W126 Sunroof stuck open....NICE !

[Tomson]

Dear All,

Please can I have some advice, My W126 500SEL 'G Plate' sunroof is stuck open in the tilt position. It has always been a bit tempromental but last night it stuck open.

The switch is working, I can hear it click - but the motor is not. The motor works when you try and tilt it open some more - although it is allready at full tilt. ( Does that make sense ? ) But it all of the other positions, nothing happens.

Has anyone hasd this happen to them ?

Please help

Tom

 

[jack-n-gill]

Hi Tomson
Do you mean the roof is stuck in the open,tilt position and won't close when you push the switch to close it, but if you push the switch to tilt it further the motor operates?
If this is the case then I think the gear on the motor shaft has stripped and is slipping on the spiral wound cables. This is quite common on old sunroofs as the maintenance on them is often overlooked. If you're a bit handy with a screwdriver yourself, you could try removing the roof panel from the mechanism (four screws 2 each side) and once you've gained access to the top of the carriage tracks, take off the stainless steel cable cover(s) and have a look at the drive cables where they meet the motor spindle. If they're worn you'll need to replace both cables and the drive gear.
Try contacting www.webasto.co.uk to see if there is a service depot near you that can supply/fit the new parts you require. If not, try going to your local sunroof fitting station, probably a windscreen fitting centre, and see if they can help.

 

[Leylandp76]

If this is still an issue for you, I had the same problem with my car but a different fault (sounds like yours when you say 'temperamental'). The motor worked sometimes, and the intermittent fail has now been identified as worn out bushes on the motor. Everything else is 100% and I am going to fit new bushes when I get time. I suspect the motors would all be similar, mine's a Bosch 0 390 251 696 CHP and I suspect new bushes will probably cost less than a fiver.