W124 sunroof maintenance

[The Crooner]

Hi

My sunroof is sometimes sticky when going into the tilt position. Is there a "howto maintain your sunroof" anywhere?

Also, how are you supposed to close it, or is mine faulty? I have to juggle precisely the point at which its fully closed using the movement of the switch one way then the other.

Tony

 

[wireman]

Your sun roof switches FIVE operating positions:-
At rest,
Sliding the sun roof switch backwards opens the slide,
Sliding it forwards closes the slide, motor is cut off by limit switch.
Pushing it up opens the tilt.
And pulling it down closes the tilt, motor is cut off by limit switch.
also
Pushing it up with roof slide open, closes slide then opens tilt,
And pulling it back with tilt open, closes tilt then opens slide.

The operating switch sets the motor running in one or t'other direction to open slide/close tilt or close slide/open tilt, its wires go to a second switch mounted on the motor in the boot, this switch is driven by the sun roof winding spindle and should cut off the motor when it hits the closed position from either tilt close (pull switch down) or slide close (push switch forwards).
I suspect that it has been incorrectly adjusted or that the switch itself is defective.

To adjust the boot mounted motor switch there is a small knob on its spindle (near the hexagonal emergency control shaft) this can be pulled out (gently) and the switch rotated to set the position at which the cut off occurs, push it back in after adjusting it.

Your roof should stop at some point in its travel (same place from either direction) due to this switch, the adjustment of the switch spindle will determine where it stops. Find out where it stops and shift the motor switch setting a little then see where it stops and then using the amount you moved the switch as a guide make further adjustments to move the cut off position to the proper closed position. It may need to be a full turn or two of adjustment to get it right.

There is no motor cut off or limit switch at the extremes of roof travel i.e. full tilt or slide, the limit switch only controls the closed position of the roof.

I dont know of a how too on maintainance but my owners book says something like this:-
Clean the sliding parts of grime and lubricate the moving parts with light oil whilst the sun roof is open. Examine the seal on the edge of the roof for damage or big hard bits of filth stuck into its sealing face.

Beware of taking too many bits off the sun roof, it can be a long nightmare putting it back together.

 

[The Crooner]

Thanks

Will go and investigate some more and clean and lubricate. I do have some non-sticky grease.

Tony

 

[The Crooner]

Hi

Its as I thought - the switch does not cause the roof to reverse in either the slide or tilt mode.

Will the switch be at fault or the relay? Is the switch replaceable and where is the relay?

TIA

Tony

 

[The Crooner]

Polite bump for further comment.

Tony

 

[television]

I felt that bump

I would spray all of the tracks with PTFE, and the same with the switch that operates it as a starting point, if the roof is just tight you may have to juggle the switch, and that could be OK. you do have a handle to operate it in the tool kit

 

[roadhog]

I don't have a handle in mine and my switch only does the tilt and slide bit, sometimes only when it feels like it. The other three functions as described above are sadly absent. How do I get switch out and can it be repaired/cleaned etc?

 

[television]

Most switches on a 124 are the rocker type, and you could get an aerosol spray of switch cleaner and spray it in down the sides on the rocker button while operating it, there would be nothing gained in taking it out to be cleaned. it will not harm any wooden panels, and just wipes off

 

[The Crooner]

Thanks Malcolm, I will go spray the switch later.

I have a distinct premonition of an immediate return thereafter, desperately seeking relays.

Tony

 

[television]

The motor for the roof, could contain a thermal cut out, and this would explain the juggling that is is required to close it if the tracks are too tight, there could well be nothing wrong with the switch

 

[124coupe]

Merc sell a little pack of sunroof rail lube - looks like Vaseline - I was given a lump on the back of a business card while waiting for some spares to be fetched from "out the back". :lol:

 

[The Crooner]

OK

The roof move strongly in the open direction only, so to close it I have to go from tilt to slide and vice versa. The switch does not operate in the reverse direction in either tilt or slide mode, this after a liberal application of contact cleaner.

I have greased my rail with some vaseline type stuff I bought ages ago for the purpose - non sticky white grease if my memory serves me right.

The motor is healthy - there is plenty of torque to open the roof and it goes from tilt to slide and vice versa reasonably quickly, especially now the rails are greased.

Its not really a big issue, but its hard to judge when its correctly closed, and I cant stand things which dont work as intended.

So what can cause the motor/drive chain/control system not to reverse as intended?
TIA

Tony

 

[television]

As I said earlier there is a thermal time switch that closes again in 2 sec and this would explain the erratic nature of the switch.

I can send you one fault that stops it closing and the wiring diagram

 

[television]

As your Email is shown I have posted them to you

 

[The Crooner]

Thanks Malcolm.

There is no reason to believe that the roof is travwelling on worn bearers, it runs smoothly, and does not catch anywhere on its travels.

I will investigate the switches on the motor tomorrow. I presume the relay is under the passenger rear seat with all the other comfort relays?

Cheers

Tony

 

[swannymere]

The sunroof on my 95 300D only tilt's, it won't slide at all, any suggestions?

 

[television]

Hello and welcome. Can you wind it back with the handle

 

[swannymere]

Hello and welcome. Can you wind it back with the handle

Hi, It's electric, do you mean manually from the boot?

 

[television]

Hi, It's electric, do you mean manually from the boot?

Yes there should be a little handle in the tool kit, the motor sits at the top of the wheel arch in the boot left hand side.

If you can open the roof manually,,you can then grease the tracks, with some thing like WD40 to start with, then follow up with something like PTFE

 

[swannymere]

Thanks, i'll give it a try tomorrow.