Gentlmen,
the sunroof on my 300e gave up today when I tried to close it while it was tilted up.
The passenger side works fine while trying to close it but the driver's side seems to be static. I had to manually push it close which it did.
Trying to slide it open does the same. the passenger side is trying to slide back while the driver side doesnt seem to work in conjunction with the moving motor.
The local MB mech here wants $800 to even begin looking at it since he claims it's labor intensive.
Any suggestions ? Can i try to trouble shoot it myself ? More over isn't $800 "too much" for something like this ?

One or both of your rails are broken.
Do a search on repair sunroof and you will find ample info to take it out, replace the rails and put it back.

It is said to be an annoying but entiely doable job.

You will need to remove it. Every piece comes out through the top.

Get some special wax as well.

The parts are about $175 in all, I think.

__________________
Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

I second on the broken angle. The sunroof is not so complex as described by shops.

You're car is a w124. I believe you got exactly the same roof as w201. I should have a printout from MB EPC somewhere.

You can do it...hardest thing is to get started.

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'87 MBenz 190E 2,3 8vlv

Thanks guys for your input.
Allright so fine, I'll get started. Yes mine's a 124.
'190dee' when you mentioned a copy of MB EPC, what were you referring to ?
As for the parts, when I go to the dealer to purchase them, what exactly should i be asking for ?
Will I need to take the roof apart for this, or can I do this just by sliding open the sunroof and working from the available space ?
I've gone through the posts and some of them have quite a lenghty process described where they're changing the cables and taking the whole roof apart.....

Remember that also in your trunk on the left side is the motor and there is a "socket" that you can connect a handle to and manually move your roof fowards and back.

The tools should be in the red tool kit and the instructions in your owner's manual.

Haasman

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'03 E320 Wagon-Sold
'95 E320 Wagon-Went to Ex
'93 190E 2.6-Wrecked
'91 300E-Went to Ex
'65 911 Coupe (#302580)

The epc is dealers electronic part catalog. This comes very handy because you can call your partsupplier and they will have the exact same picture on their system. It's very easy to order the right parts from it when you know what you'll need. I will try to find it for you. I only got a paper copy but I can scan it.

When I changed the angles I started to take it all apart. I found both angles crushed in pieces. No wonder it didn't slide very well. In the same run I took all the nessary part numbers from what was left of them.

You should also order all the rubber bushings for it if you decide to order new angels. Mine were very worn.

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'87 MBenz 190E 2,3 8vlv

Benz300,

Update us as you make progress, if you can. I've been putting off tearing into my non working sunroof for a while. I got some high estimates in the $300-$500 range--not including electric motor. I found the CD service manual to be pretty useless, but I ordered the new Bentley owner's Bible which is supposed to include the well-kept secrets that surround most W124 repairs.
I'll let you know if it has any promising tips regarding the sunroof.
Steve

Here are the parts numbers for a 124 sunroof:

Side angle 124 780 06 12 (left)

Side angle 124 780 05 12 (right)

Bridge 124 780 00 35 (rear)

A description of this job is right here on this forum written by Peter

It begins Hey all
You hae a broken lifting angle...

The parts are available from Mercedesshop, and probably many other places.

Good luck!

Mine is broken too, and no longer pops up. It opens and closes and I will be fooling with it soon.

__________________
Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

Thanks everyone for the help on this.
Here's what I've noticed now, not only does the driver side doesnt pop up/down, but when i try to slide it open and close, the driver side doesnt slide either.
I understand that the lift angles would contribute to the up/down operation, but what about the sliding part ?
Does this mean that other parts will be needed as well ?
As for the Cable that controls all of this, are there two seperate cables working for the right/left side ? or is it one cable coming from the motor in the trunk that operates this all ?
I'm looking forward to 190Dee sending me the diagram, and then I'll start working on this. Let's see where it ends up. Worst case scenerio, if i do get stuck somewhere , I'll just take it to the benz mech at that point. Atleast I'll save some labor hours

There is only one cable and it's attached in the middle on the bar/plate between both angles. I can drop description and refer to number on diagram I sent you.

The angles will also affect sliding since they lower the sunroof in the rear before it slides into the roof. Pratical speaking, angles are "streched" and this will make them to lower rear end.

I recommend to start by removing inner clothing and sunroof to examine what's broken.

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'87 MBenz 190E 2,3 8vlv

Benz300 I would strongly advise agaist starting and not finishing any job as a matter of fact, if you take the roof apart and then get stuck and decide to take it to a shop you will most likely get charged twice as much because they will charge you for the hours needed to figure out what you did. This is what I have been told by my mech.

The sun roof is the first thing I fixed on my 190E a few days right after I bought it. It took me all day, but it is a very simple job, there is nothing complex there, it's all taking apart the upholestry, this if for my 190 I'm not sure about 300 but they look the same to me. If you know how to use a screw driver and a 10mm socket with a ratchet, you should do just fine, but set aside a LOT of time for this.

XP

You can buy the parts from a dealer, but they will charge you more than anyone else.

Fastlane will sell them for less, shipping included, than the dealer will sell them for, including sales tax, and there are many others who also discount parts.

Mechanics like to take things apart then put them back together, but if you pay careful attention to how they came out and compare to the new parts, you can do it yourself and pocket thre $80.00 per hour plus sales tax.

Get some sunroof paste wax as well. There is a belief that a lack of this causes these things to break in the first place.

Good luck!

__________________
Semibodacious Transmogrifications a Specialty

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo sedan 171K (Rudolf)
1985 300D Turbo TD Wagon 219K (Remuda)

"Time flies like and arrow, yet fruit flies like a banana"
---Marx (Groucho)

Good enough.,
I'll set aside a weekend to do this. But here's a question.
I took a peek at the roof from the inside along with the sunroof. When the sunroof is closed, I couldnt even spot any screws or 10mm bolts that I can start off from.
xp, since u mentioned u've already done this on ur 190, I'm sure the 300 won't be much different.
Can you perhaps, write down the details on where to start from, what parts come out first, and then where to go from there on.
thanks again for everyone's help on this.
I plan on creating a document with all the details for the 300e in order to get this done once i get thdetails on the 190 and possible help from the others.

While we're at this,
can someone please advise me how many hours should the dealer/mech charge me to do this whole sunroof job ? I'd like to figure out how much i'm looking at in the worst case scenerio.

I feel your pain and I'm on a roll myself. My son takes out the car and opens the roof and can't close it, getting to within an inch of a seal. I go and look at it and can't do any better. I hear the motor whirling but nothing happens, except it pushed it back some on one try. I physically muscle it closed but the rear is depressed in the roof and I can't get it to pop up, sealing against the roof. It doesn't hep being in the northeast with the temp around 11 degrees. I hope the rain and snow are channeled away from the cabin. Anyone know if I need to duct tape it up??????????