2010 venza passenger side roof leake when it rains

You mean that there's a leak in window?? OR, are you talking about a sunroof leak? In any case, you need to have this sealed up professionally and fast.... I have heard of leaking Chevrolet Equinox vehicles, but, this is the first time I heard about a Toyota Venza. How many miles are on your car??

No not window down the side. Where the material of the headliner and the plastic meets

This is the photo

Its actually the seal that is between the pano roof glass and the frame of the car. They use a cheap foam seal all around/ under the pano glass. The water leak u get to the fron is actually from water seeping right in the middle where the pano glass and sunroof glass meet. It also may leak real bad at the back corner of the pano glass as well. The back corner leak can only be seen once u drop the head liner. Real easy fix with self adhesive rubber seal from lowes and a little rtv or silicone type sealant. It involves dropping the headliner to access all the 12mm nuts and removing 6 little support brackets, then prop the entire roof up, clean out the old foam seal, run some new rubber seal, sqeeze a little rtv over the new seal, drop the glass back in, tighten bolts replace all the plastic and voila!

Pic

Have the same problem...driver side and passenger side!

E - How easy was it to do this fix and how heavy is the sunroof assembly? Looks like your leak was not the seal under the glass but between the entire sunroof assembly and the car's frame.

Hey. I started tackling this project today. I got everything taken down and the headliner out of the car. Going to wait a few days until we get some rain so I can see exactly where it’s seeping in before taking out the bolts to remove the entire sunroof. If anyone has any questions on how to do it let me know. All in all it’s not that bad. I recommend going to NAPA and picking your self up some plastic tools to help with the job. Follow these instructions as a guideline. http://www.tovenza.com/removal-2139.html Some things to note. When removing the center light console at the front of the car you just need to pry from the side closest to the windshield and pull pretty hard. The back reading light assembly takes a little finess. Use the Toyota tear down procedure as a guideline. I started at the back of the car. Removed all the lower plastics around the spare tire. Then the side plastics and upper plastic. Then moved up to the center pillars between the front and back seats. Start at the bottom and move your way up. The front is a little tricky but not bad. I would not bother removing the wiring harness on the passenger side and only remove the harness on the driver side. The cabling on the passenger side is taped onto the headliner so I removed it and will replace with new tape once I get everything back together. All and all it’s not that bad. Just take your time. My advice is to not tackle it all at once.

GuruFN28N, it really wasnt that bad man. The sunroof assembly isnt light, if you choose to completely remove it its definitely a 2 man lift, but i just balanced it in the 2x4s in the fron and in the back. My leak was the seal, as it had deteriorated over the years. It leaked in the back, which couldnt really be seen, but primarily along the sides just behind the front seats which inevitably drained forward to the pillar posts. Also while in there snug up all the other bolts u can find as well, cause on these u can get the intermittent popling sound which on ours happened to be a couple loose brackets toward the rear section.

I didnt even take the headliner completely out either. Just pulled it down enough to use a small ratchet.

Anyone have any thoughts on the best sealant to use once the panoramic roof is off and the old gasket removed. I talked to Toyota and they claim not to have any part numbers. I was considering using 3Ms Window-Weld Round Ribbon Sealer. I want something that will last and will make a good seal.

So I spoke with a couple local glass guys and I was advised to use butyl tape with foam core. Do not use 3Ms window weld as it does not contain a foam core and must be used with spacers. You can ask to purchase some from your local auto glass shop. Note that I realize this application is metal on metal and not actually for glass but I was told this is the same stufff they use to make a good seal. Im using the 8mm. You can get it in 6 or 8.

The butyl tape is similiar to the stuff i used from lowes. I think from the factory it is butyl foam, hence why it deteriorated over time....extreme heat and vibration. But anyhoot, the lowes stuff is holding up well for us.

I am having the same issue.....why isn't a recall on this??

