Reminder: cleaning sunroof drains
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 18
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E63s sedan
Reminder: cleaning sunroof drains
Just a reminder to clean out the sunroof drains. They run from the corners of the sunroof to the inner fender wells and can get clogged with pollen, dirt, and other debris. Pretty easy DIY activity that will save you and the electronics from an untimely shower.
RalE63S
RalE63S
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2004
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ECU dyno tune; EDOK TCU tune; BB intakes; sprintbooster
Timeless advice for bmw and Benz owners ...
consider this Amazon drain snake tool
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consider this Amazon drain snake tool
https://a.co/d/7AhQO58
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 5
E63s sedan
Yup…rained hard here last week and the two front drains were partially clogged- me and the dash got a nice shower. Everything seems to be working except maybe the windshield sensors around the rear view mirror.
to clean the drains, I removed the front wheels and the nuts holding the inner fender liners in place. The lower end of the passenger side drain is then visible and easily accessible at the rear of inner fender space. The drains are rubber hoses that end in a cross. I connected my spark plug hole cleaning hose-7/32” ID rubber hose- to my shop vac and inserted into the lower end of the drain. With the vac on, I poured a couple gallons of hot soapy water in the sunroof drain catch near the passenger side drain hole. Then checked the drain rate without the vacuum.
the driver side is similar but there is a reservoir in the way behind the inner fender liner. Remove the one nut and 3 wire clips to move the reservoir and the drain hose is accessible. Did the same process as the passenger side.
i live in a bit of a forest so my drains may be at higher risk of clogging, but there are some other reports of this happening and videos on YT. I tried using the weed trimmer string technique but didn’t work. DO NOT apply compressed air- apparently there are connections that can come apart in the A-pillar.
to clean the drains, I removed the front wheels and the nuts holding the inner fender liners in place. The lower end of the passenger side drain is then visible and easily accessible at the rear of inner fender space. The drains are rubber hoses that end in a cross. I connected my spark plug hole cleaning hose-7/32” ID rubber hose- to my shop vac and inserted into the lower end of the drain. With the vac on, I poured a couple gallons of hot soapy water in the sunroof drain catch near the passenger side drain hole. Then checked the drain rate without the vacuum.
the driver side is similar but there is a reservoir in the way behind the inner fender liner. Remove the one nut and 3 wire clips to move the reservoir and the drain hose is accessible. Did the same process as the passenger side.
i live in a bit of a forest so my drains may be at higher risk of clogging, but there are some other reports of this happening and videos on YT. I tried using the weed trimmer string technique but didn’t work. DO NOT apply compressed air- apparently there are connections that can come apart in the A-pillar.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 18
Likes: 5
E63s sedan
@PeterUbers I tried the country version- I saw in a couple YT videos that used weed trimmer line but I did not have success. Ended up applying vacuum to the lower end and flushing with copious amounts of hot soapy water.
Last edited by RaleighE63S; Jul 17, 2024 at 10:35 AM.
