yeti Leaking Panoramic Roof - The Cause and the Cure

[Stubod]

If I was buying again I for one would not have one with a pan roof given the potential problems reported above, which is a shame as otherwise the 1.4 petrol awd is a really good compromise. I have had mine back after the pipes have been glued on. Interesting that they found one of the drain pipes had been fixed too tightly when the cable ties had been over- tightened resulting in the pipe being squeezed thus reducing the area and restricting the water flow.  Probably explains why on a couple of odd occasions during really heavy rainfall a few drips have appeared near the bottom of the a pillar!

 

I never open the roof, but it is nice to have the extra light coming in! Would be interesting to get the actual numbers of roofs that fail. Like most things on forums, you only tend to hear of the failures.... bit like the auto dsg boxes...probably made millions across all the various cars they are fitted to?

 

[Stubod]

7 minutes ago, ClimbingPaul said:

JR

Personally I will never buy another car with a pano sunroof if I can possibly avoid it. To add insult to injury, mine developed an annoying clunk about 6 months into the leak saga. Plus they weigh a lot , and I never open it anyway!

The trouble nowadays is that any similar replacement cars above the basic spec all seem to have them. And what I’ve learned in the last year is that a warranty gives you very little useful protection. You are at the mercy of your local main dealer, and if like mine they are fairly incompetent, you can end up driving a courtesy car for weeks/months on end, with endless hassle. 

Incidentally I sent them a copy of the report last week, and they are attempting the sealant repair, so possibly my personal saga might be coming to an end. But I’m trying not to build up my hopes too much.

End of rant!!!

 

 

Ironic that I have been looking at a replacement and quite fancy the Suzuki Vitara. But sods law, the spec I would want has a pan roof as standard! Can't find any issues reported for Suzuki, but then their forums are not as well contributed to as this one! A mate has a Nissan Kumquat which (I think) has a fixed glass roof....shame Skoda don't make a retro fit solid glass roof replacement...

[kenfowler3966]

I tried to order the L&k when I wanted to get one of the last Yeti's only to be told they had stopped taking anymore orders for that model the day before. At £500 more than the SEL drive it seemed a bargain. However I went ahead and ordered tbe SEL drive with a few desirable extras, which woud have been extras on the L&K anyway and now think I have dodged the bullet of almost certain leakage issues. Personally think my car, which came off the production line in the last month of production, is a better choice with nicer interior seat colour anyway.

When would you open one of these roofs anyway? In the summer air conditioning is better, no buffeting and filtered air coming into the car. Even opening the blind can be unpleasant if the sun is in the wrong position.

I have had a soft top Spitfire in the 1970's, and a Capri with folding roof in the 1980's but with air conditioning and heavy pollution along roads it is just out of time now. It is a hangover from early uk company cars culture where a sunroof was the managers status symbol in the higher model as standard, as you coudn't order a car with extras fitted.

[J.R.]

I had had factory glass tilt & slide sunroofs in Sierras, my Galaxy and Alhambra with never a leak or any problem, they really were well engineered but if memory serves me right were all manually operated, I have mechanical sympathy so can feel when things are tightening up & lubricate, I never force something, some are brutish and hamfisted so for them an electric sunroof is a better option.

 

My Octavia 1 had an electric mechanism which was problematic the supplying dealer had reset the limit switches after the PO had problems meaning it would only partially open, I took the thing apart & refixed the bit of plastic that was obstructing it.

 

Trouble is when it was fully open there would be buffeting unless the rear windows were partially unwound, the deflector only worked up to a certain speed, as a consequence it got little use even for the 10 years that I could not afford to fix the aircon, I did like to open the blind and let the sun in.

 

Now having vision problems and wearing glasses I think I would be troubled by rfelections of light coming in from above, the instrument binnacle is well hooded but the head unit screen which I use for shatnav is very difficult for me to read when sunlight falls on it.

 

For me the one time attraction of a glass sunroof has passed.

[Stubod]

1 hour ago, kenfowler3966 said:

I tried to order the L&k when I wanted to get one of the last Yeti's only to be told they had stopped taking anymore orders for that model the day before. At £500 more than the SEL drive it seemed a bargain. However I went ahead and ordered tbe SEL drive with a few desirable extras, which woud have been extras on the L&K anyway and now think I have dodged the bullet of almost certain leakage issues. Personally think my car, which came off the production line in the last month of production, is a better choice with nicer interior seat colour anyway.

