Sunroof leaking oil?

[ashesford]

Hi all,

Brand new to the forums. I read a bunch of threads about sunroof problems but didn't see anything quite like this, so I thought I would post.

My wife just purchased a 2004 limited explorer. Everything seems to be in great shape, but there seems to be oil leaking from the sunroof around the dome light and sunroof control button. I don't know if maybe the dealer had just reworked or oiled the sunroof and the excess is running off or we have a drain line plugged and the rain is forcing the oil out? There is not enough to actually form a drip, but it does get on your fingers when you press one of the buttons and seems to come back after being wiped up. So how much oil is or should be used in the sunroof system?

Thanks

 

[gsmaclean]

Hi all,

Brand new to the forums. I read a bunch of threads about sunroof problems but didn't see anything quite like this, so I thought I would post.

My wife just purchased a 2004 limited explorer. Everything seems to be in great shape, but there seems to be oil leaking from the sunroof around the dome light and sunroof control button. I don't know if maybe the dealer had just reworked or oiled the sunroof and the excess is running off or we have a drain line plugged and the rain is forcing the oil out? There is not enough to actually form a drip, but it does get on your fingers when you press one of the buttons and seems to come back after being wiped up. So how much oil is or should be used in the sunroof system?

Thanks

To my knowledge, there isn't ANY oil used in the sunroof system. A bit of lithium grease on the slide mechanisms, but that's it. I'd pull that center overhead console and the headliner down and have a look to see where the oil is coming from.

 

[gijoecam]

Ditto. Pull it out and see what's happening.

My bet is that the place that did the detailing got a little over-zealous with the Armor-All and soaked the switch/console area with it. You're just getting the excess on your finger. Pop the switch out, spray it out with some compressed air and see if that solves it.

 

[ashesford]

Looks like that is what it was. I opened it up and wiped out the excess oil or whatever it was they were using. Checked everything else again and looked clean so I am guessing the detail guy must have really poured it on heavy in that area and it got into the overhead panel somehow. So I guess this one was a false alarm, but thanks for the help!


**guess I should have opened up the WHOLE console, and not just the dome light cover**

 

[ashesford]

Think I was wrong...

I thought I had this problem solved and fixed. It looks like temperature may have been why the problem went away. Over the winter and colder months the wife has always put the explorer in the garage so it rarely had any rain or melting snow on the sunroof. Now that the weather is much warmer and she has let it stay outside a few nights our problem has returned. I did some more investigating and took some pictures this time. Here is what I think that the problem is.

I think that someone put extra grease or a different kind of grease in the sunroof rail system. This grease is getting hot enough that it is liquifying and running down into the dome light. At first I though that water was getting into the rails and mixing with the grease before running into the light but it has not rained for 2 weeks and the light has filled up again after I drained it last weekend. And now there is a chunk of something in there too. The temp would also explain why we didn't really see this problem in the winter, the stuff never melted so it could drip into the light.

I am wondering if I were to clean out the rails and fill a couple holes with some weatherall caulk if that would solve the problem. I will attach some pictures. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Dome light
http://tinypic.com/r/6icm07/5

Rail system
http://tinypic.com/r/24ydd8j/5

Clear water tray
http://tinypic.com/r/zlryc0/5

I think the grease is getting in through the square hole right in front of the curve in the rail system, in the 2nd picture. These are the holes I think I should fill with sealant. I have checked the water draining system and it works fine. It is a bit dusty in the tray area but there are no obstructions or clogs.

Thanks,

 

[ashesford]

way off base

so appearantly the previous owner must have let the vehicle sit for a long time. An I would guess in a garage or someplace near dogfood and paintballs. I started to clean out the Dome light cover again and I found a piece of dogfood. This really puzzled me so I opened up the center console all the way. What I found shocked the crap out of me.

pried open a little bit
http://tinypic.com/r/2dshksx/5

opened most of the way
http://tinypic.com/r/ixscjb/5

removed
http://tinypic.com/r/el5eme/5

I guess that is the chance you take when buying used. So it wasn't grease after all, it was paintball paint, which is kinda greasy. I'm kinda glad I don't need to do any major work to the sunroof, but now I'm pretty grossed out about the vehicle in general. Who knows if there are more stashes in the vehicle.

 

[jad2411]

Hahahahaha sorry man but this was just too funny not to laugh
Poor little guy must have been so disapointed when they sold "his" truck

 

[zerodevil]

omg...i think id be paying this dudes mail box a visit with said items in a "bag"...and a "polite" note about taking care of a vehicle..especialy one you intend to sell...lol, sorry about your luck man, i have to admit though, that is quite humorious.

 

[94 explorer xlt]

thats messed up but glad you founf the problem

 

[Jd0gg919]

Thats wild man lol. Those items should definately be returned to sender.

 

[ashesford]

The bad part is that I bought the vehicle from a dealership. They obviously did not check to see what was causing the drip either.

That had to be super mouse to haul all that stuff up there!

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

omg

 

[Paraphoe]

HAHA! That is amazing!! Mice are hilarious!

 

[Navajo_powah]

????... thats the weirdst thing ive seen in a wile

 

[kamikaze_fish]

I think I would take those pictures and go to the dealer. Explain to them you would like the vehicle gone through.

Gotta say though, this gave me the laugh I needed today!