300e Sunroof making noise but not opening
 

I know this topic has probably been posted numerous times, but i can't find one specifically for the 1987 300 e. Basically, I am 99% sure i have a busted cable. The motor makes all the noises when the button is pushed, but nothing happens. Can someone provide me some information as to how to change the cable? The sunroof is in the closed position and I don't know where to begin. Thanks for your help! :)

My guess is the cable has become detached/broken at the sunroof end. The other possibility is the gear is stripped in the motor. Probably easiest to remove the trunk liner (driver side) and check the motor/cable.

if it's the cable, do you happen to know how i would go about replacing it? thanks!

Replacing the cable is not tremendously difficult but takes time.
You have three choices:

1. Perform a search on this forum (thats what I did) as there is a wealth of info available here. The posts provided more than I needed to know and I saved a ton of money

2. But a manual or cds

3. Go to the dealer and spend $1000+

As it so happens, I have the same age and model car. As it also happens, my sunroof does not work either. However, this was a combination of the plastic MB used to secure the sunroof to the cable and the age of the car. Upon inspection, the sunroof mechanisms that sit on either side of the sunroof were completely busted. I sourced a replacement at a junkyard. I have yet to install it however. It is my belief that the motor rarely goes and the same with the cable. However, the fact that MB used cheap plastic and cheap metal parts to form the mechanism would lead me to look there first if I suffered this problem again.

Can you physically open the sunroof (ie push it up from the inside?)? Another way to check the motor would be to break out the little too MB shipped w/ your car or just a wrench and try to open the sunroof/close it manually.