[Goal4fun]

I am seeking advice as a very frustrated owner of a 2017 Murano purchased new (29 miles) on 1/30/2018. My car has just over 38k miles on it and very well maintained. On 3/30/20 I took my car in because the driver seat belt always felt wet (and I live in Oregon where it rains ALOT). Dealership found that the sunroof drain hose was kinked & rear drain plugs were plugged. They replaced the parts. Three months later, 7/1/20, my car has standing water in the left side back seat floor. I took my Murano to the same dealership who found grommets clogged & rear hose kinked. This time they had to remove & replace all the carpet in the vehicle. (Dealership neglected to install carpet BEFORE installing seatbelt flor caps & weather stripping in the car, which required yet another trip to them to correct).

Now 5/12/22 I once again have standing water in the left back seat floor. So I take my car to another dealership (no longer confident with 1st dealer). They reported the sunroof drains are plugged & needed to be cleaned & blown out, which cost me $575.

Now 6/11/22 I have water leaking into the left rear hatch and the dealership (same one that serviced it on 5/22/22) will charge $350 just to diagnose, even though it's only been a month since they repaired the leak.

I previously owned a Nissan Altima with a sunroof that I owned for 10 years (living at the same place in OR) & I never had any problems. I also had an Infiniti with a sunroof that never had any leaking issues.

What is wrong with the Nissan design & why am I having to pay so much money to have this design defect resolved? As a consumer, how would I be able to keep the drain tubes free of kinks? Or the grommets from clogging? None of this is listed in my user manual.

I'm so disappointed in the quality of what I thought was a great vehicle. Nissan needs to step up & resolve this and not at my expense.

Any advice?

Thank you.

 

[Kae]

Numerous threads on here about the leaking issue some have experienced. I personally haven‘t experienced it on my 19 but I also never actually use the moonroof other than the occasional opening of the shade. I have however experienced leaking on none Nissan models including the 2019 Buick Enclave. You can try contact Nissan Corporate since you have had this issue addressed multiple times but no guarantee you will get much help. As far as the dealership you went to last to repair and started having the issue again less than a month later…escalate the issue with the manager. It’s possible they don’t count it as the same issue since it sounds like it’s in a different area (although it seems like you’re saying it’s the same side) but you may be able to argue that The original job doesn’t appear to have stopped the leaking and should have some amount of warranty. May not be the case but it won’t hurt to inquire

 

[MuranoSL2003]

Those repairs so far too high for cleaning out the drains. $575 is several hours of labor, that doesn't sound right IMO...

And $350 just for to diagnose after their initial "work" failed -- what the heck!

Do you park under trees? If so, Avoid opening the moonroof until the debris is blown off or removed to avoid it falling into the drains.

I would inspect and clean the moonroof drain trough just under the moveable panel seal on a regular basis as needed to avoid the debris from clogging the drains.

I agree, Nissan should explain this in the owner's manual.

 

[YoGeorge]

This is way too much nonsense for a sunroof and it sounds like the 2nd dealer is either incompetent or a crook, or both.

A friend of mine has an '18 SL with a sunroof and parking it nose-up at his vacation place in Florida in a monsoon filled up his interior with water. The dealer's solution (at his second visit) was to remove the screens/filters on the inlets for the drains, which sounds silly to me in the long run. All I can suggest is to stay very aware of what kind of junk is in your sunroof channels.

As for me, my '18 SL has no sunroof and that is my preference.

 

[YoGeorge]

@Goal4fun, I realize that I did not give you my best suggestion. If you paid dealer #2 $575 to clean the drains, and in a month they were leaking again, it seems to me that they should offer you at least a 90 day warranty on their service work.

What does the work order for the $575 repair say they did? "Cleaning and blowing out" could be something as stupid as pushing a wire thru the drains, and that itself could unseat the drains at their internal connections. And blowing out with compressed air could also blow apart the drains at their connections.

I would be sitting down with the service manager or the general manager of dealer #2 and discussing your issue. The gall to charge you $350 to determine why their original repair did not work is incredible.

