Toyota sunroof drain solution

No more wet floors. Run a new hose and keep that carpet dry!
Highlanders are great. Their leaking sunroofs...not so much. Cleaning out the drains is impossible. Even a body shop refused to help me. But the fix is actually quite simple and can be done for less than $10 in about an hour with no drilling.
Reroute that drain right out the floor like it should have been done to begin with. An added benefit is the new drain will be easy to clean if it clogs up again in the future.
And thank you for stopping by the Rabid Beagle Garage.

[@Medic594]

I bought a 2012 Highlander and have had it for 2yrs now. Started having the water problems from sunroof drain. After watching several videos on how people tried to fix it, I settled on your method. It wasn’t difficult to fix. I poured 1L of water through it afterwards and found no issues. It cost a little more than My wife thought it would... $180. I bought a chainsaw while at the Hardware Store. Hahahaha! Thanks for the video.

[@rabidbeagle]

That's awesome! I'm glad it worked for you! Enjoy the chainsaw!!

[@theeaxe]

Thanks so much for this method. We had a huge rain and our driver side floor was drenched. I did your method, took me just a few hours, it was easier than expected. Poured a glass of water in the sunroof and now it just pours right onto the ground under the car. ('2013 HIghlander.) Thank you!

[@rabidbeagle]

You're very welcome!! I'm glad it solved your problem!

[@christopherbauernfeind5172]

This video helped me fix our leaky 2013 Rav4 in less than a 1/2 hour! No mechanic would touch our problem. Best $5 fix yet!

[@rabidbeagle]

That's awesome! I'm really glad it worked out for you!!!

[@TankEngine15]

Fix done 2 weeks ago. Heavy rain and a serious car wash later and my footwell is dry, dry, dry. Thank you my friend and my wife had a good laugh at the goofing off line.

[@rabidbeagle]

Thank you! It's really amazing how effective this is and hard to believe that Toyota didn't do it this way from the start. I'm glad it worked out for you!!!

[@LizS119]

Any ideas about how to get rid of the mildew smell ? 🤑

[@rabidbeagle]

@@LizS119 I lifted the carpet, put a 2x4 under it and blew a fan on it to help dry it out. Mine wasn't that bad tho. Maybe you can rent a carpet cleaner or extractor (Home Depot rents them) to help with the smell. Good luck!

[@LizS119]

@rabidbeagle I have been putting my AC in the car on high speed, with only the floor setting turned on, whenever I am in the car. I set it for air circulation inside the car (vs outside air), because I don't want any other smells coming in at this point. Besides, it's been sweltering hot for awhile now, & heat just encourages mold & mildew growth. Don't think it's a good idea to blow hot outside air right on it. I do put down the windows when I do this. Helps get the mildew smell (both blowing around, & still left on the insulation) out of the car. Some people suggested cleaners vinegar, etc. However my moisture is in my insulation, not the carpeting. I think getting it wetter at this point would just make things worse. If this doesn't work, maybe I will see if there is a way to lift the insulation without damaging it. Thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate it !

[@rabidbeagle]

Like I said, an extractor might help as it would suck the moisture out of the carpet. And carpet cleaners that you rent also suck the moisture out, you could even use them to shampoo the rug and help with the smell. You've really got to get the moisture out from under the insulation or the smell will always come back. Lifting the carpet isn't hard and just let it dry out on a warm day. You might have to do it a couple of times but you've got to get it done before the mold takes over. Best of luck with it.

[@macclaindemarm]

Thanks for this video. I ended up having to take the seats out and rip out all the carpet padding material because it was saturated. I just cut new pieces of regular carpet pad and put it all back together. Smells like a new car now.

[@rabidbeagle]

Man, that sucks. I know my carpets held so much water, it was unbelievable. At least you know it's not going to smell like mold! Glad I could help!

[@brentellis4514]

This is so easy! took me less than 1 hour total. This is the best method thats 100% solves the problem.

[@rabidbeagle]

That's awesome! I'm so glad it worked out for you!!

[@scottkocher7006]

Great video, saved me a a lot of money. Word to the wise, make sure when you connect the hoses by the airbags, definitely use a hose clamp. I live in South Florida and used electrical tape and that did not hold up in the heat. Had to go back in and fix it again when I had water leaking all over. Hose clamp should do it. Thank you!

[@jimmychaplin]

Thank you so much for the video and demo! I able to complete it in about a half hour once I had all the items. The plastic on the doorframe was absolutely the hardest part and it had me nervous when I was removing it and replacing it due to the airbag.. but all worked well. BTW, that little plastic plug is for draining water if it ever fills the car there! LOL! Anyways, well done video! Thanks for the help!

[@GordonTillmanTexas]

Thank you so much for this post. I discovered yesterday that my 2010 Camry Hybrid had a bunch of water pooled up in the channel on the front side of the sunroof. Fortunately, I caught it before getting anything wet inside the cab. Both front drains were clogged. I used the technique you showed in this video and it worked perfectly. You saved me a bunch of money and hassle. Really appreciate your time and trouble putting together these informative videos.

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great! I'm glad it worked out for you!!

[@tomekc1113]

I have this exact problem. 2010 highlander limited. Just started up recently. Thank you so much for posting this, friend. Much appreciated!

[@rabidbeagle]

You're quite welcome!! I hope it solves your problem.

[@richardpotapchuk2640]

Brilliant solution and I thank you immensely for taking the time to make the video. Less than an hour’s work for a perfect solution. If you’re concerned about the new hose connection to the old, you can use a plastic 1/2 inch plastic coupling for another $2 bucks.

[@rabidbeagle]

You're quite welcome. I'm glad it worked out for you and I like the coupling idea!

[@andytlr]

This took me about an hour and a half including going to the store twice. The hardest part was getting the first panel off-I had to go buy bent needle nose pliers to get it back on. Managed to feed the hose without wire pretty easily. Wife is happy. Not going fishing or hunting but definitely drinking whisky. Thank you 🤝

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great! I'm glad it worked out for you! Happy wife, happy life!

[@KATIAJOSEG]

You are a Genius Sir, thank you so much 😊your video helped me so much. I don't have to worry about rainy days and no more headaches. God bless you 🙏🏽

[@rabidbeagle]

Lol!! I'm glad it worked for you!

[@stephen8289]

Thank you Boss! This is the best and simplest tutorial on this problem!!

[@archibored2533]

I've been looking for a solution for weeks. Thanks for this!

[@rabidbeagle]

You're welcome!! Glad I could help!!

[@Lizard31]

Yep! I had this happen in my 2015 Rav4. Toyota cleared those drains and my sunroof still leaked. So weird and so I traded it for a vehicle from Toyota without a sunroof. Glad you got yours figured out.

[@toma5153]

Yep. Next vehicle I get will not have a sunroof. I seldom use it in the Pacific Northwest (rains all the time). It's just not worth the headaches.

