2011 SLS to 2013 SLS ~ Questions regarding some issues

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KizKiz
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2012 12:03 am

Hi Guys!

It's been a while since I've posted! As some of you may remember, I had a Gray 2011 SLS that was totaled by a commercial/work truck. I loved and missed my car so much that months after the wreck I was in pursuit of another Kizzy. I purchased a 2013 White SLS... but this is where my questions come in...

I bought my 2011 SLS used with 17k miles on it so I expected some minor issues with it. However, the sunroof was leaking but the dealership was willing to fix it but the car was totaled before my new sunroof came in. Then I bought the 2013 SLS (brand new) and I've noticed the sunroof is leaking too. I only figured this out because I knew the other Kizzy leaked so I ran water and held my hand around the seal and felt the water coming in. It's not as bad as my 2011 was but still irritates me that this is happening. Anyone else having this issue?

My second concern is how laggy the CVT feels in the 2013. I'm not a car expert at all but there is a huge difference in the feel between my 2011 and 2013. I only have 3900 miles on my 2013 and figured it may have been because the 2011 had been driven the hell out of and was broken in. But my 2011 did have the K&N Airtake System... could this cause any difference in the feel of the 2013's CVT "laggy-ness" (for lack of a better term)?

Other than that I still love my car! I do miss my Gray SLS though... simply due to the fact is was my first Kiz and the black interior and darker exterior was so much easier to keep clean than my white Kizzy! Every two weeks I have to clean the blue jean stains off of the seats too! lol Thanks in advance to any and all who help/answer! I appreciate it!
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

You are probably correct that your first car was more 'broken in'. Couple that with the K&N's unrestricted air flow, and I could imagine a Kiz owner would notice the difference between the two vehicles. My years of experience owning new Suzuki vehicles is that they take quite a while to break -in and loosen up. I have almost 34,000 miles on my car now and feel it has just recently really woken up in the performance department.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

By the moonroof leaking, do you mean a little water gets past the seal or do you mean the water is leaking into the cabin and dripping?

I was once told by a professional who specialized in moonroofs, etc. that water leaking in a little was actually normal and not a concern. This is why moonroofs have railings under them that act as gutters. They are connected to drain tubes that run the water outside. The technician told me that when people have moonroofs that leak water (drip) into the cabin, it's not because of the seals, but it's because the drain tubes are clogged or pinched and cannot vacate the water.
That was the case with my former Mazda which had an aftermarket moonroof put in by a previous owner. The moonroof leaked heavily in rain and I took it to this professional who replaced the mispositioned drain tubes which were pinched. He showed me the faulty tubing and I saw the pinches in it. After he replaced them, the moonroof did not drip anymore. He did not replace the seal around the moonroof glass.

I have once noticed that when it rained really hard, the inside seal of my Kizashi's moonroof was wet to the touch. However, it was not causing any leakage or dripping inside the car. What the pro told me made sense in that the little water that leaked in would be drained out via the tubing. If the tubes were clogged or pinched, the water would back up and then leak into the cabin.

You can actually see the drain holes in the front corners of your moonroof railing area.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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n8dogg
Posts: 215
Joined: Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:20 am

My Kiz stays parked outside all year, no garage, in the wet Washington weather, hasn't leaked a drop.
'12 Kizashi SLS AWD w/RF sound
easy to chip Vivid Red and 25% window tint
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus II
Power Stop Rotors and Pads
183,xxx miles and still lovin it!
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LPSISRL
Posts: 991
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Chesapeake, Virginia

I've only had my 2011 a month and a half but we've had a few torrential downpours and not a drop has leaked that I saw. I think that they are on to something in keeping the drain holes clear.
2011 Kizashi SLS CVT (silver)
2005 Honda Odyssey
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2009 Suzuki SX4 Cross AWD 5-speed Tech package (vapor metallic blue)
dslatsh
Posts: 127
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 11:22 am

I know this is an old thread but today I noticed a couple drips of water coming in while in the car wash near the back corner above the passenger looking at it from outside looks like.the seal isn't as fat there or touching the body as much as the other side. Think I should be concerned? It's a 2011 kizashi with 77k miles (or around there) first time I've noticed.
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Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Door seals lose their ability over time to 'seal', as they did when new, as the vehicle ages. Never owned a vehicle that hasn't had some type of door seal issues after 8-10 years sitting out in the weather 24/7. I get more outside noise coming in to the Kiz via the door seals these days, no water yet. I have been keeping it idled in the garage mostly in the winter months...help prolong its useful life all around in theory. You can replaced the door seals easy enough, not sure what they cost, I'd imagine not cheap.
Our 20 year old suburban's doors would give you freezer burn in the winter going down the road at highway speeds if you sat too close to the door's sealing points. Never leaked any water in though. Water infiltration has to do with body shape and how everything is designed as a system to divert water. My 2014 Wrangler had a nasty habit of diverting rain water into the cabin in copious amounts at the top corner of the front where they meet the A-pillar and roof. Extremely Piss Poor design. And the water didn't piss in...it poured in.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
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