Nhtsa.dot.gov. Please make a complaint so they start an investigation on this. If there is any other website where we can make complaints about it, pls share. If this is a factory defect it should be Toyota's responsibility.

Leslie. To be honest every time someone has a problem with a car they try to push for a recall. The truth is there’s not enough people with the problem. And it’s certainly not a safety issue. Things fail and not everything is going to be covered by the manufacturer.

I have same problem toyota say i may end up paying 800.00

I have submitted a complaint through Toyota website; hopefully they forward to the correct dept/individual and they resolve this issue. I refuse to pay for an issue they did not assembled correctly and I ain't going to do myself either. Toyota has to take full responsibility about it. This whole week will be raining where I live and what am I supposed to do now? I have to leave my car in the garage. My Venza stinks and gets damped every time it pours, that is ridiculous. I Google several groups and there are plenty of people having this issue, the thing is not too many people have the panoramic roof and compared to other cars, Venzas were limited. I even made complaint to NHTSA even if is not a safety issue; someone needs to hear about it and fix it. And by the way, there is not a link for general complaints in Toyota website; I had to submit through another dept. I encourage everyone to complain through Toyota, not the local dealerships.

I have this same problem. How hard was it and how long did it take to remove the headliner?

Emick, can you possible provide links what tape/RTV you used?

Update....I spoke with Customer Service Rep. at Toyota Headquarters, lady told me owners have to call 800 331 4331 and open a case. Car may need to be taken to dealership for diagnostic/inspection. If Toyota do not receive complaints from owners, we will end up paying for something they assembled incorrectly. Please share with other owners and make the call.

Chris - Removing the headliner took me about 2-3 hours. I did it in stages and only have street parking so you may find you can knock it out quicker. Biggest pain is keeping track of all the parts and pieces you have to remove first. I left all my electrical connections attached to the headliner so I had to take out all the rear panels as well as the mid and front pillar panels. Check out Kevin's earlier post for some helpful tips. I ended up using the following butyl tape from Home Depot (Gibraltar Industries Company Butyle Tape, 3/32"H x1/2"W x 50'L, Model# 99415). It's made to seal between metal roof sheeting. It was a little hard to apply (kept stretching out when it got warm and didn't compress that well when I dropped the sunroof back in. Had an immediate leak when water testing so I just want back and used a putty knife to fill in the gaps on the entire left and right sides. I was afraid of the mess from using anything applied with a caulk gun and couldn't find anywhere to get the butyl tape with foam core but if I had to do it again, I'd definitely search harder for the butyl tape with foam core. This would have to make the install much easier and provide a better and more uniform seal between the car frame and the sunroof. Think Kevin touched on this in his earlier posts as well.

Hey all. For anyone with questions on the type of seal to use. Just contact a local windshield replacement company and ask them if you can purchase some 8mm butyl tape with a foam core and measure out the circumference of the sunroof so you know whether you need one or two rolls. You might need to call a few places. Shouldn’t cost more then 30 dollars to get the right stuff. If you need to overlap when placing it do not butt the ends together instead have them overlap side by side by maybe an inch. Its been almost 3 months without a leak and we had a hurricane with tons of rain pass through. The butyl foam is a must and a huge upgrade from what the dealer uses.

Also the glass assembly is heavy. What I ended up doing was placing blankets above each of the doors lifting the entire panel and having family put 2x4s between the assembly and the car. Then we each grabbed a corner using the 2x4s and moved it. You want to make sure you clean both surfaces really well, the car and sunroof assembly. It’s a pain in the butt but it’s worth it for a good seal. If you use goo b gone to remove the old seal make sure you clean it off really well with rubbing alcohol before laying the butyl tape. Also take pictures of where the old foam was on the body of the car before removing. It is not a hard project just time consuming and the dealer is cluless and wanted to charge a few thousand for the job. In total it cost me less then 50.

One last tip. Order a plastic clip removal kit from amazon to remove all your car trim. I broke one... let’s see if anyone can do better ;) you can pick up extra clips you may have broken from the dealership usually for free.

