I have to "inch" my sunroof open or closed by rapidly pressing the button

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Random.Human

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Hope someone has had a similar problem


2001 LS

Sunroof wasnt opening or closing correctly so I removed headliner and removed the entire sunroof to inspect.

I found nothing wrong with the track or any broken pieces. I then lubed the tracks with a q-tip and some clear grease and tried the sunroof without bolting it up to the roof of the car.

The sunroof will only move a couple of inches or so and then "click" off. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it goes only half way and clicks off.


Does anyone have and ideas? Could it be a faulty controller module or a bad open/close switch?

I'm currently holding the circuit board that controls the sunroof motor (wanted to inspect) but I dont know how to test it. Nor do I know how to test the sunroof switch.


So I'm essentially sitting here like an ass, with the headliner hanging down, wires everywhere, and the c,b, and a pillar covers on the floor. lol Help me!!
 
Random.Human said:
Hope someone has had a similar problem


2001 LS

Sunroof wasnt opening or closing correctly so I removed headliner and removed the entire sunroof to inspect.

I found nothing wrong with the track or any broken pieces. I then lubed the tracks with a q-tip and some clear grease and tried the sunroof without bolting it up to the roof of the car.

The sunroof will only move a couple of inches or so and then "click" off. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes it goes only half way and clicks off.


Does anyone have and ideas? Could it be a faulty controller module or a bad open/close switch?

I'm currently holding the circuit board that controls the sunroof motor (wanted to inspect) but I dont know how to test it. Nor do I know how to test the sunroof switch.


So I'm essentially sitting here like an ass, with the headliner hanging down, wires everywhere, and the c,b, and a pillar covers on the floor. lol Help me!!
Click to expand...

Have you tested the sunroof motor?
 
I'm at work at the moment so I can't go out and look at it but I have had my sunroof out several times for various reasons. I took the metal piece off of the motor, revealing the gear inside. I believe you can also disconnect the motor from the sunroof brace (I'm pretty positive of this, but it's been forever.) You can then plug in the motor to the power to see if it is spinning like it should be. If it's not turning all of the way it will cause your sunroof to only partially open. If it's your motor, I have an extra one that I know works that I'll let you have for cheap. The only reason I have the entire extra unit is because my brother the plastic part of the sunroof brace so I had to buy an entire unit.
 
Yes you are correct, the motor comes off and I have it sitting here in front of me, but i'm not sure how to give it power.

is it possible to take two leads and connect them to the cars battery and then to the motor's wires? I dont know how else to give it 12volts and I literally have everything else removed.


If the motor was bad, would that cause it to stop intermittently? Even if I help the moving tracks open and close with my hands, there will be a "click" from the control module and the motor stops working..
 
If gen I is like gen II, then this may be the answer.

Roof Opening Panel Motor Initialization

NOTE: This procedure must be carried out when repairs (including lubrication) are performed on any part of the roof opening panel system.

Vehicles with existing roof opening panel and the glass in the slide range fore/aft

1. Turn the key to the ON position, then begin moving the glass panel using express open or express close.

2. While the glass panel is moving, press and hold the tilt switch for 10 seconds.

3. The glass stops as soon as the switch is pressed.

4. After 10 seconds, release the tilt switch. (Continue to step 9.)

Vehicles with existing roof opening panel and the glass in the closed or vent range

5. Press and hold the tilt switch.

6. The glass will move to full tilt position and stop, but do not release the tilt switch.

7. Continue holding the tilt switch for an additional 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, release the tilt switch. (Continue to step 8.)

Vehicles with new or existing roof opening panel and the glass in the slide, closed or vent range

8. Press and hold the tilt switch.

9. The glass panel is driven in the tilt up direction to the tilt up hard stop.

10. The drive recognizes a hard stop has occurred.

11. The drive reverses the glass panel to the normal tilt up soft stop position.

12. After the glass stops, release the tilt switch.

13. Within 5 seconds of releasing the tilt switch, press and hold the switch.

14. The drive moves through the full closed position to the full open position and back to full closed.

15. Test the express open and express close using the switch.
 
^^^^alright I'll give this a shot! I hope this works. The only concern I have is why it will sometimes go all the way with a push of a button, and other times I have to keep hitting it until the tracks make their full cycle.

There doesnt seem to be a rhyme or reason why it sometimes functions or fails.





BTW, thanks guys. You are awesome, I cant believe the we live in an age where I can come onto a forum about a relatively obscure product and find so many people willing and able to help.




And keep hitting me with ANY suggestions/theories as to what might be causing this!
 