If you paid with your charge card for the first repair, I would reverse the charge with the card issuer on the basis of a fraudulent charge, which puts you in a better place to "discuss" the original failed repair. If you paid cash or with a check, small claims court might be in order.

 

[mrmajestik]

I had a leak in my '19 (it was still under warranty but I thought the holes were clogged). Since I'm a cheap bastard Idecided to look into it myself. As you can see from the pictures, this is not a job for the faint-of-heart. There are several panels along the sides that need to come off as well as a ton of electrical connections for various things like lights. Airbags on the "A" pillar need to be minded.
I found a kinked lne (rear passenger side where the leak was) that I believe was there since the car was manufactured. Thanks Nissan! from the above post it sounds like an endemic problem!
Anyway, after doing all that (but before buttoning it up and re-installing anything, I tested the system by pouring water in the drains. I still had leaks. If you look closely at the attached photos you'll note that the inner gutters are open and too much water flow is going to pour over the edges and cause the symptoms above. A heavy rainfall should make little difference as the seams, assuming they're relativelt clean and tight, will not allow enough water to cause an overflow.
BUT, As I watched the water flow I noticed that the drain hoses were not routed in a way that allowed smooth drainage; there was miniscule lessening of the pitch of the hoses that obstructed the flow just enough to cause the problem to recur in spite of my efforts.
Fortunately I was able to re-arrange the lines to add more pitch and the problem has disappeared since. I did this last July and we've had some monsoons.
Hope this helps!

 

[whawks3]

I am seeking advice as a very frustrated owner of a 2017 Murano purchased new (29 miles) on 1/30/2018. My car has just over 38k miles on it and very well maintained. On 3/30/20 I took my car in because the driver seat belt always felt wet (and I live in Oregon where it rains ALOT). Dealership found that the sunroof drain hose was kinked & rear drain plugs were plugged. They replaced the parts. Three months later, 7/1/20, my car has standing water in the left side back seat floor. I took my Murano to the same dealership who found grommets clogged & rear hose kinked. This time they had to remove & replace all the carpet in the vehicle. (Dealership neglected to install carpet BEFORE installing seatbelt flor caps & weather stripping in the car, which required yet another trip to them to correct).

Now 5/12/22 I once again have standing water in the left back seat floor. So I take my car to another dealership (no longer confident with 1st dealer). They reported the sunroof drains are plugged & needed to be cleaned & blown out, which cost me $575.

Now 6/11/22 I have water leaking into the left rear hatch and the dealership (same one that serviced it on 5/22/22) will charge $350 just to diagnose, even though it's only been a month since they repaired the leak.

I previously owned a Nissan Altima with a sunroof that I owned for 10 years (living at the same place in OR) & I never had any problems. I also had an Infiniti with a sunroof that never had any leaking issues.

What is wrong with the Nissan design & why am I having to pay so much money to have this design defect resolved? As a consumer, how would I be able to keep the drain tubes free of kinks? Or the grommets from clogging? None of this is listed in my user manual.

I'm so disappointed in the quality of what I thought was a great vehicle. Nissan needs to step up & resolve this and not at my expense.

Any advice?

Thank you.

I have found this video most helpful in dealing with this. Listen to what the guy is saying. Almost all sunroofs can be prone to this as this is not just a problem limited to Nissans.
How to unclog a sunroof drain

 

[MuranoSL2003]

I have found this video most helpful in dealing with this. Listen to what the guy is saying. Almost all sunroofs can be prone to this as this is not just a problem limited to Nissans.
How to unclog a sunroof drain

The car in the video is filthy, it's no wonder the drain will become clogged at some point...

Car manufactures should clearly document that moonroof drains should be maintained regularly to avoid water leaking into the vehicle, especially when parking under trees.