I have 2009 Toyota Venza. When it rains I get water on right side of car Front and back. Even with a car cover I still get water inside car on right side only. Use car vac to suck water out. Dealership quoted 4,000 ,said it was roof ,but I don’t think it’s from roof of car. No water marks on ceiling of car. Help. Any one else have this problem?

Guru946LV5, everyone in this thread has had this issue. There is some good info above to help you sort out this issue if your willing to tackle the repair yourself. Its not hard to do. Simply weather strip butyl foam tape from lowes, a ratchet with like two different size sockets and a little elbow grease will get you through this. Your seal around the glass roof is most definitely shot, as it is nothing more than cheap foam tape that the manufacturer uses. Over time the heat deteriorates it and it become brittle and wears away. The water is leaking from the front and rear because those areas, id assume have the tightest points if contact, and are the areas that really wear away. It was the same on ours. You wont see it until u pull the headliner away slightly and run a water hose over the entire side of the roof glass to see exactly what im talking about.

I'm tackling this project today, my dealer said it would cost $3,000 to replace the sun roof but they could perform a repair for $800 with no guarantees - no thanks. I've got my butyl tape and auto interior plastic tools (and a garage.) Emick, I'm going to try to just drop the headliner without doing the full removal found in the teardown link above. How long did the project take you by doing that?

@GURU943PGN...due to the unfamiliarity possibly of removing some if the upper middle trim, it could take a little extra time. The upper grab handles come off easy, the center trim basically just pops in place along with the rear light as well. Getting the head liner out of position from the sunroof can be a little tricky, but ensure all the areas around the side pillar posts, and the rear pillar post are removed first to five u some wiggle room. Will have to pry the upper portion of the side post away a bit and basically work the rear parts out too. U may have to pry those away a little as well, i dont quite remember. All in all, the first time took me around 2 hrs, as it was my first time. I did have to go back into it after the seal repair because we had issues with the cracking/popping sound, but second time around was under an hour since i knew what to do. Make sure to snug up all the nuts u can find once you are done. Its fairly easy to identify which ones are for the glass, but some of them are for the sunroof and need to be tightened as well. Hope this helps.

I had the same problem with my 2013 Toyota Venza. It was hard to see since the water was running close to the roof all the way to the back of the car, and I thought it was coming from somewhere else. I had to replace the hatch rubber seal before, but the roof was definitively leaking. Thanks to this forum and @Emick I figured that out. Thank you! I also found that the gasket sealing the rear glass in the roof was damaged as well. I used the 2x4s to lift it up. I had a hard time cleaning the old adhesive from the roof and ended up using a Decal Eraser Wheel like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZNGPY8G which worked wonders. The old adhesive that was in the frame of the car easily came off with Denature Alcohol, but for the one in the roof I had to use the wheel with the drill, which was a little bit messy, but it worked. I finished it two days ago, and there was no leak after testing it with the hose. I am leaving the car outside to see what happens after the next rain but for the first time in months of trying things, I am confident this will stop the leak. I believe the original gasket deteriorates over time, especially with the heat here in Florida. I saw @Kevin commenting about the Foam Core Butyl Tape and got me this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0892SQP98. You will need two rolls of 10', or one of 20'. I added some black silicone sealant where the tapes joined each other. This looks like the same gasket that came originally with the car but maybe I am wrong. Anyways if it adds another 7 years of life to my Venza I am more than satisfied. If you decide to take the headliner out completely, as I did, here is a video that shows step by step how to disassemble everything, fix it, and put it back. It is in Russian, but it was still was very helpful even though I do not understand Russian. There are some tricky steps while removing the panels this will help you to see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnBP2qYr3uQ If your glass also needs to be resealed, then go for 3 rolls of 10' of Butyl Tape. I can upload pictures, but it is like what @Emick showed here before. The biggest leak in my case was from the rear corner of the driver side of the roof, but I also found watermarks in other places. The whole thing was less than $100.00. It is a little tedious, but it is not difficult. This was driving me crazy. I asked the service advisor at the local Toyota Dealer and he said it was probably the sunroof draining pipes being clogged or the taillights leaking. Nothing helpful at all.

