Sunroof 260e please!

[LordBeastington]

So, i got into my car after work and pushed the sunroof button. I can hear the motor and it sound like something is moving and the liner moves a bit but it does not open. It will pop up and down bu you can also push it open(up) from the inside. Any suggestions?

[JerryWagner]

sounds like the tray is un hooked or the clutch is loose, the clutch adjustment is located in the trunk at the right rear quarter panel, remove the panel, tighten the nut 60 degrees and test sunroof, if you need detailed procedure e mail me and I will fax or email a pdf file from the manual for my 300E

[LordBeastington]

Ok, so originally, when i pushed the retract motor, it groaned and the right rear corner sank in. Also, the left corner was able to be pushed up by hand from the inside. I messed wiht it a little and now both side come up and it no longer moves what so ever when the retract buton is pushed. Also, it can be pushed open from the inside. Also, when i pushed the retract button before, it would only run the motor for the usual amount of time. Now it seems like something is moving to the back of the roof with no restrictions. Did i break it more and what should I do to fix it?

[psfred]

The lift angles on the sides are broken. Repair is rather involved, but possible. Do a search on "sunroof repair" or "lift angles" for details.

New lift angles were about $100 each four years ago.

Peter

[LordBeastington]

did i break the other messing with it?

[psfred]

Most likely.

They are a known weak point, the new ones are much stronger.

Here is a quick synopsis of what you need to do:

Remove headliner by pyring down on the front edge to unclip the four clips there (about 2 inches back if I remember correctly), the slide it back to get access to the roof panel. Helps if you can manage to get the roof part way back. It CAN be removed completely by bowing it enough to pull through the opening downwards, but this is likely to bend up the side rails, a major pain.

Damage should be obvious at this point, as the translation bridge across the rear will be stuck sideways. You will be able to reach the screws that hold the cable onto the bridge and the three screws on each side that hold the lift angles to the bridge.

Once you get the cable off and the lift angles loose, you can fish out all the bits that keep the roof panel from moving and push it back.

Loosen the screws that hold the "claws" at the front and push them in toward the center of the panel, then push panel back and remove the phillips head screws that hold the chrome rails in place, then remove rails and headliner through the top. Leave the slotted screw at the front of each rail alone, it's the height adjustment only.

Roof panel is held on by two bolts on each side, remove bolts and roof panel.

Lift angles hook into the slides -- rotate the inside up and outwards to remove, then install new lift angles in the reverse after removing ALL the bits! New ones can be hard to get in, I couldn't buy my brother just flipped them in place.

Installation is the reverse, with the only real pain being the need to force the roof panel forward FRIMLY against the seal in the closed position while tightening the attaching bolts. There is a hole into which one can insert an 8 mm allen to hold them while doing this, but the factory tool "helper" is a vise grips like thing that hooks into the mirror mount hole and the panel -- this is a hint as to how tight it needs to be. You can "cheat" it by manually cranking the roof back 3 mm or so when installing.

Roof panel, when closed, must be within 1 mm of the roof at the front, but lower, and within 1mm of the roof at the rear, but higher (at least level!) or it will give excessive wind noise.

Mke sure the cable end is straight and the clip to the bridge isn't bent.

You will probably have to adjust the motor when done, also (also posted before).

Plan on at least four hours the first time you do this.

Peter

[EricSilver]

I did not see this thread when I posted the exact problem for my 260E in another thread. (I notice sometimes that problems seem to occur in clusters.)