 

[Goal4fun]

I had a leak in my '19 (it was still under warranty but I thought the holes were clogged). Since I'm a cheap bastard Idecided to look into it myself. As you can see from the pictures, this is not a job for the faint-of-heart. There are several panels along the sides that need to come off as well as a ton of electrical connections for various things like lights. Airbags on the "A" pillar need to be minded.
I found a kinked lne (rear passenger side where the leak was) that I believe was there since the car was manufactured. Thanks Nissan! from the above post it sounds like an endemic problem!
Anyway, after doing all that (but before buttoning it up and re-installing anything, I tested the system by pouring water in the drains. I still had leaks. If you look closely at the attached photos you'll note that the inner gutters are open and too much water flow is going to pour over the edges and cause the symptoms above. A heavy rainfall should make little difference as the seams, assuming they're relativelt clean and tight, will not allow enough water to cause an overflow.
BUT, As I watched the water flow I noticed that the drain hoses were not routed in a way that allowed smooth drainage; there was miniscule lessening of the pitch of the hoses that obstructed the flow just enough to cause the problem to recur in spite of my efforts.
Fortunately I was able to re-arrange the lines to add more pitch and the problem has disappeared since. I did this last July and we've had some monsoons.
Hope this helps!

Wow! Great job on resolving the issue yourself. Unfortunately I'm not handy enough to even attempt something of this nature. It's incredibly disappointing to spend so much money on a car and have this type of repetitive issue. My previous Nissan, with a sunroof, never had this issue. (I had it for 10 years and lived in the same home I do now, so it's not my surroundings causing the problem).

 

[Goal4fun]

I have found this video most helpful in dealing with this. Listen to what the guy is saying. Almost all sunroofs can be prone to this as this is not just a problem limited to Nissans.
How to unclog a sunroof drain

Thank you. I love to learn how things work. 😊

 

[chidog]

Some good info here. Here is my take on this. 1st off bad engineering, design etc. And as we see by the post of the guy taking out most of the interior, your dealer did not do what was necessary to fix the problem. And if the problem is faulty workmanship from the factory all that work should be covered. And it was there fault for not fixing it properly before any warranty time period etc. Faulty workman ship should not have a time limit like a warranty. Why should we have to always pay for the manufactures failure to do it right?
A problem of leaking I ran into. Not on a Nissan but on a Honda HR-V of a family member its a 2017 hmmm problem years huh? Same deal water in left side rear floor, and in the spare tire well in back.
Parked nose down on slight hill in rain. 2 leak points found. I first used black electric tape all around the sun roof to rule it out. 1st leak point was the roof mounted antenna, not sealed correctly and not very tight. 2nd leak point was at the rear in the channel on the roof top, where the seams are that are covered by the plastic or rubber strips, there were small about 1/8 inch holes that were left there and of course that is where the water went. So not only the sun roof drains can be a problem but so can that antenna. A good rule for houses and cars, absolutely no holes in a roof, with no holes then no leaks.
Keep us posted on what else happens with this.

 

[Phil T]

I have been following this thread but no issues so far with my 2018 SV with Premium package. Probably because in the 4 years I have owned it I have only opened the sun roof 2 or 3 times. I do open the sun shade a few times a year but make sure I don't hold the button too long to open the roof.

Am I safe to think if I keep it closed I will not have the issue of junk getting into the tracks?

This is the first car I have ever owned with a sunroof and I really didn't want it, but to get the other stuff I wanted I had to get the package.

 

[Goal4fun]

I have been following this thread but no issues so far with my 2018 SV with Premium package. Probably because in the 4 years I have owned it I have only opened the sun roof 2 or 3 times. I do open the sun shade a few times a year but make sure I don't hold the button too long to open the roof.

Am I safe to think if I keep it closed I will not have the issue of junk getting into the tracks?

This is the first car I have ever owned with a sunroof and I really didn't want it, but to get the other stuff I wanted I had to get the package.

