TheAllusionist

I have an electronic sunroof issue, I wanted to pick the brain of the community here, I have been Googling and searching but not finding exactly what I am looking for/suffering from. Brief history, last fall I bought a Pinkleton glass sunroof and put it on and it seemed to work fine. Now that I finally got the car running again (replaced an axle that I shattered bearing cage on) and have had a chance to drive two times since it is repaired.

First trip last weekend, I opened the sunroof and it seemed to go up higher on one side and didn't want to close. Got it home and played around with it and got it to close, I think maybe having power off and letting things rest played the biggest part in it closing.

Second trip, my step son wanted to be dropped off in the Porsche this last week of school and so I got it out and we started to go and the sunroof started operating all on it's own, I never touched the button If I closed it, it would wait a second and open itself up and then it would keep trying to open and not stop and once again one side seemed opened more than the other. As it wouldn't stop making the noise, I held the button on close position and turned around and headed home, I had to let off the button once in a while to shift etc. and by the time we got back it wouldn't close. I shut it off, got cars out of way and pulled it into garage and tried the down direction, it went down and I just shut the care off while it was closed and not tweaked or anything.

I don't know much about these units, I could assume two things, the switch that you operate has gone out and it is sending a signal to just one side all the time, or a micro swithch in the sunroof assembly is acting up and not sensing it opened all the way. Since it just goes on it's own I am more inclined to think it is the button on the center console. But I wanted to ask if anyone had a similar situation before I buy a brand new switch?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, I hate coming on here only asking questions and not providing anything back to the community, but I am a newbie on working on these cars.

Mangonesailor

I think you have two problems occurring at the same time here:

1. You may have a sticky sunroof switch. Pull the switch and verify no continuity between the pins.

2. You may have a overly worn gear in the side of the sunroof with the "lowest" arm. The arms do not operate independently. They're driven by a common cable from the motor that should turn both gears in each arm gearbox at the same speed and at the same time. If one has a bad/missing tooth it could be jumping out of position. If you look in the gates right now since the roof is down you'll be able to see if they are in different positions in each gate. I would buy a new set of gears and install a new one in the "lowest" side while also matching the position of the other side's arm. Then inspect/grease the other gear.

TheAllusionist

Thank you or your input/help much appreciated.

turboS_swede

Lots of info here:

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/body-03.htm

TheAllusionist

Thank you, I have it book marked and I have read, but I was curious as the sunroof was operating all on it's own as stated, I didn't activate it, it just started opening on it's own, so I wondered if that indicated the switch on center console or if the center micro switch is the culprit? I very well may have the problem with gears, but I wanted to resolve the automatic raising and not shutting off issue first.

Once again, thank you for your help and advice and help, I have taken the sunroof relay out of the fuse box for the time being so that it can be driven if need be and have ordered a switch and contact and once they are installed I will check out the gears if need be. I can't wait until I get all these little items taken care of and can just enjoy the ride! LOL seems like little things keep popping up!

Mangonesailor

Did you test the switch? The microswitch up front is for the maximum upward height of the roof. It being faulty will not cause it to automagically raise. The lowered position is one of the two switches in the cable track in the back.

You probably should've ordered a gear.

TheAllusionist

Well, I will be doing it trial and error, have switch and micro switch on the way to try and stop the automatic operation, and then will look into the cable track and gear stuff as phase two. I just took out the relay in the fuse box for the time being.

Monday I take it into mechanic to track down a noise that is either in the transaxle or wheel bearings, that will take precedence and probably cost a pretty penny! ;( But if the parts arrive before this weekend I may try to fix it then. Next and A/C condenser...... LOL

Thank you for your help, I have been listening to everyone and I have gears etc. book marked on ebay.

Mangonesailor

Update on this?

TheAllusionist

I replaced the rocker switch by the shifter and it seemed to fix the problem, but I haven't driven it around as I am doing a electrical repairs and replacing some switches and waiting for parts to finish up everything. I did not replace the micro switch, just the control switch and it went up and down fine, even heights and didn't operate on it's own so until I drive it around and give it a chance to act up, I will assume it is fixed.

ehall

Though I'm hoping that you got it, I'm also loling at the possible look on your face, in the near future, when it comes back. I really hope you got it, because I have the same problem!

TheAllusionist

Well that is why I had the disclaimer about driving it around and allowing it time to act up! LOL I did buy a contact switch and have the information and adjusting gears book marked....... I am hoping for the best and prepared for the worst!

ehall

The sunroof and the door handles are the two things, on this car, that **** me off the most. I hate working on either.

TheAllusionist

I got done today with all the electrical and putting an after market steering wheel on it today and took it out and the sunroof started acting up again, so probably the micro switch or the motor gears as others suggested. May wait until after I replace the AC compressor and rear wheel bearing, they are more important t this time of year.

I will post once I have resolved the issue.

ehall

Thanks for the update. Sorry it wasn't just the switch. I was hoping you got lucky.:-)

TheAllusionist

Oh, well, guess I will know the car inside and out by the time I am done! LOL