Hello

My 2001 Octavia Elegance (estate with sunroof) is leaking inside. This shows as a damp patch on the headlining where it meets the plastic trim on the A pillar on the passenger side.

I posted this question a few months ago on Briskoda and it was suggested that it would probably be the sunroof drains. This would make sense as the damp area is close to where the plastic drain pipe runs before it goes down the A pillar. I have checked the drain - it seems clear and water runs out of the drain near the door hinges. I have clipped off part of the end of the drain (at the door hinges) to let the water flow more freely and this dislodged some grit. There is no sign of the drain pipe leaking between the sunroof and the A pillar. I have surrounded the pipe in sealing compound just to be sure.

The car had a replacement windcreen at some stage, so I thought a leaky seal might be allowing water in. I got a new windscreen fitted and the guys that did the work made sure the screen was sealed properly. They found no problem with the previous windscreen seal! This didn't help the leak.

I have also checked the bolts that hold the roof rails and there is no sign of dampness around them. I've also put sealing compound around them. The only area where there is any dampness is right at the top corner of the windscreen.

So, I have tried everything I can think of, and the leak still persists. Some of the VW forums show that this was a problem with 2001 mk 4 Golfs with sunroofs, but this seems to get fixed in most cases by clearing the sunroof drains.

One other thing - on the drivers side, the sunroof drain seems to be disconnected at some point - it doesn't exit the body at the door hinges. But there are no leaks at this side! Pouring water down this drain doesn't seem to cause a leak anywhere. I have even considered blocking up the drain holes at the sunroof, but I think this might cause more problems!

Can anyone suggest anything else to try - I'm at my wits end!!

Thanks

Scott

Hi mate,

Have you ever used a roof rack? as I have had the same problem as you but both corners of the windscreen leaking in again my car also had a new windscreen but didnt cure, i had skoda look at this and they replaced the sunroof seal which didnt help.

Anyway after removing all the headlining they found that the rivots under the roof rail gutters were cracked and they felt it was down to a previous keeper having a heavy roof rack on the car at some point and it causing strain on the rivots. This then runs inside and collects at the top of the a pillar and gives the similar symptom of blocked drains.

In the end I couldnt fix it due to costs involved as the car would of needed to go into a body shop, I just filled in the roof rails completly and this stopped the leaks...but before doing this consider that you will never be able to have a roof rack on the car again and also to make sure that this is what is causing the problem, The way I checked was with the headlining out took the car to a jet wash and blasted the water down the roof rail gutters after removing the plastic trim on both sides.

It did my head in at the time but just thought I would let you know what I found on mine causing the same symptoms as yours...

Hope this helps.

Hello

I have also checked the bolts that hold the roof rails and there is no sign of dampness around them. I've also put sealing compound around them. The only area where there is any dampness is right at the top corner of the windscreen.

I take it you have observed this with the headlining removed, You need to sit in the car and get someone to jet wash the roof gutters again with the black trims removed and you should see it, It will only look like a silly amount but you should see something if its coming in via the roof rail gutters which im almost certain it is as the water getting in from here will run down and gather at the a pillar..

Edited 7 January, 201016 yr by justinbarrow

Hi - thanks for your suggestions. Seems like you had the same problem as I have, so it does sound like the roof rail gutters. How does the plastic trim along the roof rail gutters come off? Is it possible to prise off? I'm hoping to do this then add some sealant if I can find where its leaking. When you say you filled in the roof rails completely, do you mean you removed them and filled the holes? I was thinking if the gutter could be sealed properly around the rails then they would still be useable?

Thanks again for your help - this gives me one last try at getting rid of the leak.

Hi mate,

Have you ever used a roof rack? as I have had the same problem as you but both corners of the windscreen leaking in again my car also had a new windscreen but didnt cure, i had skoda look at this and they replaced the sunroof seal which didnt help.

