Electric sunroof failure.

[adamskibx]

The GT's electric sunroof has failed to work for the first time so far. I managged to get it to pivot up at the back and now it wont go down again. It looks as though the left side is all working fine, but the right stays up, meaning the sunroof starts to twist when I try and make it come back down. Is this a common fault? I can see the runner thing trying to do something but something is stuck. Anyone had this problem before?

Cheers, Adam

[DLM]

Are you winding it manually, Adam? anything sticky on the sunroof front seems to benefit from application of the hex hey - it's a lot more controllable that the electric motor. I'm assuming of course that the Mk1's sunroof is like the Mark 2, which may be incorrect.

Gently To and fro is also the way to go. if the linkage is playing up it's completely encased in the channels, so you don't really want to go in there unless it's absolutely necessary. Let me know how you get on.

[ken newbold]

It's certainly a common fault with XM's which is almost the same sunroof. It'll be the drive-wires that've seized. It maybe salvagable by stripping it down, but on XM's, by the time it gets to this stage, they're stuffed.

The good news is, it's just a BX and there's plenty around.

[adamskibx]

Yeah its the same as a MK 2. I knew I should have spent more time saving bits off the donor car It looks like you may be right about the drive wires Ken. Ill have another fiddle.

[Doz]

Yep, mine's stuck too....


The lube on the mech turns to glue, it was the same on my 16v....

Fist step.... wait until spring .... when the weather warms up the grease softens a bit..
Wait for a good sunny day and leave the thing in the sun. Then use the hex key , keep GENTLE pressure on it and it should start to move ... when it does , get a can of WD 40 and generously lube everything you can see on the runners. It should easy off, when you've got it open sqib a bit of WD 40 down the cables...

If things are reallystuck, remove the motor assy... and then you can get to the cables from inside the roof console... but I find it's the runners more than the cables.....

When it's going forward and backward reasonably, clean out all the gunge , and relube (I use some silicone grease, but that's just coz I've got a big pot of the stuff!!)

TAKE YOUR TIME! Too much enthusiasm results in breakage!!

Ah yes... all the thrills of wind in the hair.....

PS. Any one got a spare wind deflector?

[Way2go]

the sunroof starts to twist when I try and make it come back down. Is this a common fault? I can see the runner thing trying to do something but something is stuck.

It may help to warm up the runners on that side with a hairdryer which should do two things, cause the grease to thin and the mechanism to expand. Hopefully this will be enough to free it and then a few operations then should keep it from sticking again.
Keep the hairdryer moving though to avoid localised damage.

[Doz]

the sunroof starts to twist when I try and make it come back down. Is this a common fault? I can see the runner thing trying to do something but something is stuck.

It may help to warm up the runners on that side with a hairdryer which should do two things, cause the grease to thin and the mechanism to expand. Hopefully this will be enough to free it and then a few operations then should keep it from sticking again.
Keep the hairdryer moving though to avoid localised damage.

That beats having to rely on the British weather!!!

[Doz]

Just fixed my sunroof (yes, in the snow) using the hairdryer trick to free it up ..... thanks way to go....

[saint gaz]

My sunroof will tilt up and return down but refuses to retract backwards. I removed the motor and checked the cables and used the hair dryer method. (i dont have much use for it otherwise ) But to no avail. The motor moves the roof down slightly and back about 5-8 mm but then it just stops. Any ideas?

cheers
gaz

[tom]

sounds like a jammed cable or runner. Lots of loos'nin juice and patience.
If after a few goes, it moves another couple of mm then you are winning. soak the lot well and wait overnight. That it moves back at all suggests that the control logic iscorrect but if you have no luck then the headlining will have to come out ( which is not too difficult) so you can access the sunroof cartridge. If you cannot wind it on the allen key, try to get to the far end of the cable with some diesel or paraffin which works better than WD for thinning dirty, hard grease.

[saint gaz]

Thanks tom but were exactly to spray the "loos'nin juice". From the inside with the motor removed and cables exposed or from the outside with the thing tillted up?

gaz

[saint gaz]

Chaps, i am still having a bit of trouble with my sunroof. Like I said it tilts up no problem. When I try and open it fully it moves down and backwards about 4-5mm then stops. It does this with the key and motor. (I have used the hair dryer and have already sprayed what i can see with roof tilted.)

Do I drop the motor assy and spray the cables from there. (if i do that the headlining will probably get soked?) or leave it tillted and spray again as much as i can see?

gary

[docchevron]

It's more than likely that the cables are corroded, the only sure fire way to assess what the issue is and fix it long term is to drop the headlining, strip the roof, clean it all up and fill it all with lube really mate.