95 e320 Wagon Sunroof: It must be possessed ....
 

The wagon’s sunroof must be possessed ..... some days the switch will make the roof tilt, slide and do all the things it is supposed to ..... other days, like today, it now wants to stay in the tilted position, open.

The last time this happened I used the driver's door lock roll-up feature to close it, so I am "guessing" it is the switch in the overhead, but I don't know.

I did several searches and one indicated a control module under the passenger seat, but that was for a sedan. The other was for a wagon, but talked about an antenna ground in the right rear .... so I am really confused.

Any help or suggestions (with rain approaching) would be greatly appreciated.

Haasman

sticky sunroof
 

This happenned to my 1994 C180 last year and I did 2 things. First, I bought a brand new high powered battery then I went to the dealer who splattered a good deal of the Benz grease on the rails and hinges(whatever they are) and its working like new since then.

Thanks for your reply. I feel it could be the switch. I think I should pull it down from the overhead location and check the contacts.

Haasman

Today I used the tilt feature, which it did, and then it wouldn't come down. Wouldn't do anything. I had to close it with the manual closing feature in the left wheel well.

Any sun roof pro's with suggestions? Please!

Haasman

Haasman:

Do you have the "convienence package" that allows you to close the windows, etc from the door locks?

If so, could very well be the relay box, under the rear seat, I think.

This little "feature" is why I would never get a car so equiped -- if there is something wrong, the only repair is replacement of the entire box (yes, all the windows and the sunroof are relayed through the box) -- and is is EXPENSIVE.

I'd certainly check the switch, it's vastly cheaper than the relay box. If it always closes with the door key, then it's very likely to be a bad switch.

Get some lube from Rusty, too, he sells it in a nice 2 oz box for $5 or something like that, a lube cannot hurt.

Peter

Peter

Yes it does have the "convienence package" ... but in a wagon, where would this be located?

Now that I have closed the roof and the overhead switch doesn't do anything .... a couple of questions:

-How does one gain access to the overhead switch?

-I checked the fuses, but I certainly do it again. Should I use the manual feature to roll the roof open to lube the tracks?

-Finally, if it isn't the switch .... where would you look next.

Thanks for the help,

Haasman

Don't know where the convenience "relay" is, probably the same place as the sedan (under the rear seat), but lacking a manual, who knows?

Is the switch in the housing where the overhead light is like it is on the W124? If so, just pull it (as if changing a lamp) and you should be able to figure it out.

If it's not the switch or fuse, hope it's the motor, not the relay. No replaceable parts in the "relay", just the whole box.

Peter

Thanks Peter

To pull the overhead switch, what does one have to do?

Haasman

Don't know -- too new for me! I'm still in the W124 chassis. In that one, the switch is in the overhead lamp holder, it pushes over and pulls down for a bulb change, and the sunroof switch is right next to the lamp holder. Never taken one out, though.

Peter

I pulled the switch and it seems fine. I then worked the switch while carefully listening to the sunroof motor. I can hear it clicking but no sunroof panel movement.

I used the manual feature and made the panel go through a full range of movement and tried it again. Nothing.

Do you know should the manual movement be easy. I noticed that in using a socket and rachet is took a bit of effort to make the panel move.

So any suggestions as what to do next?

Since the motor makes a noise via the switch but doesn't move it, I am wondering if I should roll it back, lube everything I can including the cable (something I have not idea how to do) and try it again. Maybe everything is just in need of a lube?

Haasman

Definitely lube the sunroof rails. Cable will be more of a problem, I'd avoid that unless forced to.

Manual operation is pretty stiff.

Closed location is by microswitch, so it's possible that something has gotten out of alighment in the motor itself, too. Does it just click or does it hum? If it hums or buzzes with the roof somewhere besides closed and flush, its dragging too much and the motor is slipping on the clutch. If it just clicks, something is wrong with the microswitch control inside the motor, most likely.

Peter

Peter,

As always, thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.

It seems to make a click. Sorry I am listening up front and the motor of course is in the back.

I will check and try to lube the tracks.

I will try and lube the rails. Any close substitute to the infamous MBZ lube? Any mixtures of products to approximate the lube such as Siliglyde and say silicone spray?

Haasman

My experience with my '95 E 320T's sunroof might interest you:

Since new, the sunroof has always been a pain and has never work correctly.

On my first complaint, the dealer changed the motor (under warranty), it worked fine for a week and then quit again.

Then they changed a relay which is located close to the sunroof motor on the left rear panel (just in front of the spare tire).

This cured most of the problems for a while, the dealer commented about this relay being a common culprit on sunroof problems, especially for the wagon (the relay is not cheap though, I believe).

Full lubrication is a must, on my car is done every oil change.

Still, today the sunroof sometimes refuses to tilt open unless you help it a little with your hand.

Thanks .... this is beginning to sound familiar ..... I am wondering if the relay is bad. I hate to ask how much .....

I just looked it up. Fastlane lists it as:

P2065-73947 Sunroof Relay

List: $66.00
Price: $82.50

It is more expensive than list!

I am quite sure the tracks need to be lubed.

Haasman

FWIW, my sunroof started working intermittently, and then one day it got stuck halfway open and wouldn't close.

I took it to a local MB independent, he noticed the tracks were dry, lubed them up, and then it moved just fine.

I make a point to lube it every oil change, and it has never acted up since.