[@andrewburton1432]

Tried this on my 2008 Highlander Limited. Simple fix, works well, great instruction! Thanks !

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great! I'm glad it worked for you.

[@GrimmNoodle]

Definitely going to be using this method to fix my issue! The only questions I have are: where does it drain to? it doesn't create another standing water issue between the floor and plastic cover does it? Anyway, thanks a bunch! I like this method better than the other fixes I saw on KZbin.

[@rabidbeagle]

It drains into the plastic cover under the floor. That cover has holes in it already so the water just drains through those and leaves no standing water and because it's plastic there are no corrosion issues either.

[@BOWSER10001]

This vid has shown me how to pretty much access the tubing for my 03 Camry Thank you so much👍

[@rabidbeagle]

I'm glad I was able to help!

[@AAGKS]

THANK YOU! This was a great solution for my 07 Highlander. In my case, I had blocked tubes AND a rodent had chewed through the tube. Totally solved the leaky sunroof. Now to completely exclude the rodents. Thank you again - great video, made it super easy.

[@rabidbeagle]

Yikes!! I'm glad it worked for you!

[@davidsun3464]

Great video! 👍 I thought my sunroof seal had failed. But your video helped confirmed it was a clogged drain tube and problem solved. Thank you so much! 😊

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great! I'm glad it worked for you.

[@nkdfun]

My leak is on both sides. I tried cleaning the seal and the frame to try to fix it. I also poured about a teaspoon of bleach into the drain holes. None of that worked. I began to wonder if the leak was from the air intake at the bottom of the windshield. I'm glad I finally checked KZbin to find that this is a common problem with the sunroof drain. What was toyota thinking? Maybe it's a bug filter to stop varmints from coming in. At least make it a replaceable filter if you must have one and extend the tube out the bottom. I'm not an engineer, though. Anyway, I put tape around my sunroof to stop the leakage temporarily. While doing that, I was able to easily push down on the back of the sunroof slightly which indicated that the seal was not holding. My seal looked 'aged', too, so that's probably the real problem. I'm assuming that the seal should indeed stop any water from coming in while closed, and the drain is intended to drain water pooling while the roof is open. It's about $50 and I have no idea how to install it but even if I did, the design for the drain is horrible (an inaccessible, non-replaceable filter and the fender is the reservoir?). So I will probably try to come up with a hybrid version (no pun intended) of your solution and consider replacing the seal. Alright, KZbin, do your thing.

[@MrNachopacheco]

Great idea. It have been happened to me lately. Everytime it rains for more than 3 hours my carpet on the driver side gets wet. I was thinking on drilling the holes on the bottom a little bigger but thinks your idea is better and easier than mine. Thanks for the video

[@rabidbeagle]

Be careful drilling holes into the fender. It wouldn't take much to drill into the wiring harness, I've heard of it happening. Plus, this method eliminates the chance of corrosion where the hole is drilled.

[@bobbymottern8452]

IT WORKS!!!!! HALLALUEAH!!!!! 2011 Highlander floor no longer wet after soaking it with the hose. And only took 2 hours and cost me $2.51. Rabid Beagle YOU DA MAN!

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great!! I'm glad it worked for you!!

[@carlymgreene1974]

Thanks so much for posting this. I’ve had clogged drains for years and eternally wet floor boards. I tried blowing them out last summer to no avail. I’ll try this and hopefully it will be fixed. I noticed your Marines magnet on the car-Semper Fi! I’m one of 6 Marines in our family 🇺🇸 Thanks again!

[@rabidbeagle]

This will definitely solve the clogged line issue. No reason to have wet, smelly floors anymore!! My son is a Marine as was my father. Super proud of him. I've actually got videos of his graduation at Parris Island on my video list if that interests you. I actually posted them for family that couldn't make it to the ceremony but they're there for anyone to watch. Thank you for your service!!!

[@TorquinDSL]

Great idea! I have been considering trying to extend the hose down through the rocker panel, but this seems like a much simpler solution. Thanks!

[@rabidbeagle]

This is easy, fast, cheap, and, best if all, no drilling!!

[@robertlengel6814]

Thanks so much for sharing your solution. With your advice on how to remove the column cover, I had no problem at all. I did use a dull/stiff putty knife to help loosen the column plastic cover. Feeding the tube was more difficult. One thing I learned with my 2013 Highlander was to get on the floor, look up from the bottom with a flashlight to help determine the hose path. A power steering module is the way and by observing from the bottom I overcame my trouble feeding the wire down and the tube up. Overall, great solution. Possibly Toyota should hire you to replace the co-op engineer that must have designed the OEM version of the sunroof drain!

[@rabidbeagle]

I'm glad it worked out for you. Running that hose can be a little tricky. Toyota should definitely be ashamed of themselves for such a poor design. I've owned nothing but Toyotas since the early 90s and I have never seen such an obviously awful design.

[@artistnyc123]

@@rabidbeagle I went through the same BS with my 2004 Jeep grand Cherokee with inches of water coming in due to the sunroof so I'm so disappointed that I have to go through this again with what I thought was the most dependable car brand in the world. This method should be offered as a fix through the dealership for a nominal fee. I won't even get into the issue of standing water in that space and future rust issues that may arise. I live in Miami Beach and rainy season is on the way so I need to get to work on this.

[@chrislamar2275]

Thanks for the help removing that side panel trim (I have a 2005 Avalon). I used a needle nose with a 90 degree bend and that helped immensely to twist that plastic coupling piece. My issue was that the tubing was not connected at all to the drain plug so I didn't need to do the full replacement. I did have to remove the visor and interior side handle in order to get my hand far enough into the overhead panel to clamp the tubing to the plug. Your video helped me get there! Thanks!

[@rabidbeagle]

What ever happened to quality control? That hose should never come loose. Toyota should be ashamed of themselves. I'm glad I was able to help!

[@zaphodbreeblebrox9542]

The seal on the plug can go bad too - liquid gasket sealant to the rescue.

[@therealdickieadams]

Thanks for the video! I installed new hoses on both sides of our 2012 today.

[@rabidbeagle]

Excellent! I'm glad it worked for you!!

[@rayshaver2359]

Appreciate the great video and the relaxed feel to it. I need to listen to this every day...ha.

[@rabidbeagle]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darrenbodnar6608]

I do thank you for this video. I saw the hose and rerouted to the hole in the floor. Then I thought let's make sure it flows and it's doesn't. Now I have no clue on what to do. Plus it just started raining.

[@vandingobro8125]

I had this same issue on a 07 Camry SE. that same tube had worked its way off the drip pan at the actual sunroof. It works its way off of the drain plug with heat and cold overtime. I just reconnected it and ran a zip tie around it so that it couldn’t work it’s way off again and the problem was solved. I am currently working on a 2008 Toyota Camry with the same issue and you just gave me a very good idea. Thank you for this video and I will sub 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@rabidbeagle]

Let me know how it goes. I'm curious how many other vehicles have similar issues.