When would you open one of these roofs anyway? In the summer air conditioning is better, no buffeting and filtered air coming into the car. Even opening the blind can be unpleasant if the sun is in the wrong position.

I have had a soft top Spitfire in the 1970's, and a Capri with folding roof in the 1980's but with air conditioning and heavy pollution along roads it is just out of time now. It is a hangover from early uk company cars culture where a sunroof was the managers status symbol in the higher model as standard, as you coudn't order a car with extras fitted.

 

I think you made the right choice! I am still thinking about changing mine, (ref recent Arona thread), however when all is said and done I really like the Yeti. It drives really well, it is practical (ref rear seat removal), relatively economical, (particularly as mine is also awd). I also like all the extras, (don't mind the brown leather). I am also still considering an Arona, and the Vitara also appeals, (unfortunately the high spec comes with a pan roof as standard). However I am also considering the latest 1.2 SEL drive as an option, assuming I can find a good one! I would also like an auto for the next car, but does that just swap a potential pan roof problem for a dsg problem?....From previous posts I also note that the quoted 1.2 mpg is similar / potential worse than my 1.4? 

I have been looking at some SEL drives on Autotrader and they seem to be holding their price really well (circa £15k), but I guess would be outside any warranty, compared to a new Arona from carwow for another few grand but with the benefit of at least 3 years (hopefully) haggle free warranty?

Edited 18 January, 2020 by Stubod

[elisetype25]

Research suggests this particular issue, on this scale, applies to VAG cars. It wouldn't put me off a panoramic roof altogether, some manufacturers can do this properly, but I certainly wouldn't buy a VAG car with it again. It would appear that this roof design has been around, and causing problems, for far more years than it should have been.

 

In terms of when to use the roof and how often, the main convenience feature of these cars is that you don't have to even press a button in order to enjoy the elements. It brings the outdoors indoors even when closed, I think they call it a lifestyle choice 🙄

 

8 applications of tolleys so far, still flowing into the afflicted area, this may take some time........

 

I'm applying on both sides. The main issue was NSF and this can be seen by the speed at which the sealer gets drawn into the gap. Although we have no evidence of the leak OSF, there was definitely draw on that side as well, although not on the same scale. Suspect it would have been when rather than if the problem appeared here. Hopefully, the tolleys will do the job. 

 

Either way I'll report back for the benefit of the group.

 

N

[br00n1e]

another option for preventing leaking  sunroof could be to get whole roof wrapped in clear vinyl, then  when you sell/trade get wrap removed 

[Stubod]

1 hour ago, br00n1e said:

another option for preventing leaking  sunroof could be to get whole roof wrapped in clear vinyl, then  when you sell/trade get wrap removed 

..I had thought about this option, and even considered clear Gorilla tape. I have only opened my roof a couple of times since I had it, and that was at the request of MOH...I am not that bothered....wonder what the cost and practicality of this would be? Also would it be safest to remove the fuse / disable the pan roof opening control in some way?

[malcvtr]

I was going to apply the cure, but the sunroof on my wife's 62reg Yeti looks different. See pic. What am I getting wrong? Thanks. 

[Senoj2]

On 21/02/2018 at 14:07, United232 said:

This article describes locating and rectifying a catastrophic water leak into the nearside passenger compartment of a six year old Škoda Yeti, which had a standard-fit panoramic sunroof.

 

• The leak was traced to the NSF corner of the sunroof by removing the top of the NSF door seal and the NSF screen pillar trim.
• Subsequent removal of the headlining and testing of the sunroof showed the cause to be failure of the seal between the aluminium channel forming the nearside of the sunroof frame, and the plastic channel forming the front of the sunroof frame.
• The sunroof was removed from the car in order to run a penetrating sealer vertically down into the defective join, using a syringe and needle. Upon re-fitting the sunroof, the remediation was found to be successful, however the corresponding join on the offside front had been compromised, presumably because of the mechanical trauma inflicted on the structure during re-fitting.
• The offside join was subsequently sealed successfully with the sunroof in-situ, using the same method.
• Experience showed that (once correctly identified) a repair could have been effected without any dismantling, although the seats, carpet and underlay were subsequently removed in order to dry them properly.

 

The full story, together with annotated images is in the attached pdf document. If you're suffering with the same problem, I hope you'll find it of help. Please post any comments or questions.

