95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Sunroof leak -> mildewy headliner

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Old 03-30-2010 | 08:35 AM
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From: Boston, MA area
Sunroof leak -> mildewy headliner

I have been battling a leaky sunroof for quite a while and the torrential rains here in New England over the last couple of weeks have really overloaded my ghetto leak fix. I now have some awful brownish mildew/mold stains forming on the interior of my headliner.
The issue of permanently fixing the leak aside, can anyone recommend a cleaning solution that will kill the mildew and is safe on the headliner?
Old 03-30-2010 | 04:53 PM
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The mildew will die once the water stops coming in. I would try a carpet cleaning spray for the stains. Oh and, Go Red Sox!!
Old 03-30-2010 | 05:14 PM
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Put wide tape over it from the outside. It should be airtight as the space shuttle. What was your ghetto fix?
Old 03-31-2010 | 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by DailyDrive
Put wide tape over it from the outside. It should be airtight as the space shuttle. What was your ghetto fix?
That's what I should have done for the winter.
In my case, the seal/gasket that surrounds the glass itself had loosened and apparently has separated from the glass. Water seeps through this gasket and dripped down into the cabin. it used to make neat little pools in my cupholders.
If you search all the threads in these forums, you will get the stock answer -"leakage is normal, that's why there are drip channels, clean out the drip channels". That is the correct advice if in fact your channels are clogged. Mine were not.
The "fix" found in a few threads here and elsewhere is to superglue the seam on the glass surround. This fix probably works in the south where water getting between the glass and seal will not freeze and expand.
My ghetto fix was to run a smear of clear silicone on the bottom of the front seam leaving a little lip that directs the water droplets to drip forward into the drip tray just a bit past the headliner. The water still comes through the glass, it just drips into the tray and out the channels. That is until recently.
We have had the wettest March on record (about 15" of rain in the last two weeks, most of that in two 36 hour storms) and I am getting wet spots through my headliner all around the edges of the sunroof. I will post gruesome pics soon.
I obviously want to kill the mildew with some kind of bleach, but I also don't want to leave my headliner looking tie-dyed.
It is baffling to me how the water is getting to my headliner. I will have to go back and study the parts diagram for the sunroof system.
I will work on the water issues in my truck after I finish with the water issues in my basement.
Old 04-01-2010 | 10:24 AM
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Well here's the lovely pictures I promised.




Here is the silicone caulk on the trim seam. My guess is that it sealed itself off completely with crust and now the water is leaking in from somewhere else.



Resolve carpet cleaner has been removing a good bit of the mold, but it will take many more treatments to get them out completely.
Does anyone know if a bleach solution will change the gray color?
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