Sunroof mostly not working, why??

MikeV8SE · Sep 15, 2011

OK, I'm stuck. The sunroof on the 1994 Classic rarely works. It does work, I've seen it with my own eyes, and when it does work it tilts and slides perfectly, no drama.

However, 90% of the time it doesn't, it moves about 2mm back or forth and that's it.

So, the motors and switch work and the fuse must be fine as there's movement, so I reckon it's either:

- the sunroof is aligned incorrectly, but there must be a very sensitive sensor to stop it working sometimes and allow it others!

- dodgy earth somewhere, but not sure where the sunroof earths to.

Any other ideas?

gfromleeds · Sep 15, 2011

Too stiff?
Next time it works give all the moving parts a good spray with a lubricant of you choice

discomalc · Sep 15, 2011

A squirt of wax based furniture polish on the tracks sorted mine out a treat.

MikeV8SE · Sep 16, 2011

gfromleeds said:
Too stiff?
Next time it works give all the moving parts a good spray with a lubricant of you choice

discomalc said:
A squirt of wax based furniture polish on the tracks sorted mine out a treat.

Will give both of these ideas a try, thanks! Where do you squirt it exactly? Just everywhere that moves or touches basically?

MikeV8SE · Sep 29, 2011

OK, randomly the sunroof opened yesterday so I got the Mr Sheen out and coated all the runners I could see in it! Shut the sunroof and....still won't open again! Next idea?

classic kev · Sep 30, 2011

MikeV8SE said:
OK, randomly the sunroof opened yesterday so I got the Mr Sheen out and coated all the runners I could see in it! Shut the sunroof and....still won't open again! Next idea?

My sunroof is exactly the same. It often works when it is really hot. I suspect the issue is with the setting of the position switch which is behind the head liner. There is a small window in it that you need to look at to align a white line with a notch in the casing. What I think happens (and I'm guessing here) is that after years of wear and tear, thermal expansion/contraction causes the sensor to become misaligned and this upsets the whole thing. I could be talking complete rubbish but that is as far as my logic has taken me! by the way, it is a complete nightmare getting in to mess about with the position switch, it is a bit tight up there unless you remove the headliner and I've not been brave enough to do that just yet.

MikeV8SE · Sep 30, 2011

Hey kev, long time no see!

Weirdly, my sunroof has been working a bit more yesterday and today - so perhaps Mr Sheen did help after all! Before I could go back and forth with the switch and nothing much happened. Now, if I do it a couple of times it often frees up on the 2nd or 3rd try and opens!

Maybe a bit more Mr Sheen and it'll be sorted...

norseman · Sep 30, 2011

classic kev said:
My sunroof is exactly the same. It often works when it is really hot.

Conversely the steel sunroof on the '89 I owned didn't like hot weather & used to 'catch' under the roof itself as the panel tried to slide back. Wish you luck with your's but we are talking joe lucas electrics here!

MikeV8SE · Oct 4, 2011

Bugger! Had a good couple of days of it working (mostly) and nows it stuck again.

Short of carrying Mr Sheen in the car at all times, what else can be done to get it working consistently? Resetting the position switch?

MikeV8SE · Oct 7, 2011

classic kev said:
My sunroof is exactly the same. It often works when it is really hot. I suspect the issue is with the setting of the position switch which is behind the head liner. There is a small window in it that you need to look at to align a white line with a notch in the casing. What I think happens (and I'm guessing here) is that after years of wear and tear, thermal expansion/contraction causes the sensor to become misaligned and this upsets the whole thing. I could be talking complete rubbish but that is as far as my logic has taken me! by the way, it is a complete nightmare getting in to mess about with the position switch, it is a bit tight up there unless you remove the headliner and I've not been brave enough to do that just yet.

Hey Kev, any more details on the location of this position/alignment adjuster? Is it up behind the roof panel that houses the sunroof button and front interior light?

Cheers!

fett · Oct 7, 2011

well its a landrover so its not supposed to work properly.

best bet is leave it shut and use your aircon.

I sealed up the one in my 1990 and put in a non sunroof headliner in as it was just a waste of time and it leaked in very heavy weather

Datatek · Oct 7, 2011

As it's mostly not sunny in the UK, a sunroof that mostly doesn't open seems appropriate to me

Dr_evil · Oct 7, 2011

Pop the switch out and see if it works when its out of the holder, my disco did this for some reason

Works when out of the holder but not when in it so I repositioned it slightly

fett · Oct 7, 2011

Datatek said:
As it's mostly not sunny in the UK, a sunroof that mostly doesn't open seems appropriate to me

lol, at least you got that one data

MikeV8SE · Oct 9, 2011

Is there anything in here I can adjust? I did open and shut the sunroof manually and it was quite stiff, not sure what I can do to make it easier - tried Mr Sheen and WD40 on the runners, no joy!

Any other ideas?

gfromleeds · Oct 9, 2011

i only ever use my sunroof to carry long lenths of wood

MikeV8SE · Oct 9, 2011

gfromleeds said:
i only ever use my sunroof to carry long lenths of wood

Err...good to know?!

fett · Oct 9, 2011

gfromleeds said:
i only ever use my sunroof to carry long lenths of wood

thats what the top tailgates for, so some pikey in a transit can get a 2x4 through the neck at a set of traffic lights if he doesnt stop in time

fett · Oct 9, 2011

MikeV8SE said:
Err...good to know?!

mike , am I getting the incling that your fed up with the stupid answers people keep givng you?

if so I appologise for every answer I have ever given

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