[@DCVersace]

Vandingo, I have a 2005 Camry and I cannot find the sunroof drain holes for the life of me. Are they visible or do I need to disassemble some of the sunroof tracking?

[@bluezbiker1]

I had the same problem in my Rav 4, But I got some garden wire, made a small loop on the end and then carefully fed it down the tube and gently pulled back and forth till clear, then I poured some warm soapy water down the hole, cleared it beautifully and took at most 15 mins. No need to take anything apart and rebuild at all.

[@rabidbeagle]

Believe me, I tried that, multiple times, as well as compressed air, soapy water, draino, and drilling up into the pinch weld, brought the car to mechanics and even a body shop. Thanks for watching

[@kaemcyd2932]

Thank u! Mine is a 2018 RAV4. I have about 4 inches of water down there on the driver side and we got rain all week however, a temporary fix is if I park with my front wheels going uphill it drains to the rear and those aren’t clogged so it’s a temporary until you can get it done thing just make sure if it’s raining park going uphill

[@rabidbeagle]

That's unbelievable. Toyota should be ashamed of themselves for not addressing this issue by 2018. When you get a nice day make sure you lift up the carpet and let it dry out fully. Parking uphill is an awesome idea for a short term solution. Thanks for watching!!

[@VallanTommy]

This will be my weekend project. Best solution I've seen for this issue, I was about driving a big a$$ Hilti bit through the bottom of that water catchment area in my 2010 Highlander. You'd think Toyota would have known about this and not make the same mistakes but I'm having a similar issue with a 2020 Rav4, water accumulating inside the rear driver's side door.. sounds like a gallon of water sloshing around in there, for over a week after heavy rainfall.

[@rabidbeagle]

I've heard horror stories of people trying the drill method and drilling into the wiring block inside the car. Then water becomes the least of your problems! Toyota should be ashamed of themselves. They know this is a problem and still build cars with poor sunroof drainage. I'm surprised no one has filed a class action suit. Good luck this weekend!! I hope it works for you.

[@VallanTommy]

@@rabidbeagle Yeah, that's what I was worried about, since I wasn't sure what else was within that compartment 🤣 Thanks much again for the video. Will keep you posted

[@gavinsingh7561]

I did exact same thing. But used 2 L-shaped hose connectors to avoid kinks in the hose. First one is under the plastic trim right next to door sill and the second one at the end of the hose and connects hose to the drain plug on the floor(instead of running hose the plug directly). Also, I didn’t remove the original hose. In my opinion, complete Removal of the A pillar trim is optional. Lastly, I’ve wrapped portion of the hose with foam pipe insulation to avoid damage due to foot traffic. Thanks for your help.

[@artistnyc123]

But how did you connect the new hose to the old one without removing the pillar? Too bad the original hose isn't accessible under the dashboard. it would make this job so much easier. and Shame on Toyota for not offering a reasonably priced fix for this issue. I bought a Toyota so I wouldn't have to deal with this kind of BS.

[@vickiereed643]

Thank you soooo much for the fix and the video! At least now I have something to try to fix the problem, short of tarping my vehicle every time it rains, as I don’t have a carport or garage.

[@rabidbeagle]

You're welcome!! I really hope it works for you! Let me know!

[@warnerdesign]

This worked perfectly. Thanks RB!

[@rabidbeagle]

That's awesome! Glad I could help!

[@mowman7777]

Thanks for the video. You really helped me figure out how to get the pillar cover off. However I just cut the tube in there, blew both directions with an air hose then connected the hose with a coupling from Home Depo.

[@rabidbeagle]

Glad you were able to use some of the information in this video. Hopefully it doesn't clog up again.

[@briancolon7425]

Thanks for the direction. Can I add a couple more minor details? Removing the plastic pieces along the bottom of the door, remove the middle piece first or at lease pull it up. To be able to "twist" that orange piece to take out and to put back, insert a long thin screw driver under the wrapped air bad to get a clear shot to the orange clip. I also used 3" with electrical tape that I wrapped around the tube connections, just to be sure there is no leaking in the link. Finally, it will be obvious, but you will need to cut out the center of the plug that is on the floor, for the tube to go through and out of the bottom of the car. But, great info, worked like a charm!!!!

[@LakeridgeWelding]

Great video, clever fix! Bonus facts of life compliment the video nicely.

[@rabidbeagle]

Lol! Thanks!

[@landshass2849]

None of my Toyota's came with a moonroof, but I enjoyed watching the video, thanks

[@rabidbeagle]

Thank you!

[@AlexanderFYuan]

Used a slightly different diameter tube for my 2006 Hybrid, 3/8" OD 1/4" ID. Otherwise, very similar structure with yours. Many thanks for the video.

[@rabidbeagle]

My only concern would be that the 1/4" tubing wouldn't provide enough flow but if it works then that's all that matters!

[@AlexanderFYuan]

@@rabidbeagle that’s also my concern. It’s been rainy this whole week, and the wet carpet can’t be thoroughly dried yet, so bit hard to assess.

[@rabidbeagle]

The drain hole that leaves the sunroof is quite small so I might not be a problem. I'd definitely pull up the carpet and let a fan blow under it. The mold smell is going to be overwhelming if you don't do something.

[@mikeschmidt4717]

Worked well i used old washer supply hose with brass fitting bone dry thanks

[@rabidbeagle]

That's actually a pretty good idea!

[@jeffkostechka3237]

Thanks for the video! Note that the panel needs to unclip and give a bit before reaching the tab you need to turn 90 degrees. My tab was blue not red in my 2013 highlander. Also, I slid the existing hose into 5/8” hose to be a bit more leak proof. Dipped the new hose in hot water to soften and expand it a bit. I also disconnected the battery and waited overnight to work with confidence around the air bag. This should be a recall in my opinion, terrible design. Thanks again!

[@rabidbeagle]

Excellent tips!

[@creelin01]

I finally can fix my problems with my highlander...thank you..

[@rabidbeagle]

It won't fix all your Highlander problems but at least your floors will be dry!! I hope it works out for you!!!

[@patrickboyle7883]

Excellent fix! Did it on both sides of the front. In routing the tubing end through the rubber grommet under the carpet, I drilled a hole in the grommet and slipped it over a small plastic elbow that fits into the end of the hose. Then the hose can't get pinched making a 90 degree turn.

[@rabidbeagle]

That's great! I like the plastic elbow addition!

[@CousinCleatus]

That's a great idea. I got it cleaned up with drano, but bypassing the sump that it dumps into is a great idea for sure.

[@rabidbeagle]

I was afraid to use Drano. If it didn't work then I'd have corrosive chemicals trapped in the reservoir. But do whatever works, by all means. As long as it resolved the issue.

