Windhsield/roof Leakage? Stereo And Blower Malfunction Relation?

[MRDMD19]

:(My 98 LX470, after 6 years of reliable service to me, is playing with me... I began to notice some rust bubbling around the windshield last year; since worsened, but not yet broken through. My wife began to notice ~3 months ago water pouring from the upper center light/sunroof control, between the windshield and the sunroof, upon hitting the brakes or turning a corner, after sitting in the rain. I assumed it to be due to a lack of windshield seal from the corrosion or a leaky sunroof... never got a chance to investigate further. Poor thing carries a towel with her and holds it up there when she drives away after rainy weather. In any case, over the past few weeks she has noticed that, suddenly, without warning, the stereo would stop producing audio, then turn back on or off again randomly...on for a few days, then off... When not working, audible sound can be heard at a low volume if the volume is cranked all the way to full volume...almost like a line level volume...changes appropriately with the station/cd/etc. Over the past number of days, the heater/AC blower stopped working...sometimes comes on, sometimes doesn't, sometimes turns on or off while you're driving. Fortunately, enough heat passes through the vents to keep you warm and windshield relatively clear in this cold western NY weather. All the controls work fine (like the radio), but the blower is not running. I only hear a little electrical noise coming from in the dash when I ask the blower to turn on...it stops when you push "off" on the heater control. My wife believes there is a connection between the timing of the 2 things going on and off...and a connection with the water leak as well. I haven't been able to verify this to determine the truth. PLEASE, any thoughts would be helpful. I'd at least like to know a place to start in looking into this. Thank you kindly. Mike

[jazzLX470]

i know it's now march, but handn't seen your post till now. i have a 2000 and the roof has been leaking, very minor and went unnoticed except when driving in the rain. I don't drive it that often and it's been kept in the garage most of the time. the leak has caused some curious problems that perplexed me till now. the passenger seat leather was starting to look dry and shrivel. problems that indicate that its been wet. but how?

so since this last rain storms that lasted a month in california. i was motivated to find the source of the leak in my roof because it was dripping on my wife. i cleaned the drains thinking it was clogged. it was not. i tried to tape the metal to the rubber, that did not stop the water. i finally sat in the passenger seat and watched as the rain water was dripping from the front plaster cover on the sunroof. i poped the cover off and was drenched from the water collected in the plastic cover. the water was seeping through the glass and the rubber seal.

luckily i have a friend with the same vehicle that does not have the same problem. i poped his cover off and found that the metal and glass has chauking sandwiched between. i believe that the factory goof and did not chaulk the two pieces on my vehicle and had been leaking slowly since new.

as for your stereo, you amp sits under the passenger seat, when wet, it will short. but let it dry and it will work again.