Anyway after removing all the headlining they found that the rivots under the roof rail gutters were cracked and they felt it was down to a previous keeper having a heavy roof rack on the car at some point and it causing strain on the rivots. This then runs inside and collects at the top of the a pillar and gives the similar symptom of blocked drains.

In the end I couldnt fix it due to costs involved as the car would of needed to go into a body shop, I just filled in the roof rails completly and this stopped the leaks...but before doing this consider that you will never be able to have a roof rack on the car again and also to make sure that this is what is causing the problem, The way I checked was with the headlining out took the car to a jet wash and blasted the water down the roof rail gutters after removing the plastic trim on both sides.

It did my head in at the time but just thought I would let you know what I found on mine causing the same symptoms as yours...

Hope this helps.

The roof rail gutter plastic covers prise off but you have to be careful not to snap them as i think there are 3 blocks each side where they clip onto, its near these blocks you have to be gentle. I wonder how many other octavias suffer from this roof rail leak issue.

I've put some sealant around where the front part of the roof rail joins the gutter. I'll see if this helps - if not I might have to try to take the trim off. I've never used a roofrack on the car, but I've only owned it for 2 years.

Thanks

Help again!

I have sealed the area on the gutter where the front of the roof rail joins the roof. This hasn't fixed the leak.

Does this mean I'll have to take the plastic trim next to the gutter off to see if I can find exactly where the water's getting in??

Thanks

Have you dropped the headlining down in the area around the leak?

It may be that the metal tube has rusted through or become dislodged from the hole in the roof. Might be worth checking if you haven't already.

Also the plastic tube may be only partially attached or split allowing some water to drain out to the ground and some to leak out inside the car.

Have you dropped the headlining down in the area around the leak?

It may be that the metal tube has rusted through or become dislodged from the hole in the roof. Might be worth checking if you haven't already.

Also the plastic tube may be only partially attached or split allowing some water to drain out to the ground and some to leak out inside the car.

Yes have pulled back the headlining - no sign of leak from plastic sunroof drain pipe. Haven't seen the metal tube you mention though. The water is appearing right at the top corner of the headlining. how do I find the metal tube?

thanks

If you can see the plastic tube above the headlining, follow it back towards the sun roof. At some point it must join with the metal pipe in the roof.

Sorry I can't be more help as I've never actually looked for this in an Octavia, and my recollection from my old MkII GTI is a bit hazy.

I've FIXED the leak in my Octy!

Water was getting in near the top of the A pillar, under the black trim that runs along the sides of the windscreen. There is a double skinned part in the steel of the A pillar, and water was coming off the windscreen, under the trim and into a small U shaped area in the inner skin. The water was then soaking the top of the A pillar and onto the headlining.

I've filled the U shape with Araldite and there has been no water inside the car since!! That was three weeks ago!!

I wonder if this was caused when the car had its first replacement windcreen before I bought it. Maybe there should be a rubber grommet where I've filled??

Thanks for all the suggestions.

cheers

Picture?

My 2010 Octy has been misting since I bought it new and started leaking recently - water running into the boot. Looks like it runs down the C pillars from the roof rails (Estate) - I've used paper tissue to track where the water comes out. Luckily the Octy is still under warranty.

I use a bike rack (18kg) with 2 adult bikes (2*12kg) and 1 child bike (8kg). Skoda support the TDF and the team cars have 7 bikes.

I'm not liking the sound of body shop - Octy is going in this weekend for diagnosis.

I'll let you know how I get on.

seems a number of leaking Octavia's lately.

I fixed mine too which was leaking roof channel on this thread

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/243898-help-leak-in-boot-and-cant-find-fault/

Maybe we should set up Leak hot post.

Gone for repair yesterday - seems the aerial is coming loose - mechanic wiggled it from side to side and there is a gap in the seal and lots of water coming out.

It's under warranty which is good - on Monday he is starting to strip the headlining to get at the aerial mount.

On an estate, you can easily get to the aerial mount without having to drop the headlining....