Random.Human said:
^^^^alright I'll give this a shot! I hope this works. The only concern I have is why it will sometimes go all the way with a push of a button, and other times I have to keep hitting it until the tracks make their full cycle.

There doesnt seem to be a rhyme or reason why it sometimes functions or fails.





BTW, thanks guys. You are awesome, I cant believe the we live in an age where I can come onto a forum about a relatively obscure product and find so many people willing and able to help.




And keep hitting me with ANY suggestions/theories as to what might be causing this!
Click to expand...

I suspect that the electronics feel that the motor is drawing too much current and are stopping it because of the fear that someone's head might be jammed in the roof. The purpose of the initialization procedure is to retrain the electronics as to how much current the motor needs to move the panel. This theory could (of course) be wrong.
 
Random.Human said:
Yes you are correct, the motor comes off and I have it sitting here in front of me, but i'm not sure how to give it power.

is it possible to take two leads and connect them to the cars battery and then to the motor's wires? I dont know how else to give it 12volts and I literally have everything else removed.


If the motor was bad, would that cause it to stop intermittently? Even if I help the moving tracks open and close with my hands, there will be a "click" from the control module and the motor stops working..
Click to expand...

If the gear is sticking it would cause it to stop like this. I cleaned mine out and re-lubed it when I was having my problems. It may not be the problem in your case but it's worth a shot to test it. Is the hook up to plug it into power on car on the sunroof unit itself?
 
TDUB said:
If the gear is sticking it would cause it to stop like this. I cleaned mine out and re-lubed it when I was having my problems. It may not be the problem in your case but it's worth a shot to test it. Is the hook up to plug it into power on car on the sunroof unit itself?
Click to expand...

Was hoping for an easy way to get power to it. Everything is disassembled and I will would need to put stuff back together and then hook up wiring. IE:the control module is on my desk as we speak the the car is in another city. But I might do this tomorrow.

In case anyone wants to see the control module out of its plastic box:

4427328815_820c8a0316.jpg


4428087096_098b57a613.jpg



It fits into the sunroof (part #8) as illustrated in this graphic:

KD00780.gif
 
Lincoln Jealous said:
this happens when the grease drys out, wont slide easy
Click to expand...

this is still a possibility

But, with the heavy glass removed and the tracks laying on the seats of the car, the tracks are still stopping intermittently. I used some clear grease on a q-tip and ran it along the sides and in the black plastic channels.

Additionally, I attempted to "give the assembly a hand" by pushing or pulling as it was moving to simulate extra power. The track still suck at RANDOM spots. And the tracks SEEMS to always close without incident when I close it by pressing the tilt button IN (as opposed to sliding the button fore or aft)



Is it possible that grease on a q-tip isnt able to get on the cables inside the channels etc?

Can you recommend me the best way to lubricate the parts?
 
i thought i was the only one with this problem, lol. it's a PITA. i simply stopped using my sunroof a while ago. funny thing is, i have an aftermarket alarm and i have a relay to close all my windows. When i lock my car and my sunroof is open, it will ALWAYS close all the way. I will try greasing it up (can someone take pics of what needs to be greased? i will also try all those steps described, but they are a bit confusing, but i'll still try it ;)
 
Random.Human said:
this is still a possibility

But, with the heavy glass removed and the tracks laying on the seats of the car, the tracks are still stopping intermittently. I used some clear grease on a q-tip and ran it along the sides and in the black plastic channels.

Additionally, I attempted to "give the assembly a hand" by pushing or pulling as it was moving to simulate extra power. The track still suck at RANDOM spots. And the tracks SEEMS to always close without incident when I close it by pressing the tilt button IN (as opposed to sliding the button fore or aft)



Is it possible that grease on a q-tip isnt able to get on the cables inside the channels etc?

Can you recommend me the best way to lubricate the parts?
Click to expand...

those random stops are tiny dry spots.. i think the computer may have a sensor like if your hand is in the way it will stop it... keep playing with it, have someone on the inside moving the buttons back and forth and you grease the slides from the top, its better to use a silicone grease, brake grease works for everything, use a qtip to clean, but use your finger and load it on there and it will be fine once you use the sunroof more often
 
Random.Human, did you get it fixed if so what did you do? I have the same problem and hardly use the sunroof anymore but had to unclog the drain hose because water is getting in.
 
I basically have an entire working unit for any one who needs various sunroof parts. From what he said I do believe his was the track.
 
i tried the lube on the rails to no avail. i will try that other list thing whenever i figure it out and when i have an hour, lol.
 
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