Sunroof leaking down the A-pillar after rain
Water leaks into the cabin down the A-pillar and roof liner because the sunroof drainage tubes are clogged and hard to locate. This leaves owners searching for where the hidden tubes are and how to clear them without obvious access points.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
Sunroof leaking down the A-pillar after rain
- 1Clear out the sunroof drainage tubes.Did this help you?
- 2Pour a glass of water on the closed sunroof to confirm the source of the leak.Did this help you?
- 3pouring water on the outer edge of the sunroof track to replicate the leakDid this help you?
- 4taking off rails and molding to search for drainsDid this help you?
- 5searching online and watching YouTube videos for drain locationsDid this help you?
- 6Fixing it temporarily with help from familyDid this help you?
- 7Ordering a drain cleaner to run through the tubesDid this help you?
- 8Pulling the headliner down to inspect the interior mechanismDid this help you?
- 9Putting a napkin there to absorb the water.Did this help you?
- 10Cleaning out the drainage tubes with soapy water and a long brush.Did this help you?
- 11Taking the car in to have the sunroof glass adjusted.Did this help you?
- 12keep the drains cleanDid this help you?
- 13cut the nipple off the rubber elbow for free flowDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Have the same issue with our 2014 Highlander. Bought from carmax and brought it in (under their warranty) and they adjusted the glass. One corner was kind of low and the other was higher. It still gets some drops but a lot better than before…”source ↗
“Hello there, the car is a 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE with 90,000 miles. I don’t think my drain holes are clogged at all. I think it’s the actual seal holding the glass.”source ↗
“So it won’t leak into my cabin? I’ve been putting a napkin there to absorb the water.”source ↗
“I recently bought a used 2020 Kia Sorento and after the rain we've been getting I discovered that there's a leak in the passenger side of the cabin down the A pillar and behind the passenger sun visor between the roof liner and windshield.”source ↗
“Where do I find them and how do I clear them? I took the rail and molding off but they're not obviously placed”source ↗
“Those rear drains love to clog right at the bottom elbow, mine dumped a puddle into the back seat before I figured it out”source ↗
“Had it happen on one of my Audi's, now the friggin headliner is sagging :(”source ↗
“Where is the water coming out if it's clogged? It's not overflowing the reservoir around the sunroof. Water goes down fine otherwise. But can't find where it comes out.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 9How to fix a leaking skylight after rain
- 22How to temporarily waterproof a damaged roof until replacement
- 131How to fix a leaking water pipe in a tight space
- 30HVAC lineset leaking through the roof
- 32How to find where a roof leak is actually coming from
- 48Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain