VW Tiguan Sunroof Leak Video

The VW Tiguan, Skoda Yeti, and other Volkswagen and Audi Group vehicles are somewhat notorious for their leaking sunroofs.

The video shows Tom doing an interview with the customer where we ask what they have found. He asks about possible electrical problems because many control units are located under the carpets where the water pools.

*This video is made up of clips which we record as part of our inspection and repair process. All the clips are sent to the customer so they are informed of our progress.*

As Tom explains, the main issues with these sunroofs are threefold. Firstly, over time the hoses shrink. This can cause them to pop off their connectors or become constricted because they are taut. 

Secondly, the 'spider trap' at the end of the hose is easily blocked by debris which runs through the system.

Thirdly, sometimes the sunroof cassette can become cracked and leak, although that's not the case on this vehicle. We wouldn't describe this as a common issue, however, comparatively, it is almost unheard of on other brands of vehicle of similar age.

If the cassette is cracked, it can be repaired, although if it is badly warped, it will need replacement.

Other brands of vehicle also suffer the problem with the drainage pipes shrinking, however, this they tend to last longer than VW-Audi pipes. Our solution is to replace them with a better quality pipe, meaning we have to make up the sets ourselves.

We find that leaks tend to appear in most makes of vehicles at around the 8-year mark -- on VWs it can occur at around 5 years, which is still outside the 3-year warranty.

The issue of the spider-trap is slightly different. Any sun roof can become blocked at any time, depending on the nature of the debris falling into the sunroof. If you park under a pine tree, you are asking for trouble. However, the spider-trap on Tiguan does seem to be particularly prone to blockages and so can become blocked at any time within the car's life.

In some countries, VW clean the drains as part of servicing, but we are unsure if this is common in the UK. We would recommend regular checking and cleaning sunroof drains on any vehicle, especially if you park under trees.

As debris from trees is far more of a problem than spiders in the UK, our solution to this problem is to modify the spider-trap, cutting away the grate so it can sluice more freely.

Unfortunately, what most people miss, is that the real problem is the water in the car. These fixes will stop it getting in, but once your footwells are full of water, they need to be dried; otherwise you will suffer from mould, mildew, costly electrical problems and corrosion.