[@CousinCleatus]

@@rabidbeagle I never even thought about rerouting it.

[@americanmambi]

Thanks man!! Life saver for sure

[@rabidbeagle]

You're welcome!! Glad it worked for you!!

[@alphaomega7891]

AIR BAG: You're taking a risk with the airbag - not necessary. Disconnect the battery, or, find the fuse(s) that feed voltage to the airbags, and remove! With no electricity, the airbag *can't* go off ! Otherwise, I like your fix. So far I've been good with running some commercial thickness weed_eater line DOWN the two drain lines in front to clear those drains. For the rear drain lines, I go UP, from underside of car until the plastic shows in rear of sunroof. I've also cleared the front lines with water from garden hose, since everything was already wet, more water didn't matter. Obviously, garden hose won't work from the top, but should work coming up from the bottom Thanks for the video, Good Luck !

[@rabidbeagle]

There are no airbag sensors in the A pillar so there really is no chance it will discharge. But if it makes you feel better then feel free to disconnect the electricity to it. The problem with these cars is the drains don't exit the car. They drain into a reservoir inside the fender which contains a filter. The filter clogs and the reservoir overflows into the car. The weed eater line trick doesn't work because it doesn't clear the clogged filter. Compressed air also doesn't work. Fortunately I haven't had and problems with the rear drains. Supposedly on this model they discharge behind the bumper. I'm hoping I don't have to find out! Whether you use this method or another one, I hope it works for you.

[@daniel_f4050]

I'm heading up to my local hardware store to get the angled needle nose pliers and tubing. Your clever fix makes a lot more sense than the folks who just clean out the clogged reservoir cup hidden inside the fender and its drain. It's an idiotic design that causes the problem. To me that just seems like something you'll be doing again in a year or three. I've already paid Toyota once to fix those drains on my wife's 2010 Highlander. Took them three days. You'd better believe I'm not giving them another penny.

[@rabidbeagle]

It really is an awful design. And the fix is cheap and relatively easy. I'll never understand why they didn't just do it this way to begin with. I hope it works out well for you.

[@shpeen8835]

Im an old Toyota employee 1988-2022 and this was certainly a cost down to shorten the drain hose.

[@rabidbeagle]

For what we pay for these cars there really is no excuse for saving a penny or two per car. It's sad that we accept cost cutting measures like this when we are spending tens of thousands of dollars. I see the same nonsense on my F-150. It's infuriating.

[@genechaas7369]

Excellent video THNX! ALTHOUGH I like to try "cheat codes" before I R&R and did here. In my case Liquid Plumber and hot water did the trick, followed by some air blasting. Drain designed thru pinch welds, wow what a concept!

[@rabidbeagle]

Ooof...I'd be concerned about using caustic chemicals that will come in direct contact with metal. But I suppose as long as you rinse it well enough it should be ok! The main this is that your floor are dry!!

[@genechaas7369]

Beagle, I'M BAACK! The "cheat" worked for a while but now I'm back to the re-route on the passenger side. Wonder if the caustic chemicals created another downhill drain route to the floor and away from the pinch weld> ? THNX RB!

[@rabidbeagle]

It could be but I think the filter tray probably just clogged up again. It's a horrible design. It's a perfect example of an engineer creating a problem where one didn't exist.

[@MrCarlosms30]

Best solution for my Infiniti m35 2006.

[@rabidbeagle]

Wow! On an Infinity? That's good to know. I'm glad it worked out for you.

[@cornelboyd]

My hose came in so I did this to my wife's 2011 Highlander yesterday 8/1/21...we had back to back heavy rains Friday and Saturday and of course the floor was soaked. Hope this works because the smell in the car is really bad ! .I'll let you know later if it worked...and yea if i can do it anyone can ( : appreciate the video !

[@rabidbeagle]

I hope it works too. I highly, highly recommend using a towel to soak up as much water as possible and lifting the carpet up for a day or so to help it dry out. I even sprayed Lysol on the padding. Do whatever you can to prevent mold from growing otherwise you're going to have a whole new set of issues.

[@aleksy5686]

Thank you 👍

[@rabidbeagle]

You are quite welcome

[@JP-rf1rh]

I camt believ that im going through this with a Toyota. Thanks for the video

[@rabidbeagle]

I agree. I've owned Toyotas for almost 30 years and never seen such a poor design to a simple problem. Thanks for watching. I hope this solves your issue.

[@emjackdad]

I will have to try this! I’ve had issues more on the passenger side, and had drilled a hole in that grommet just to let the pooling water run out. I kept thinking it was AC condensation line but it seems to be draining fine. Thanks

[@rabidbeagle]

Ive never checked the passenger side but I'm told the set up is identical to the drivers side. I hope it solves your problem!

[@emjackdad]

@@rabidbeagle Worked like a charm, and it was easier than I feared it might be. Did the passenger side last night and ran out of time to do driver side. I found a brass barb connector that went from 1/2” to 3/8”, & it made a great connection between the old and new lines in the pillar. Drove through the car wash today unscathed!

[@rabidbeagle]

@@emjackdad that's awesome! I'm so glad it worked out of you!! It's surprisingly easy, isn't it? Kinda makes you wonder why Toyota didn't do it this way to begin with!!

[@cmccmc4449]

Passenger side is exactly the same. That was my problem side but did both sides anyway. Great fix

[@Mindamasta]

Where is the hole located and did it fix your issue?

[@blaydeesy2005]

I saw the inspection sticker and hey he’s in Jersey

[@jeancolsoul3357]

Thanks

[@rabidbeagle]

You're welcome. I hope it works for you!

[@BennyHevia]

This is an awesome video, Thank you, Before I do that, I dont see water on the floor, but when it rains, Thete is water accimulating on the top where the interior lights/ sunroof switch/ sunglass holder. I open the sunroof and there is water on the inside of the roof where it closes....How can I be sure it is clogged? Truly appreciate your feedback.

[@rabidbeagle]

One of the issues I had was water running down the windshield behind the sun visor as well as water on the floor. Maybe yours is clogged right at the drain entrance. I would clean any debris from the sunroof channel area and maybe run a wire or weed eater string down the drain holes in the corners to clear any blockage. Hope this helps!!

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Thanks.

[@rabidbeagle]

You're welcome. Glad it worked for you.

[@billl.2441]

2006 highlander hybrid battery got flooded. I can't figure out where the water is coming from. Back seats and under passenger seat floorboard all wet. Like a giant puddle is there. Getting a check vsg hybrid system on the dash. The car wont start. I hope this solves it.

[@rabidbeagle]

Yikes! I don't think this is going to solve your problem. This addresses the sunroof drain issue for the front sunroof drain. I think you may have a problem with the rear sunroof drains. I can't say for sure. I would start by trying to clear those with compressed air or a long wire. Good luck.

