Was Your Sunroof Left Open in the Rain? What to Do and Check

Leaving the sunroof open in the rain is a frustrating misstep many car owners have made. The lapse in judgment may cause damage to the vehicle’s electrical parts, hindering its overall functionality. Take note, however, that if your sunroof has failed to close due to some mechanical or electrical malfunction, that needs to be handled first.

While the situation may seem dire, don’t fret! Follow these tips to prevent or limit water damage in your cabin. 

What to Do After Leaving Your Sunroof Open in the Rain

There are certain tasks you should prioritize if you leave the sunroof of your car open in the rain. Some of them are for hygienic reasons, while others are measures to reduce damage and prolong your vehicle’s lifespan:

Don’t Start the Car

Water may have seeped into the vehicle’s electrical system, and turning your vehicle on after leaving the sunroof open under the rain can cause electrical problems. If any wire connectors under the seat have water in their connectors (which aren’t weatherproof), then at worst, the piece of accessory (for example, power seats) won’t work or won’t function properly. If, however, there are any electric modules under the seat that get wet, these can be destroyed if energized when their circuit boards are wet.

Check for Electrical Damage

If you notice any electrical issues after the interior gets wet, take the vehicle to a trusted shop. Make sure to tell the service advisor or shop manager that the problems began to occur after you left the sunroof or windows open and it rained in the vehicle.

If you notice any electrical issues after the interior gets wet, take the vehicle to a trusted shop.

– Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician

Remove the Seats

Mold can form on the car seats, carpet, and other fabric components of your vehicle’s cabin when they’re wet for long periods. Mold has a distinct foul odor that’s difficult to remove, so it’s best to clean the seats and carpets as early as possible.

What dealerships typically do is remove all the seats and the carpet. They then hang the carpet on a fence or over a heavy line in bright, hot sunlight or in front of a powerful fan or both. It might take a day or two for the carpet to dry out. Putting the seats in a hot dry sunlit place will dry these as well.

Leave the Doors Open

Leave the doors and windows of your vehicle open to increase ventilation and make it easier to dry the cabin. Doing so also prevents humidity, which often results in a foul odor and mold.

You can also open all the doors and then put one or more fans blowing through the car from the side and leave it like that all weekend. This will help a lot but may not fully dry the carpet and padding like hanging it on the fence does.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: Disconnect the battery first before opening all the doors to prevent the dome lights from killing it.

Replace the Cabin Air Filter

The air filter keeps the air within the cabin fresh by filtering dust, dirt, and other pollutants. A damp filter can develop mold, which will reduce the filter’s function, so you must replace it if it got wet. That being said, the cabin air filter won’t typically be wet if the sunroof or window was simply left open.

Dry the Cabin

Remove any water inside the cabin to prevent rust, mold, and further damage to the electrical parts of the vehicle. It’s best to use a wet or dry vacuum to suck out any standing water that has accumulated on the floorboards.

Some vehicles have floor drain plugs, making it easier to remove water. If your car has them, remove the plugs as soon as possible, and use the fans or remove the carpet for drying as described above.

3 Types of Parts That Are Prone to Water Damage

It’s only natural that rainwater can soak into and damage certain parts of the cabin. Here are some of the ones you need to examine and consider replacing:

Electrical Components

While most of the electrical components of vehicles aren’t located inside the cabin, water can still seep into their locations. Depending on what gets wet, the water damage can cause minor issues to major problems that reduce vehicle performance and require costly repairs.

Metal Components

Water is the primary catalyst for the rusting process, which means water getting into your cabin can cause its metal parts to corrode. So if you left the sunroof open while it rains, you must dry and double-check wet metal components for rust immediately.

Some metal components in the cabin include seat rails, seat buckles, and seat latches, among others.

Fabric Components

Wet car seats and carpets are ideal for mold and mildew growth. To prevent that, remove, wash, and dry your fabric components thoroughly. You can also use disinfectants and deodorizers to eliminate any budding bacteria and odor.

How Do I Know If My Sunroof Is Leaking?

Streaks of water running down the side of your windshield are telltale signs of a leaking sunroof.

Water spots on the headliner or floor are another symptom. However, those aren’t always reliable, as they could form from air conditioning system leaks.

The Bottomline

Leaving your sunroof open in the rain is a pain to deal with, as you’ll most likely spend half a day getting the water out and drying your daily driver.

Don’t start the vehicle until it’s completely dry to prevent damage to the electrical components. Take out and clean fabric components, then check electrical and metal parts for problems. Be thorough to avoid problems down the line.