Thanks all, a great thread as my 2013 Venza is leaking on both driver and pass sides. I watched the Russian video and downloaded the Venza manual so I'm set. The manual shows taking off the two pieces of glass from the panoramic frame. I need to buy the butyl tape, two 2X4s, moving blankets, and the round rubber eraser for a drill. How did you place the foam core butyl tape? Curious if it was on the car or on the panoramic frame, also curious if it was placed nearer the inside or outside of the channel area. Thanks!

You will see where the previous butyl ran once you remove the glass

Of course (slapping my forehead)!! Thanks for the note.

I'm applying butyl tape - do I stick it to the frame of the car or the panoramic frame?

Here's a question for you guys: How much do you have to take apart to get the headliner out of the way? Looks like a mix between 'just enough' and 'EVERYTHING!'. I can set aside a couple of days for this, where we won't need to go anywhere, but the full teardown seems crazy to me. I'm really afraid I won't be able to reassemble things like the door seal correctly. I just watched the Russian video (I wish I had a translator!), and I asked the poster what sealant they used. It looks like their solution would be more durable and waterproof than the foam core tape/rope.

Hi guys, My suggestion is to contact Toyota Headquarters and make a complaint about it. I was finally able to record while raining and planning to send video to them. If there are not enough people voicing their issue, it will be hard for them to have in file and maybe agree to call it a recall.  Again, I do not see it fair for the consumer to have to pay for a manufacturer's error.  

I got this from Toyota today, please call number in picture to report..

I'll do so. I have to get it fixed, though. The leakage is too much right now =( It sucks enough that I can't get them to fix the steering column issue in the 2009-2011 models... I absolutely would buy another Venza if it didn't have the roof and steering issues =[

I just completed the project on a 2013 Venza. I watched the Russian video a few times (you can turn on google translator yet it's sketchy at best), found a toyota repair manual on-line, and bought all the stuff needed for the repair (20' 8mm butyl tape, drill eraser, panel removal tools, moving blankets). It took me 3 days (20 hours) for the effort. I completely removed the headliner, glass, and sub-assembly from the car. This allowed me unrestricted access to the car and sub- assembly frame for cleaning. The manual provides torque numbers for installation. My neighbor works for Fuyao Glass, one of the largest auto glass manufacturers in the world - butyl tape is the right stuff to use. The door seals are easy to pull off and reattach. My biggest challenge was i didn't have help so I needed the moving blankets and 5' poles to reinstall the sub-assembly to the car.

I would record leak if possible and send to Toyota. If you are fixing yourself, at least submit receipts of things you buy and try to record yourself as well when you are working on panoramic roof. They have to be at least held accountable for something even if they don't fix it for you.

Its an easy fix. Toyota just made a poor selection in sealing material, but this is all a part of "maintenance" of a vehicle.

Hi guys! I have a 2010 Venza LE and im also getting the same leak problem only that it only happens on the back right passenger side. I dont have the sunroof so im trying to pinpoint the problem. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks in advanced!

my only guess is that even though you may not have the sunroof, the actual roof you have may possibly bolt in place and have a seal very similiar to the panoramic roof. Im just taking a shot in the dark here. you may want to at least get the headliner down so you can see where the water may be coming from, that would help you out immensely. Good Luck!

2009 Venza, same issue: leaks both sides front pillars and in the back. I recommend everything report their issue in detail here https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety- problem#index ...and maybe we will get a recall to fix it. Some will say this is not a safety issue; however, rust, potential electrical issues, damage to air bag systems, etc. are all potential result of water leaks like this.