The 2nd dealership told me the drains get plugged from the entry points on the hood of the car. I'm not really sure how that works, but that was their response when I pushed back on how the average car owner would prevent this s from happening. In my non-mechanical opinion it's a very poor design. I've had 4 cars with sunroofs, all while living in the very rainy state of Oregon, & this is the only one I've had leaking issues with.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

The 2nd dealership told me the drains get plugged from the entry points on the hood of the car. I'm not really sure how that works, but that was their response when I pushed back on how the average car owner would prevent this s from happening. In my non-mechanical opinion it's a very poor design. I've had 4 cars with sunroofs, all while living in the very rainy state of Oregon, & this is the only one I've had leaking issues with.

Probably meant the exit points under the windshield cowling where the drains exit. There is a little nub there that can restrict the flow when it becomes clogged, it does look like a bad design...

You can see it @ the 4:24 mark in this video:

 

[Pilgrim]

I agree with @MuranoSL2003 since it would be extremely difficult for water to run uphill from the exit points under the hood to the points in the roof where the problem occurs. According to rumors, gravity still works.

 

[MuranoSL2003]

Not a rumor, it's the law! 😁

 

[chidog]

And if the seal around the sun roof was doing its job there would be no reason those plugged drains would cause a leak. Yes bad engineering. The drains should be a 10mm inside diameter hose that exits under the car.

 

[Goal4fun]

I've found there have been several class action lawsuits against different manufacturers for leaking water into the car, just not one for Nissan.

 

[chidog]

Yes sure is strange that in almost 100 years of building cars that they have not figured out how to build one that 1 won't leak, 2 won't keep out mice. Engineers spend too much time looking at computer screens and less time trying to figure out problems with the cars they design.

 

[MKUltra]

I am seeking advice as a very frustrated owner of a 2017 Murano purchased new (29 miles) on 1/30/2018. My car has just over 38k miles on it and very well maintained. On 3/30/20 I took my car in because the driver seat belt always felt wet (and I live in Oregon where it rains ALOT). Dealership found that the sunroof drain hose was kinked & rear drain plugs were plugged. They replaced the parts. Three months later, 7/1/20, my car has standing water in the left side back seat floor. I took my Murano to the same dealership who found grommets clogged & rear hose kinked. This time they had to remove & replace all the carpet in the vehicle. (Dealership neglected to install carpet BEFORE installing seatbelt flor caps & weather stripping in the car, which required yet another trip to them to correct).

Now 5/12/22 I once again have standing water in the left back seat floor. So I take my car to another dealership (no longer confident with 1st dealer). They reported the sunroof drains are plugged & needed to be cleaned & blown out, which cost me $575.

Now 6/11/22 I have water leaking into the left rear hatch and the dealership (same one that serviced it on 5/22/22) will charge $350 just to diagnose, even though it's only been a month since they repaired the leak.

I previously owned a Nissan Altima with a sunroof that I owned for 10 years (living at the same place in OR) & I never had any problems. I also had an Infiniti with a sunroof that never had any leaking issues.

What is wrong with the Nissan design & why am I having to pay so much money to have this design defect resolved? As a consumer, how would I be able to keep the drain tubes free of kinks? Or the grommets from clogging? None of this is listed in my user manual.

I'm so disappointed in the quality of what I thought was a great vehicle. Nissan needs to step up & resolve this and not at my expense.

Any advice?

Thank you.

I didn't read every response, and have never had the issue with mine, but the glaring issue here, for me anyways, is the dealer. They not only never fixed it properly or advised any remedy but went for the kill...those bills are unacceptable but also not entirely their fault as to why it's happening. Trees and debris are a thing that happens, and suspect that's part of the reason.

Anyways...plenty of good advice, especially with the youtubes.

With all that said, I'd also get on the phone with Nissan USA. I've had great luck with them in the past. Just prepare to be on hold for a bit and just be reasonable when explaining everything in detail, taking notes along the way also. If they agree with what I think is happening, that the dealers just are gouging and never backing up the work, you may have a case for partial or whole reimbursement---those are the best case but sounds like you do have a legitimate case to complain to corporate and they will file a claim or add to a case file.

If you are out of warranty, skip the dealer and find a better shop that has a "Nissan Guy"

Good luck!