Yeti Panoramic Roof Leak.pdf 912.04 kB · 363 downloads

 

On 21/02/2018 at 14:07, United232 said:

This article describes locating and rectifying a catastrophic water leak into the nearside passenger compartment of a six year old Škoda Yeti, which had a standard-fit panoramic sunroof.

 

• The leak was traced to the NSF corner of the sunroof by removing the top of the NSF door seal and the NSF screen pillar trim.
• Subsequent removal of the headlining and testing of the sunroof showed the cause to be failure of the seal between the aluminium channel forming the nearside of the sunroof frame, and the plastic channel forming the front of the sunroof frame.
• The sunroof was removed from the car in order to run a penetrating sealer vertically down into the defective join, using a syringe and needle. Upon re-fitting the sunroof, the remediation was found to be successful, however the corresponding join on the offside front had been compromised, presumably because of the mechanical trauma inflicted on the structure during re-fitting.
• The offside join was subsequently sealed successfully with the sunroof in-situ, using the same method.
• Experience showed that (once correctly identified) a repair could have been effected without any dismantling, although the seats, carpet and underlay were subsequently removed in order to dry them properly.

 

The full story, together with annotated images is in the attached pdf document. If you're suffering with the same problem, I hope you'll find it of help. Please post any comments or questions.

Yeti Panoramic Roof Leak.pdf 912.04 kB · 363 downloads

 

[Senoj2]

I have been investigating a leak as described for weeks with no joy.  Followed the instructions in your post and no more leak.

thanks for all your help!!!

[malcvtr]

Yep, my problem is that the join/gap identified in the original instructions doesn't appear to be present on my wife's car. 

[elisetype25]

You need to unscrew the wind deflector and pull it back to see and access the offending joint

 

Regards Neil

[elisetype25]

I'm 12 applications in, Tolley's still going in.... still leaking at the moment....

 

N

[malcvtr]

1 hour ago, elisetype25 said:

You need to unscrew the wind deflector and pull it back to see and access the offending joint

 

Regards Neil

 

Thanks Neil. Is it an easy removal for the wind reflector?

[malcvtr]

2 hours ago, elisetype25 said:

I'm 12 applications in, Tolley's still going in.... still leaking at the moment....

 

N

Am I getting this wrong? It looks like a different gap in the original poster’s document...

 

 

[moris]

18 minutes ago, malcvtr said:

Am I getting this wrong? It looks like a different gap in the original poster’s document...

 

 

 

^^^

Same with me, I have applied tolley several times, without success. Today it is raining and have water in both sides from the roof.  I will try to get access/view  from below and see exact egress point/s.

 

Cheers

George

 

 

[malcvtr]

28 minutes ago, moris said:

 

^^^

Same with me, I have applied tolley several times, without success. Today it is raining and have water in both sides from the roof.  I will try to get access/view  from below and see exact egress point/s.

 

Cheers

George

 

 

 

It's a bloomin' nightmare, George... Good luck with your search.

[elisetype25]

Now someone else has done all the hard work in identifying the fault, it's pretty obvious when you know where to look.

 

Tolley's is stated as forming a flexible bond and bit needs to be!

 

Malcvtr - removal of the deflector is easy. Remove the screws along the front edge and flip back. You can then access the problem area.

 

The extent of the design flaw is easy to gauge. Standing on the kick plate looking at the joint, simply press on headlining from underneath and watch how the joint flexes. It's quite shocking.

 

For me, it's significantly worse on the passenger side. This is also seen in the extend of the leak and amount of sealer apples so far. 

 

I still feel that the Tolley's will work but it is a case of small layered applications to build up a flexible seal. Time will tell, keep you posted.

 

N

 

 

[United232]

Hi All

 

As the original poster, I've had quite a few people contact me over the last couple of years, enquiring as to the effectiveness of the repair.

 

Happily I can confirm that after two years, ~16,000 miles and a couple of ... let's face it ... pretty testing winters, the vehicle remains 100% dry inside. Not even any condensation on the glass in the coldest of conditions. And that's what I'd expect, given the properties of the sealer used, and the way in which it was applied.

