Blocked sunroof drain with a lease car

carowner13

I have a bmw x3 on lease. I reported a leak in the boot a few months ago and  the car was booked in to check it out. After two weeks I’m told it’s a blocked sun roof drain and that I have to pay for it. I’ve been told it comes down to an act of god. I need to get them to tell me under which part of the contract they are refusing to pay for it. Anyone have any experience here and whether they or I should be paying ?

thanks

Car_54

Who are "they"? The lease company? BMW? The dealer?

Is the car under warranty?

BoGoF

Has it been serviced in accordance with warranty?

Stubod

..what does it say in the service booklet regarding roof drains and keeping them clear??....I think all cars with sunroofs have them (drains), and it is normally expected that they need to be cleared at regular intevals??

carowner13

BMW say it’s not a warrenty issue and the lease company are saying they won’t pay for it. 

It’s been serviced at the correct interval ie it had its two year vehicle inspection. As arranged by the lease company. The car is only two years old.  Assuming it’s a standard 3 year warranty it’s only two years old. I can’t find anything in the owners manual about the drains. 

Stubod

Lots of youtube vids on drain cleaning various BMW's, but how are you to know if it is not mentioned in the manual??

Assume they check them during a service, (although probably not??), but even if they did they could get blocked at anytime inbetween services....

A bit of a sticky one really. I can see it is not really a warranty issue, but then if it is not mentioned in the manuals, how is anybody supposed to know???

ididgetwhereiamtoday

Sounds like a design fault. The dealer should really sort this sort of thing for free if you want repeat custom especially on such an expensive car. 

400ixl

Its not a warranty issue as nothing is broken. Its an owner maintenance task, just like washing it, checking fluid levels and tyre pressures.

Not everything needs to be in the manual, although this exact thing is in my Audi online manual.

Stubod

ididgetwhereiamtoday said:

Sounds like a design fault. The dealer should really sort this sort of thing for free if you want repeat custom especially on such an expensive car. 

..no, not a design fault, all / (most?) cars with sunroofs have drain pipes fitted, usually one on each corner of the sunroof. It is fairly standard practice to have to clear them occasionally as they are prone to getting blocked.

Mildly_Miffed

Basic routine maintenance, and 100% the lessee's responsibility.

Leaves/mulch/muck/whatever congregate past the outer wind strips, and get into the tray. Those outer strips are not intended to be weather-tight, so the tray has drains in each corner to let the water out. Those leaves/mulch/muck/whatever block the drains, water has nowhere to go.

Same on everything with a tilt/slide sunroof since the '80s.

Bet it's in the owner's handbook.

Mr.Generous

Mildly_Miffed said:

Bet it's in the owner's handbook.

In fairness to the OP even as a self confessed car enthusiast I can't bring myself to read 300+ pages of manual.