Hello, I just purchased a 2001 ML430 and its been raining alot here.....so I noticed a mildew smell and I lifted the rubber floormats....and the carpets were very wet. I read on here that someone had clogged sunroof drains and this caused it? Anyone else have this issue? if so, how I can fix this? Can I do it myself? Thanks

 

I have been a body tech for wayyyyy 2 long, so let me try to tell U about water.....first - If U can expose the carpet, kick panel areas, etc.., you need to SEE where the water is coming IN....second, start low and try to run a LOW PRESSURE hose over different areas and move upwards, being careful where you are wetting....third, open the sunroof and SLOWLY pour cups of water in and around the channels and see if it draining into the corner drain tubes.....If not, go to work on the roof.....I feel this is a floorboard upward splash from underneath, or a cowl or windshield leak......Roofs usually will bring wa-wa down on your head or wet the headliner....good luck!!

 

yeah had someone else mention the moonroof drains....im confused on why a clogged drain would make the floorboards wet. but im clueless on this stuff. would really like to fix this and not pay to get ti done. The car was mainly parked when it was raining...dont even this it was driven...if that helps at all

 

Well.....good info.....if the vehicle was parked, we can probably eliminate upward road splash.....sooooo....I would get the floor exposed (shut someone in the vehicle w/flashlight on their head), and start running water on the COWL area first. Then go to the roof area........lemmeno......

 

the sunroof drains sometimes do clog and you can test them as someone already said by pouring water into them and see if they drain. but on the ML what usually happens is the drain on either the driver or passenger side comes detached from the body thus water drains into the car. the drain hose is hard to get to. its up under the dash on the very corners youll have to remove some panels and push aside some sound insulation to get to them . normally the water is supposed to drain in behind the wheel well linings on both sides.

 

I've come to the conclusion that it never rains in Germany. I've had 7 different models of Mercedes over the years, and only two didn't leak.
My ML430 has leaks on both sides. There doesn't seem to be a permanent fix. The latest on the passengers side is dripping on the fuse block, and has taken out two relays. That's a good place to look if you have an unexpected current draw that drains your battery over night.