w123 sunroof service -

[shivayash]

hi,

quick question: best way to service an electric sunroof - my car's roof is very slow and i think needs attention.

thanks,

vishal

 

[tromppost]

Try some grease. Do not use WD40 it gets sticky. Open and close a few times then add a bit more.

 

[brandwooddixon]

Use a silicon grease for this.
Open the roof squirt some into the channels that the roof runners run within and work the roof back and forth a few times.

 

[wireman]

Do clean off any sh(1)te from anywhere around and in the sliding bits that you can see when the roof is open before you apply lubricants. A one inch paint brush and some clean rag will be usefull for dislodging any thats stuck to the rails and sliders.

Take care with silicon greases they stick to glass and cannot be removed, if it gets on your wind screen it will always smear in the rain. Do not get silicone grease on your hands a small amount transferred to your eye can cause catarcts and partial blindness.

Make sure that the current drawn by the motor is not so excessive as to cause the motor to run at low voltage, this may be due to poor connections at the switch and motor or the mechanical loading of stiff mechanics. Check the 12v supply to the motor terminals when it is in motion, if its much less than 12v there could be an electrical fault.

Try opening and closing the roof with the emergency nut on the motor assembly before and after you lubricate, this may give you a feel of how effective the repair has been.

If it is very stiff dont use the sun roof untill its been attended to since the drive cable could break or the drive pinion could shear, both of these failiures are very time consuming to sort out and may be very expensive in parts.

 

[stever]

I find using a vacuum cleaner with crevice attachment is best for cleaning the crud out of the sunroof sliding channels.

 

[wireman]

The vacuum cleaner is good idea, use an inch paintbrush aswell to dislodge the muck while you hoover it up.