[@markgreeley9528]

I had 3 concerns with this project before I started, all 3 worked out fine. Biggest one first, i was worried that the hose would get worn/kinked from foot traffic where it goes through the hole in the floor. to address that i cut a 1/2" slot in a 2" piece of plastic (1/2" thick) and made a protective cover for the hose. its basically a horseshoe, works great and fits in the sunken part of the floor. second concern was how leak proof the connection of the two hoses would be. the factory hose is actually quite elastic, so it is a snug fit over the home depot hose. i taped them anyway, but i dont think it would be an issue. finally, im always concerned about going beyond the point of no return. in this case about pulling the old hose out of the A pillar. I decided to leave it in place, couldnt think of a reason to remove it, so should i ever have to go back its still connected to that mystery box in the pillar. thanks for the tips, successful so far and that counts a 5" tropical storm the other day!

[@rabidbeagle]

Excellent tips! I thought about the foot traffic issue as well. My wife is fairly short so the seat is usually moved forward pretty far and there is no way she'd ever be able to kink or damage the hose. However it does take a sharp turn to go thru the floor and I was concerned about it kinking there as well. I haven't had any issues with it but a protective cover or guide isn't a bad idea. The friction fit for the hoses kinda happened by accident. I planned on clamping them together but when I assembled everything I didn't see how it could leak so I left the clamp off and ran a few gallons through it without any issues. Plus I was concerned about a clamp interfering or damaging the airbag. It's been 2 years and still no leakage. Pulling the old hose out is a huge leap of faith. I only pulled it out to make room for the new hose but if the new one fit than leaving the old one in place is definitely an option. Thank you for the input and I'm really glad it solved your problem.

[@toddfarmer1165]

Thanks for your added comments. I haven't started on my rav 4 yet. Was wondering why you wouldn't put a bead of silicone on the hose connection.

[@rabidbeagle]

I'm not sure where you mean. The hose connection behind the a-pillar is a friction fit a d it's pretty tight though you certainly could silicone it if you chose. The hole in the floor goes through a grommet which is also cut to fit. Again, if you're concerned about the seal being insufficient there's no reason why you couldn't seal it just to be safe. It's been 3 1/2 years since I did this originally and I have had absolutely no water issues.

[@losesparkplug1190]

You could follow the trunk release wire and use just a foot long hose or there's wires you can follow to the engine under the dash but drill it all the way down works. I been thinking to drill to the groumet in the windshield wiper bolts in the firewall box and drill from inside by the speaker's or sunlight sensor to the windshield wipers or even what about to the windshield water reservoir?!

[@rabidbeagle]

Why drill?

[@Daveparadise]

Nice

[@restoringbonaire]

The tubing is 1/2" OD × 3/8" ID x 7' that you will need.

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes it is, just like it says in the video

[@SuperKelbe]

Is there a drain hose on the passenger side too? In our '12 Highlander, the passenger floor gets wet ... driver's side is OK so far.

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes. It's the same setup on the passenger side. Just make sure that it's the sunroof causing the problem and not the air conditioner failing to drain.

[@davidgoodrum5803]

This is the most common sense fix for this problem I've found yet. Thank you. I haven't been able to finesse the molding off yet. Don't want to create another repair. I know you couldn't show the technique you used. Suggestions? Mine is a '08. What year is the one in the video?...not that it matters much.

[@rabidbeagle]

The best way to remove the a-pillar molding is to grab it with both hands, squeeze, and pull towards you. Then, carefully going behind the airbag, use your needle nose pliers to twist that retainer. It's awkward but not bad once you get it. My Highlander is a 2011.

[@WePiphany]

Same car and problem here. Would love a more specific video showing how to get the a Pilar molding OFF AND BACK ON. Makes sense as described.

[@WePiphany]

…getting that plastic tab to go 90 degrees, without breaking it, and then 90 degrees to go back on too?

[@darrenbodnar6608]

Thank you so much for this. I'll be doing this soon. It confirmed an idea I had. I've had to pay several times just for it to clog up again. Would you know of a video that shows how to take off the first piece? I'm sure my wife would not like the duct tape to hold it back on after I break it.

[@rabidbeagle]

You mean the a-pillar trim? Grab it with both hands, squeeze and pull. Then grab the plastic tab with needle nose pliers and twist 90 degrees. Be sure to reassemble with the plastic tab inserted correctly and just push the trim back on. No duct tape required.

[@darrenbodnar6608]

It took me a bit but I finally got it accomplished. Again thank you for this video!

[@911VideoPlace]

Does this work it the leak is in the rear roof, or is there a tube back there? The leak is coming in on the left rear roof around the roof air vent and also on the right roof farther back where the roof is just wet.

[@rabidbeagle]

Probably not. Try pouring water into each corner of the sunroof and see if you can determine which drain is clogged. You might get away with cleaning the rear drains with weed whacker string or compressed air.

[@jermain2544]

Thanks for this video. So much headache with this problem! the best solution I’ve seen so far! Have you had any issues since this video? Planning on doing this before it rains again! Ty

[@rabidbeagle]

Thank you! I haven't had any issues and it's been almost 3 years. I haven't even done any maintenance or anything to it. The carpet is dry and the musty smell is gone. Happy wife, happy life!

[@urassisdragon]

What happens if you disconnect at sunroof and blow out with compressed air?

[@rabidbeagle]

If the clog is in the reservoir, nothing. If you're lucky it might restore flow slightly but it'll clog again. I tried compressed air, weed eater line, chemicals... This was the only thing that worked for me. I haven't had a drop of water in 3 years.

[@jaebrown6268]

All I can say is you are a smart man. I haven’t started yet but I have drilled holes under the bottom of SUV I used drano. After looking over all the comments I will be doing this tomorrow. just one question what kind wire did you use

[@rabidbeagle]

Well, thank you!! I did the Draino and drill thing too and it didn't work. I used a piece of 14 gauge wire I had laying around. Good luck! You'll be glad you did it!

[@kennethscott3592]

Do the hose poke out thru the floorboard to drain to the ground?

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes, it drains outside to the ground. It actually empties into a plastic undercarriage tray that drains to the ground, but it does drain outside

[@JoserShredsRosales]

do these toyotas have 2 or 4 drain holes? I believe I clean out the front 2 very well but there might be 1 in each corner 🤔

[@rabidbeagle]

They have 4, 2 in front and 2 in back. I've never had any issues with the rear ones, fortunately.

[@kerrysmith3259]

did you cut a hole in the threshold trim near gas cap lever to allow hose to exit without being pinched by plastic cover?

[@rabidbeagle]

No. there's no need to. The hose runs alongside the wire loom below the point where the plastic cover connects. Good question though.

[@tommydabbs]

Does the sunroof have the same drain tube on the passenger side as well?

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes it does.

[@tommydabbs]

@@rabidbeagle perfect. Thank you!

[@MyVirtualboy]

Thanks for this post. I have a 2012 Highlander and have the wet floors. This is a great video. I also have wet seatbelts. Do you think the wet seatbelts is probably a roof rack issue?

