roof on my Felicia a couple of years ago. I replaced the seal and that didn't work. In the end removed the sunroof got a couple of tubes of silicon and pumped that around the wooden frame bit within the car roof then put a load of silicon around the sunroof frame and refitted it. Then opened the sunroof and sealed that as well, simply because I never use it and decided I didn't want to take any chances. Since then I have never had a leak.

This was on the advice of my local Skoda dealer as well as the leak was very bad and it was going to be to expensive to sort properly.

I'm pretty sure that you have an original sun roof. I couldn't understand why the Haynes manual says that, by the way. Taking it apart and out is a pretty straightforward process. You unscrew the crosshead screws inside the car and separate the two halves, having first disconnected the wheel/handle and lifted out the glass. I haven't checked, but I should imagine that the seal can be bought from a dealer. However, don't forget to check with Jorily first. They really are very good on price if they have what you need.

Good luck and best wishes,

Mr Music

Taken your advise and asked Jorily for a price. Amazingly quick reply.

Seems there are two seals.

Glass to frame- and- frame to roof.

Question. How on earth do I get the frame out to replace that seal?

To replace the frame to roof seal all you need to do is remove the internal trim of the sun roof then remove all the screws and the sunroof will come out as a whole then replace the seal and then replace the sun roof into the car roof and screw it up again and finally replace the interior trim.

For the glass to frame seal open the sun roof (you may need to unhook the opening mechanism) and you will be able to replace the seal.

To replace the frame to roof seal all you need to do is remove the internal trim of the sun roof then remove all the screws and the sunroof will come out as a whole then replace the seal and then replace the sun roof into the car roof and screw it up again and finally replace the interior trim.

For the glass to frame seal open the sun roof (you may need to unhook the opening mechanism) and you will be able to replace the seal.

The internal trim- does it just pull off?

Forgot to mention if you are replacing the frame to roof seal you may find it better to use some clear silicon as a secondary sealant as well just to make sure it is water tight.

The internal trim- does it just pull off?

Yes. Just needs a wee bit of gentle force though. It should come off easily and clip back in.

Yes. Just needs a wee bit of gentle force though. It should come off easily and clip back in.

Thats my problem. Only just got the car- previous owner put mastic everywhere. So it is hard to know where to pull without breaking something.

Thats my problem. Only just got the car- previous owner put mastic everywhere. So it is hard to know where to pull without breaking something.

Just take your time. The grey plastic trim should easily come off unless the previous owner stuck it on with mastic. Once off the screws can be taken out and it should be plain sailing from there.

If it is stuck with mastic just try to free it by cutting the mastic with a Stanley knife.

If you think it's only the seal that's shot there is no need to remove the complete sunroof, but by removing the inner grey plastic trim you should be able to tell from water marks whether it has been leaking between sunroof and roof, if not, you could leave the grey trim off for now, wait until it rains and then have a good look/feel around the back of the sunroof.

The rubber gasket can compress over time, try to slip a piece of paper between the glass and rubber or open and shut your sunroof onto the paper, a good seal will mean the paper wont pull out too easily, do this all the way around the aperture, this will show up the weak spots where a good seal isn't being made. It's then possible to pack up under the rubber gasket in these places with a bit of thin wire or similar, obviously remove the glass first.

I've had great success in the past by removing the two front tongues that are attached to the glass and flattening them out slightly in a vice (don't go overboard though) This will force the glass down more firmly onto the rubber for at least 50% of the aperture, there doesn't appear to be a way of adjusting the handle to bring the back edge down though.

If its the glass to frame seal you could try to replace the seal with something a bit more substantial. I can remember the company name now, (sorry) but there is a firm that advertise in the back of most of the classic car mags that sell hundreds of different profiles of rubber seal, may or may not be cheaper than an OE seal.

Stop!...Before you remove/dismantle or pay out any £££'s try doing what I did to fix my leaky sunroof. I got the tip off this forum.

Remove the glass lid which is easy just remove the screws from the handle and tilt up to remove.Then insert some electric cable or earth sheath cable as I used under the rubber seal (see pic)

Insert it all the way around under the rubber seal, then for good measure I silicone sealed the plastic surround frame that sits on the roof. It's a good idea to fully clean the rubber seal anyway beforehand to get rid of any muck in there. You may in your case have to remove any previous sealant that's in there anyway.

It really does work because it raises the rubber sealing surface to again seal to the glass lid.

Mick

Edited 14 November, 200817 yr by MickA

A tube of Multi Purpose Silicone Grease > Maplin liberally spread on the seal can also help stop water getting in. If the seal has degraded badly though replacement is the only likely cure.

If its the glass to frame seal you could try to replace the seal with something a bit more substantial. I can remember the company name now, (sorry) but there is a firm that advertise in the back of most of the classic car mags that sell hundreds of different profiles of rubber seal, may or may not be cheaper than an OE seal.

The problem with this is that you wont get a bonded joint and will have to rely on supergluing the ends together. A superglued joint is not so flexible and wont last long in wet conditions.

I find if you clean the glass once in a while it wont leak.

if its grimy, the water just gets through.

Also DONT USE VASELINE on the seal! - big mistake.

Also DONT USE VASELINE on the seal! - big mistake.

Silicone grease is rubber compatible

Don't use vaseline on condoms either

The problem with this is that you wont get a bonded joint and will have to rely on supergluing the ends together. A superglued joint is not so flexible and wont last long in wet conditions.

This firm do seals that clip into ends creating a seal.

This firm do seals that clip into ends creating a seal.

I'm sorry but i was a sunroof fitter at Tudor Webasto for 15 years, in the early days of glass sunroofs they tried all sorts of methods of joining the rubber seal together and non was permanent until they had the gasket bonded together.