Question Sunroof Drains - Driver Floorboard Wet - Dashlights on

[Geechee]

Have a 06 Highlander - last few rains have left the driver floorboard soaked and when started electrical problems all over - no door locks, no A/C (fan worked), airbag light on, power windows dead except for driver window. First time, most of the dash warning lights stayed on. After a few days of drying out, things went back to normal. Thinking water may be getting to the fuse box in front of driver's left knee and shorting things out?

Having researched some posts, many state that this can be attributed to clogged sunroof (4) drains. I found the front two, not sure about the others. Also, where do these drains come out on a Highlander? Are there tubes in the pillars?

Thanks, Geech
Mt. Pleasant, SC

[cheapskate]

Cant say for sure about Highlander but I build Corolla and Matrix. You are probably correct. There should be 4 tubes. Back ones run from the roof down the rear quarters and drain either inside or outside the rear quarters. Should be some black rubber` grommets with tube shaped ends about half an inch long sticking out. Should be easy to see just crawling underneath. Fronts run down the a pillars and drain through front quarter with no grommets. You might be able to pop off the A pillar garnishes from inside the passenger compartment between the windshield and front windows to see them. Not sure if you have to pop the headliner down to see where the fit to the sunroof. Usually there is just a spring clamp holding them on. You can usaully open the sunroof and run a little bit of water along the drainage trough to follow the path and find the clog. I have heard that sometimes just the end of the tubes are clogged and can be an easy fix. Good luck.

[LifeTech]

The SR drain lines in question (4 of them), are clear tubing. They are visible underneath the HL as described above. Hopefully one of the drains are blocked because it is a best case easiest fix to clear them. The rear drains are difficult to see as the SR in any position blocks its view.

But from my experience if one of them is blocked , yu usually see moisture buildup at the SR headliner area first. Yu didn't observe this as your post indicates. This may be a sign that it is not the SR Drains as the cause.

Question: Was/is your HL parked level when it leaks?
If not, is it pitched front low or high?

Reason is that it may be a sign that the leak could be traveling from the rear to the front and just may even be a leaking drivers side tail light. Even this distance from the back may cause water to travel to the front, and it would be the wiring harness alonthe drivers side floof that gets wet and this is where your lights and non function locks etc would result.

I mention the rear tail light assembly possibly leaking only because this has been a problem in the past with the 01-07 HL's.

Removal of the carpet areas along the drivers side or even the left side front would be a good start.

But if yu remove the rear floor by the tail gate area (corners) behind the Tails there will be water just to the bottom and behind. This water can build up and then travel all the way to the front even as yu drive.


Just some pointers.

Get back

LT

[edwardh1]

IS your car parked inside or outside? Muddy roars? Park under trees etc

[Geechee]

Sorry,late getting back to the post. Car is outside - large oak over driveway. Lots of leaves and sticks drop on the cars. Drive slopes away from house so front end is a bit higher than the rear. Have not noticed any stains on headliner. I did clear out a lot of leaves in the fender panels behind the front tires (right behind mud flaps). Also tried to clear front tubes with coat hangar - later saw a post that weedeater line works well - need to try that. Seems to have helped altho driver's carpet was damp after recent rain. Any other thoughts? Thanks for the responses. Geech

[cheapskate]

Could you pour water down each drain one at a time an just see which ones drain and which ones dont?