The sun is finally shining – and drivers with a panoramic roof will be smiling!
But those upside down frowns could turn to tears unless owners take heed of a warning issued by HallCraft.
Cradley Heath-based HallCraft team have been working more and more on vehicles suffering with a leaking panoramic roof.
From the outside everything looks fine but without regular servicing this thing of beauty can quickly become a nightmare which runs into thousands of pounds in repair costs.
“Glass panoramic sunroofs are a lovely feature, especially when the good weather finally arrives as it has now,” explains HallCraft Director James Hopcraft.
“They let the light in and add a sense of luxury and, let’s be honest, look fantastic.
“But the panoramic roof is not magic, they are not designed to completely seal water out, instead they are supposed to channel that water away.
“They rely on a network of channels and tubes which carry the water away from the roof cassette but, they can become dirty or clogged up with debris and the problems begin.
“Once drainage systems are blocked the water becomes trapped and that can lead to leaks and the need for major repairs.”
HallCraft were contacted by a customer over this exact issue with their Porsche Macan.
It had developed a leak from the panoramic roof which had left the interior soaked.
If caught early drain tubes can be cleared avoiding a complete replacement roof cassette. To do this properly takes time and knowledge of the design.
Unfortunately, this Porsche Macan required the complete panoramic roof cassette replacing, which, was leaking excessively through a manufacturing defect.
The vehicle was with HallCraft for more than two weeks as technicians had to strip the car’s interior to allow it dry before the team replaced modified parts including a new sliding roof cassette.
James, added: “Most drivers may not even notice at first, but what they may notice is condensation inside the car, or a damp smell. Then, before you know it, wet carpets and in some cases electrical faults, all of which are a major job requiring a strip down to rectify.
“If the sunroof cassette itself fails, and leaks, it will require replacing and that is a massive task which should not be tackled by your average garage. It needs specialist equipment and specialist knowledge from the likes of HallCraft’s highly trained technicians.
“You would be amazed how much work is required to undertake such a task – and how long it takes.
“This leak from this particular Porsche panoramic roof mean’t we had to remove its complete interior to dry the carpets. The carpets themselves took two weeks to fully dry.
“Then the new sunroof cassette was installed and tested, the clean and dried carpet was refitted and the interior reinstalled.”
But don’t worry, there is a glimmer of sunshine hope and that is, not all panoramic sunroofs require this detail of work to prevent leaking.
The drainage systems are tiny and it does not take a great deal of debris to see those channels become clogged or blocked, causing water to back-up.
HallCraft now offer a Sunroof Service which includes thoroughly checking and flow testing the drain tubes – which can only be done properly by removing part of the glass.
It is not just the Porsche panoramic roof which is affected, it is the same for VW models including the Touran, Tiguan and Toureg, and Audi models including the Q3 an Q5.
Don’t get caught out, talk to the HallCraft team about your panoramic sunroof whilst the sun is shining. We use genuine parts and have specialist knowledge providing you with a five star service whilst avoiding main dealer prices.
Regular checks and maintenance will ensure your pride and joy remains ready to let the sunshine in and keep the wet weather out.
* Talk to the team at www.hallcraft.co.uk or call us on 01384 561 122.