 

There is one point I may have failed to make absolutely clear though, and it's likely to be where the odd one or two may have fallen down. And @moris, with respect I can see you're heading that way too. The sealer is a water-based material, and so it remains vulnerable until it's cured. If you apply it to a wet environment, or an environment which is irrigated, it will ... at the risk of stating the bleedin' obvious ... just get washed out. It is therefore imperative that the repair site is absolutely dry, and remains that way until the sealer has cured. I know that's going to prove a challenge if you can't get the vehicle indoors, dry the affected area properly* and keep it that way for the duration of the remediation process.

 

It's an irony that these things come to light only in the conditions that are most adverse to effecting their repair. If you're really stuck with it though, you could consider taping up the roof gap (as many have said), and postponing the repair until the better weather is here. Just be careful that any tape you use comes off after a few months (unlike masking tape) and doesn't bring any paint or lacquer with it. Oh, and it's waterproof! 

 

* When it comes to drying the affected area, probably the worst way of doing this in these damp conditions is to used forced warm air - the warm air will merely absorb more and more moisture until it finds a cold object on which to condense. And that'll be the aluminium channel you're trying to seal.

 

Good luck and better weather!

[malcvtr]

2 hours ago, elisetype25 said:

Malcvtr - removal of the deflector is easy. Remove the screws along the front edge and flip back. You can then access the problem area.

 

Ah, excellent. Just a flip back makes sense. Thanks. I’ll take a look tomorrow.

 

[Senoj2]

Just to let you know that after following the directions under dry conditions I can report that the leak front off side has been completely fixed.  Thanks for your help.

[moris]

Good news for you

 

Some observations, water is  coming in the roof mainly from outside canal, and then into the ingress point,  @United232 had put very nice description and pictures. nothing more to add. Removing white arch plastic covers /direction is up and then push inside, there are instructions on internet/ will help you observing actual situation . With arch plastics water is going directly and hidden under front seat carpets, which is not very nice.

 

 Thank you,  @United232 and others, i tried without success, will wait for dry conditions. Even on no rain conditions , in the morning there is water on the roof and it is impossible to dry. Now we have snow, so waiting for better weather or if i could find warm park place in the winter.

 

I have consulted with car folio store and now i am using scratch transparent folio for the roof. I bought  long roll and then cut 4-5cm, 1/2 m2 is enough for all lines. Folio is flexible and will be  be removed with help of hot air later.

 

Cheers

George

[ClimbingPaul]

My car was with the dealer over Christmas for the sixth time in the last year, to attempt to fix the leak under warranty. At the previous visit they had fitted a new complete sunroof assembly, and it still leaked at the front offside position. So at the latest visit they had replaced the two front hoses with new (as an act of desperation), which made no difference. At this point I sent them a copy of united232’s report, which they agreed to follow. True to form, they didn’t follow the instructions properly. Instead they used a thicker silicone type sealant, smeared onto the surface of the outer channel, which bridges over the joint. This isn’t very neat, but it seems to have worked - so far at least. The door pillar trim is removed to make it easier to spot any drips if any water does get through. It was dry after the storm last weekend, which was a pretty tough test. So even though I doubt that the dealers repair will be long lasting, I believe it proves that the joint was the point of ingress in my case. I will carry out a better repair when the weather gets warmer and drier, and am already armed and ready with captain tolleys and syringes!

I have a question for ‘232 or anyone else who has carried out the repair. Can you inject all of the sealant via the joint in inner channel only? Or do you need to also inject sealant into the joint in the outer channel, to achieve a complete fill? Access to the outer channel is much more awkward, and the muppets at my dealer have covered the surface of this area in silicon sealant , which I would need to remove...

Sorry about the long ramble, but hopefully I’m getting close to the end of this saga!

Thanks again for the great advice and feedback 

Paul

 

[Stubod]

8 hours ago, moris said:

.....

I have consulted with car folio store and now i am using scratch transparent folio for the roof. I bought  long roll and then cut 4-5cm, 1/2 m2 is enough for all lines. Folio is flexible and will be  be removed with help of hot air later.

 

Cheers

George

Hi Moris, would be interested to see how you get on with this? How much did it cost?

 

Did you consider just getting a piece slightly larger than the profile of the sun roof and applying it as a single sheet?

 

I had a slight leak on mine (front passenger side), which only occurred a couple of times of really heavy rain. Got it checked out and found that the drain pipe on that quarter had been "pinched" by the fixing cable ties and was reducing the area of flow. Now fixed and seems fine, but thinking of going around the perimeter of the sunroof with clear Gorrilla tape "just in case" as I like the extra light the pan roof gives but not bothered about opening it.