Lots of sun but sunroof broken!!!

[vidfletch]

Hi!

Its very sunny up here in Scotland which is unusual! I now have a non-working sunroof though!

I had just arrived at John R. Weir Mercedes in Perth to pick up a Level control unit arm for my Self Levelling Supension which broke due to a burst pipe last week. I parked the car and my wife pressed the button to close the roof. Nothing happened! I couldn't believe it!

I went in and got the part I wanted and came back to the car. My wife had found that the sunroof would go back but not forwards. The roof was not completely open at the time it failed. I got in the back and closed it manually. We pressed the button to TILT it and nothing happened. Pressed it to open it and it opened but again would not close when button pressed to shut.

There is no noise at all when trying to shut the roof or TILT it. It always closes though. The fuse is ok but I didn't think that would be blown. The car is 1988 W124 230TE and the roof has always been fine up until now.

Has anyone any ideas what is wrong? The fact it opens the roof but nothing else I find odd!

Thanks in advance

David Fletcher

 

[Rog_E]

Switch?

Not sure if there is a relay on the sunroof, a perusal of the maual may help.

Switch/light cluster comes out easy enough and it should not be too difficult to test the circuits (volt meter or bulb and wire).

 

[vidfletch]

Checked more things!!!

Hi!

Took out the switch console from the roof lining and all seems fine. When I press the sunroof button to close the roof I can hear a click from the back of the car and also when I press the button to TILT the sunroof there is a click at the back of the car.

Is this click the sunroof motor or a relay? There is no relay beside the switch. Too many things going wrong with the car!!!!!!!!

While checking all this out I had to manually wind the sunroof shut. Mercedes obviously didn't think that this would have to happen too often because the crappy plastic nut just snapped off and got stuck in the wheel brace! I had to use my socket set on the nut underneath it but of course it has a spindle on it for the plastic nut to sit on so it just fitted and no more.

I have to say much as I like driving the car, the way the interior parts are fixed together is shocking! Designed by a sadist! My Passat was a doddle to take apart and fewer things went wrong on a similarly aged car. Crap engine though. At least the Mercedes engine is good.

Any more ideas anyone?

Vidfletch

 

[auto-union]

Sunny - but no sunroof!

Easy - your cable is broken. This is not too difficult to replace, but if you have had no exposure to this type of work, then I would forgo doing it yourself. You need to reset the motor, and sometimes, the cable casing is all broken and can jam in the guide shaft and motor, which then means you have to dismantle that too. Only thing is, you can't get the motor out unless you remove the cable first !!! Have fun!
KJ - Sunny Oz (yes, even in winter!)