[@rabidbeagle]

It's funny that you mention that. My wife used to complain about the seat belt being wet and water coming out near the sun visor. Those complaints stopped after I replaced the sunroof drain hose. However I also hear that sometimes the seals around the roof rack fail and cause wet seat belts. I think you need to isolate the leak. If it was me I'd start by testing the sunroof drains. Just open the sunroof and pour water into the corner of the opening into the drain. If the water drains out, the drains are clear. If not, they're blocked and that would be a good place to start. This repair is a cheap and easy place to start. If it doesn't fix it then you know you'll need to dig deeper. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[@RustyRaceHorse]

Ot sure whats more awesome, you or utube. Maybe together we all win. Ty!

[@rabidbeagle]

Lol! Thank you!

[@danielfrazier840]

You can open the sun roof and blow into the drain hole with the air compressor there are 4 holes and tubes one in each corner of the sun roof pan.

[@rabidbeagle]

You could do that. It won't unclog it, but you can do it.

[@cron410]

Not on a 2018 Highlander. First vehicle I've ever seen where the drains weren't directly accessible from the top.

[@matthewkobylinski510]

Hi thank you very much for making the video. I am going to try to address this issue in the coming week. My 2009 Highlander is accumulating water under the passenger side floor mat. There is trickling water beneath the kicker panel. Is it possible that it’s one of the windshield cowl drains that is plugged? Do you know where those drain to? Is it the same fix? I had my windshield replaced right before the problem occurred. Can a windshield replacement affect any of the drains? Finally. The black seal strip under one of my roof rails is missing. Is it functional as a seal? Could that be the problem? Thank you very much.

[@rabidbeagle]

It looks like you have a list of potential issues. Yikes! I would try to pick them off one by one. Pour water down the sunroof drain and see if it comes out by the floor or outside the car. Once that is eliminated, pour water over the missing roof rail gasket. Then spray water around the windshield and see what happens. I've heard that it is not uncommon to develop a leak after having the windshield replaced. I'd definitely bring it to the installer's attention. Good luck. I hope you figure it out.

[@matthewkobylinski510]

@@rabidbeagle thank you for the fast response. It was the sunroof after all. I ended up just taking it to a reputable body shop since I’m out of time, I need to travel soon and leave the car outside. They spread the welds a bit wider in a couple spots on both sides of the car. I asked them if it’s safe to do so, they said it’s completely fine and safe. Toyota designed the drain to leak through the welds anyway. Your solution is good as well though.

[@zaphodbreeblebrox9542]

Any problem with water splashing upward when driving in the rain, working it's way past the plug? Would water-proof sealant gooped onto that plug prevent it?

[@rabidbeagle]

No problems. The water that comes out the tube isn't under any pressure. It just flows out. Also, when you cut the grommet, it's should be slightly smaller than the hose. If course, if it concerns you, a little silicone sealant wouldn't hurt.

[@RustyRaceHorse]

So, do i need to do i\this on the other side too???!

[@rabidbeagle]

Only if that side is wet too. I only did this on the driver's side

[@chucklucas8747]

Do you disconnect the battery to prevent air bag going off?

[@rabidbeagle]

No. There are no sensors in the A-pillar. You can disconnect the battery if you'd like but it really isn't necessary.

[@Iskateminilogo]

Thanks for this video however I still need some advice…I’ve tested the front two sunroof drain holes with a water bottle in my 2008 highlander and both of them drain to the ground underneath the car, I can visually see the water flowing and exiting the vehicle. So if it’s not the sunroof drain holes and not the AC line being clogged, any idea of what else could cause water underneath the floor? It’s been happening after it rains and it’s the driver and passenger side floor from what I can see.

[@rabidbeagle]

Man, that's tough. I assume the front sections are wet. When I poured water into the drains before running a new hose, water still came out behind the tire, just not fast enough to keep it from overflowing into the car. I'd try pouring water into the rear drains and see if they are draining properly as well, tho it's kind of a long shot. It should drain behind the rear bumper. Also, lift the hood and pour water into the vents and see if water is leaking from there, check the cabin air filter and see if it is wet. Then try spraying the windshield with a hose for a while. The seal can fail or if the windshield was replaced and not installed exactly right it will leak. Other than that, I have t got any ideas. Let me know how it goes. Good luck!

[@Iskateminilogo]

@@rabidbeagle thanks for the reply, I also thought that using a water bottle wouldn’t be enough water to really test it. I might have my gf run water over the sunroof with a garden hose while I sit in the car with the front carpets pulled up to see if water is actually seeping in and overflowing. Other than that I saw a video about someone pulling off their back bumper and finding some missing gromets/rubber plugs back there that allowed water to seep in but in that case that person was finding the rear passenger carpets wet, not the front.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@Iskateminilogo pulling the carpets is the way to go. It'll give them time to dry out before they mold up. If both sides are wet and it's not from the sunroof or air conditioner, I think it's probably the windshield. But that's just my guess. Hopefully you can see where it's coming on from while the carpets are up.

[@artistnyc123]

After cutting the original hose, why do you have to pull it out? Will the new hose follow the same path or is there enough roof for the 2nd hose without removing the original?

[@rabidbeagle]

I suppose you could leave the old hose in there. I pulled it out so I could take the old hose to Home Depot to make sure I got the right replacement hose. I don't know why you'd want to leave it in there but you probably could run the new hose passed it. It does not follow the same path, however. The original hose runs into the fender. Give it a try and if the new hose won't fit then just pull out the old one.

[@artistnyc123]

@@rabidbeagle I'm just think that having the ability to couple it back together would eliminate any of the "Point of No Return" anxiety for pulling it out.

[@shanuyadav7273]

Am gonna try this on Is300 i have. I attached the draining pipe back which was disconnected from the top but now its leaking from the bottom. Seemingly the drain pipe is blocked at the bottom. Hate sunroofs.

[@rabidbeagle]

I don't know anything about the ls300 but I suspect it would have a similar setup. Make sure you have a place to discharge the water in the floor otherwise you'll have to drill one. Please let me know how it goes. I'm curious to know if the ls300 has the same setup and the Highlander. Good luck. I hope it works for you!

[@shanuyadav7273]

@@rabidbeagle Just finished and am glad it worked . Had to drill a hole in the floor close to door sill. Earlier i was looking for the OEM drain pipe location down there it might be hiding behind the fuse box but that seem lotta work so i went your way. Thanks.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@shanuyadav7273 that's great! I'm glad it worked out for you!

[@justinbennett1347]

Great tutorial.. were gonna be doing this the upcoming weekend.. wasn't too keen on drilling holes or prying open the wield and maybe creating a rusting problem. Just one question,,, when connecting the new and old hose behind that cowl,, would there be a chance of water working its way between the 2 connecting hoses thus trickling down the newer hose?

