zoomee99

Time to dredge up this old saw. I don't have water leaking but a constant musty smell which I think is coming from the footwell area. This is a pic from another thread showing the infamous body void that collects the sunroof drain water. I've used a coathanger to make sure the holes are open but I'd really like to get in there, clean it up and get rid of whatever mold or nasty stuff that is stinking up the 2005 RX 330. So...before I buy a hole saw and drill a hand sized hole in the footwell to clean this void out...anyone got a better idea/solution?

shortstop

First check the sunroof gasket for damage and clean the gasket of dirt. Then clean out the 2 or more water ports in the sunroof this is what clogs up and forces a run off down the door pillar Then blow them out with compressed air. Pour some water in the sunroof gully tracks to make sure it runs out under the two car rocker panel drain hoses , and not inside the floor boards. Pull up the rear seat carpets and feel and or smell the floor board insulation this is what holds the water and smell most of the time. I was able to cut out the wet area. and dry them out in my household dryer with the tray inserted and no tumble feature it has. I was able to reuse them without them falling apart. Otherwise sunlight and a hair dryer should do if your not in a hurry. Spray them with Lysol and or fabrezze if needed.

ukrkoz

Unless it's your AC exchange core..... smelling. As, if not properly shut down, it will collect condensate on its fins=mold build up=musky smell.

zoomee99

The AC core looks fine and I've had the system "freshened" at the dealer, didn't help. I'm 99.9 % sure it is organic material (smells like decomposing leaves) in the sunroof drain footwell voids that gets wet every time it rains and has no way to dry. I thought maybe pour mold/mildew cleaner into the sunroof drains, might help but as long as there is material down there to get wet, I'm gonna have smell. I want open up a three inch hole in both footwells so I can get my hand in there and clean it periodically. Use a rubber plug to seal the hole.
I have utmost respect for Lexus engineering, this is my 5th, I buy them with 100k on the clock and run them out to 250K, usually trouble free except for easy DIY fixes, So I'm sure they had a good reason for this design but I'll be damed if I understand it. Why intentionally create an inaccesible void in the body for water to collect in. Why not run the sunroof drain tube outside the body? Afraid of bees nesting in the tube? What is the design rationale here?

edwardh11

where is pix 1 taken?
car parked outside in evenings?
if inside do you crack open a window?
have same prob in winter when ac is not used?

shortstop

Get a good air compressor with a air chuck, not a tire chuck. Put a little WD 40 in the sunroof ports. Blow the air up thru the hoses from under the cars rocker panel, and out the sunroof till the clogs blow out. If it still won`t clear use some heavy gauge coated wire, or a plumbers snake the pointy kind not the coil type and slowly push up the snake, from the bottom rocker tube up to the sunroof slowly and clear the ports.
All sunroofs are designed to leak a little bit now and then, the drains have to be clear to remove this small amount. If too much water is getting in you may have a bad seal and end up with a wet headliner. You need to fix this first then drill the hole if you feel you still need it? Check the A/C drain hose also make sure it drains out under the car.