[@rabidbeagle]

I haven't had any leaking issues at all. The two hoses fit fairly tightly together. If it concerns you, you could always clamp the hoses with a hose clamp. But I've had zero issues just using the friction fit. It's entire up to you. I hope it solves your problem!

[@justinbennett1347]

@@rabidbeagle thanks,,, i'm sure its gonna do the trick :)

[@WePiphany]

I was thinking to take the hose, or clamp it, or find a suitable glue for the overlapping portion of hose.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@WePiphany you certainly can do that but it isn't necessary. The friction fit works well and the 2 hoses eventually bond to each other. If you do clamp it just make sure you don't interfere with the airbag.

[@WePiphany]

@@rabidbeagle I was able to resolve the problem by cleaning out the sun roof drains with wire, vinegar and flushing a lot of water through.

[@zachkoelzer7559]

Would I do this to both sides? Both are wet

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes. You can definitely do this on both sides.

[@gdblanford]

Do you turn the base of the red airbag trim retainer or the skinniest part of it to turn the end?

[@rabidbeagle]

I grabbed the long part with needle nose pliers and gave it a twist. I suppose that's the skinniest part. I think if you grab the base you might remove the whole thing connector. But I think the easiest and most effective method is to twist the skinniest section.

[@gdblanford]

@@rabidbeagle I was concerned it would twist off or weaken the connector. Thank you for the info

[@WePiphany]

@greg did you get it off? What worked? Was it harder to get it back on?

[@quicknthievious7187]

Did this and just took it through the car wash and water started getting through the sunroof corner, have to figure out if it’s pinched somewhere or if the old hose came off 😔

[@rabidbeagle]

Ugh. There is a hole in the corner of the sunroof. When you open the sunroof you'll see it there. Make sure it's clear. Sometimes debris will clog it up. You can run a piece of weed whacker line down there and then rinse it with a glass of water. If it doesn't work or water is still coming through the corner, the hose probably slipped off or there's an obstruction. Yuck.

[@quicknthievious7187]

@@rabidbeagle fixed, my dumbass left the hose too long at the bottom, thanks for the video!

[@artistnyc123]

So you pulled the old hose out before feeding the new one up, correct?

[@rabidbeagle]

Yes. The old hose runs into the fender reservoir so it's no longer needed. Then run the wire down the dash to find the path for the new hose.

[@brucer1220]

would an air compressor blast fix this also... ?

[@rabidbeagle]

I tried blowing it out with compressed air, a guitar string, Draino, even drilling up from the pinch weld. This is the only thing that worked, and it's been about 3 years. No water, no wet floor, no musty smell.

[@capturedonthefly8706]

I have a 2014 highlander and the drain tube was pinched along the roof line and leaked down the "B" post and down in the rear passenger area. Seems like there are quite a few highlanders out there with this particular problem.

[@rabidbeagle]

It's a big problem. It seems most Highlanders have this issue. Is the hose that is pinched going to the front of the sunroof or is it the rear drain?

[@capturedonthefly8706]

@@rabidbeagle I would assume the rear drain, Toyota replaced the tubing from the roof line to the rear passenger area. Its funny because there was always a musty smell the year before I found it, we had some heavy rains and the moisture started to show itself through the fabric. Toyota knows about the problem but they told me there's "not enough" complaints to establish a call back.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@capturedonthefly8706 that's scary because I believe those drains exit out the back of the car behind the bumper so my little trick wouldn't work. Toyota used to be great about recalls. I had a pickup that was like 15 years old and was recalled for front end issues. It took them 3 days to fix it. Now here's an issue that is well known and potentially health affecting if mold begins to grow and they claim not enough people complain. Unbelievable.

[@chuckcraigs9310]

Thanks for posting this info. I have a 15 Highlander leaking and have had a hard time finding info on 3rd gen Highlander sunroof leak issues. This seems like what may be happening with mine which means I'll probably have to tear it down to the headliner to replace both lines in the back. I first noticed the leak recently after lots of heavy raining, but the wetness seemed to be just on the driver's side back seat area floor. That's where the carpet was wet. Spent the day investigating, water seems to drain fine when poured into front 2 drain corners on sunroof, but when I pour water into the back 2 corners there is leaking coming out from the back pillars near the back seats seat belts both sides had this leak even though there was no evidence of water leaking on the passenger side before I checked. I have since torn down to carpets in the back to clean out the water damage, and on the side that showed the wet carpets (driver) I tore down the trunk compartment area and found a literal pool of water in a reservoir under the storage compartment there (drivers side,). There was a rubber plug there that I removed to drain it out. I'm still working on tearing it down and need to remove more panels to gain better access to the drain tubes, but after reading this post it seems I must tear all the way down and replace the pinched tubes. That would make sense because they drain ok when I trickle water in there but when I pour volume of water it leaks up near the back seatbelts and at the very back small side windows. Do you have any links with info for headliner teardown or repair guides for gen 3 highlanders? I can't seem to find anything for gen3. I guess there will be more of them soon, mines. 2015 and happening about a year or 2 after yours. I'd expect many more 3rd gens to follow.

[@paulmastrangelo6936]

Hey, thanks for the fix! Completed in under an hour - I definitely question the original design. By the way, do you live in Fairfield?

[@rabidbeagle]

I'm glad it worked for you! I'll never understand why it wasn't done this way from the factory. I'm not in Fairfield. I'm from Central Jersey.

[@777Lifechanger]

I have eight 2016 Toyota Highlander. Recently I had an accident on the front passenger side had it repaired at auto body shop. During the time it was at the auto body shop we had a lot of rain when I got the car the humidity smell was awful. I suspect that the dream on the passenger side from the sunroof got damaged or pinched or something. I need to get this problem fixed. I thought about taking it to the dealer but a lot of people didn't really get the problem solved from the dealer. I live in Houston and I'm wondering where can I go to get this problem dealt with. Do you have any suggestions of places I might go in Houston.

[@rabidbeagle]

I live in NJ so other than Scotty Kilme, I really don't know any mechanics in Texas. 2016 is a third generation Highlander. You may need to do a little research to see if this technique applies. It probably does but I can't say for certain. If so, give this a shot. It works great, only takes about an hour, and costs less than $10. Best of luck.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Call Scotty Kilmer. He's a mechanic and knows everybody who works on cars in Houston

[@umudimoha1]

This is the same problem I have with my 2012 highlander. I don’t even know where or how to start getting it done. The leak is so bad when it rains for couple hours.

[@rabidbeagle]

I would recommend pouring a bottle of water down the sunroof drain and see if it comes out inside the car or outside the car. If it drains inside the car then this video is for you. But don't wait around because your carpet will mold up and that's a whole different series of problems.

[@umudimoha1]

@@rabidbeagle yes I have done that. I took it to my friend’s shop, we opened the roof, lifted the floor carpet up and started pouring water in the drain on the driver’s side. We noticed that most of the water came out on the outside but saw some drips coming on the inside where the electrical parts is hooked up on the side panel.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@umudimoha1 your drain is partially clogged. It's only going to get worse. I'd recommend running a new hose right out the floor and be done with it.

[@umudimoha1]

@@rabidbeagle thanks for all your help. Just got a new hose from the dealer so someone will install it for me next week. Stay safe Sir!

[@byronwoolfrey1039]

Need to pull the material out from under the carpet and hang it up for a couple days and lift the carpet and put something under it to keep it off the floor and keep your doors open for a day or two. If not it will never dry out, and even rush your floor

[@rabidbeagle]

This is true. I soaked up as much as I could with towels and put 2x4s under the carpet to let air circulate. Pointing a fan under the carpet helps also. Do what you have to do to dry the carpet out.

[@kennethabrahamsen6546]

@@rabidbeagle Lift up the carpet and place a running hair dryer under the carpet for a few hours to dry it.

[@danielharris3461]

So we have been having this issue for about a year and half on our 2008. I took it to the dealer, they cleaned blew air through...worthless. I took the entire fender flair off where it meets the car, and a massive amount of gunk came out. Still didnt help........still wet. There were no videos except the guy drilling the holes in the car (which we did) a year and half ago. Unfortunately we drilled right through the wiring harness when we did it from underneath. 500 bucks later, everything is working. Since then i opened up the frame a little more on the other side where the water comes out, since it did work for the driver side. But it still isnt perfect. Floors can be slightly wet, after a hard rain. I agree with this fix in rerouting the tube that should have NEVER gone through the frame...so dumb. Did you go through the drain plug? Have you worried about the tube getting pinched by the mat? Have you tried the passenger side with also has the issue?This has been such a pain, i have had it. To top it all off. I left a couple of the drain plugs off, last time i worked on this, and we had 3 mice (no they werent blind) get into the car and pee everywhere. So now we have urine to deal with. Kinda had it with this car. The mechanical list goes on and on...which i wont post on here. It would blow you away though.

[@rabidbeagle]

Yikes!! Yes, I routed the hose through the drain plug in the floor. I haven't had any pinching issues. When you run the hose just try to keep it out of the way of everything so it doesn't get stepped on or bent too much. The hose itself is fairly rigid so as long as it isn't kinked at installation, it should be fine. I haven't had an issue on the passenger side though I would think it would have a very similar setup. Tho last year the floor was damp but think that was coming from the air conditioner. I should probably keep an eye on that. That's awful having mice urinating in the car! That sucks! I'm surprised you're having mechanical issues with a Toyota. I rarely have issues with mine, and it's all I buy. I hope you're able to straighten it all out.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Daniel Harris I believe that on the front passenger side the drain hose is routed so that it drains down the passenger side A pillar and then down behind the right kick panel until the hose empties directly through the bottom of the vehicle behind the wheel well, as do most front moonroof drains, instead of dumping into a "filter" tank inside the fender as on the front left side. That's easy to check visually with a few ounces of water poured directly down that drain. I am in the process of fixing this issue on a 2013 Highlander I borrowed from a family member - told them I would get rid of their major water problems before I returned it. In addition to moonroof drain problems, there is evidence of A/C drainage onto the front passenger floor, cowl drain leakage due to leaf accumulations inside the cowl, and water coming in through both of the rear tail light assemblies and through leaky, dirty and dried-up weatherstripping on the rear hatch, etc.; the inside smells terrible, and had mold growing on the seats and interior panels, and in the carpets. I have vacuumed gallons of water from the carpets and floor pans, cleaned and lubed the weatherstripping, and had the entire car steam cleaned, polished and waxed. Great engineering job, Toyota. Instead of messing with the A pillar air bag and adding the hose through the floor pan, as was done here, I'm going to start by pouring a mold and fungus killer directly down the left front drain to see if that opens things up. Either it will or it won't, but a visual check will be simple. I'll access the A/C drain by pulling back the carpet near the evaporator box, and blow the drain hose out with compressed air, and use a shop vac to suck any trash out of the evaporator box. Likewise, I'll use the same procedure in the cowl area under the windshield wipers. There are also grommets and body drain plugs in various places that are supposed to keep out water, but which can be missing if any body work has ever been done on the vehicle. One KZbin person showed 9 body plugs hidden by the rear bumper on his Highlander, some of which were missing, thereby letting water in through the rear of the vehicle. If you use about a 7 foot length of thick weed whacker line, you can physically clear any blockages in the drain tubes portions of the moonroof drains (i.e. down to the left front fender box, but not through it), but you may have to start at the bottom to clean the two rear moonroof drains. Good Luck!

[@danielharris3461]

It empties into the frame of the car, and leaks through specified cracks where the frame comes together.

[@rabidbeagle]

@@Anonymous-it5jw sounds like you have your hands full. You can find videos on KZbin where people put a camera down the drain and use a tool to pick apart the filter. Be careful pouring chemicals down the drain as they may not come out and can corrode the inside of the fender. Best of luck.

[@Sickcents666]

Do you do that on passenger too? How about the rear sunroof drains??

[@rabidbeagle]

It will also work on the passenger side. The rear drains are more difficult as they drain somewhere out the back, I think. I'm not really sure. But if your passenger side floor is wet and you've eliminated the air conditioner as the problem than give this a try!

[@Sickcents666]

Thanks for the reply!! How would a/c leak water on drivers side???

[@rabidbeagle]

@@Sickcents666 the AC drain will overflow onto the passenger side floor if the drain is clogged. If the moisture is coming from the center of the car near the front of the foot well you're probably looking at an AC drain clog. If it's coming from the opposite side, it's most likely a sunroof drain clog.

[@cbang000]

Good morning! I love the video. I just bought an 2008 Highlander with this problem as well. My question is when you stick the hose down into the grommet, is there a hole in the plastic? or does the hose come out the plastic and can be seen from the underside of the car? Thanks!

[@rabidbeagle]

The hose goes into a void created by the floor and the plastic tray. The water runs out holes that are already in the tray. You don't need to do any drilling...unless you want to. The hose doesn't go through the plastic tray so it doesn't clog with road debris.

[@cbang000]

@@rabidbeagleMakes sense. I haven't torn it apart yet. Dealership said it was draining properly but my floor is still wet.🤔

[@rabidbeagle]

If it's still under warranty stay on top of them. I tried everything to fix this and even tried to get a body shop to look at it. Even if it's fixed, because of the way it's designed it'll clog again and again and there is no way to fix it. This is a simple solution, costs less than $10, is easy to clean if it clogs, and you can eliminate the musty smell from the wet carpet.

[@cbang000]

@@rabidbeagle yes, I will definitely be doing this! Thank you!

[@rabidbeagle]

@@cbang000 let me know how it goes!