Sunroof problems (1 Viewer)

[baghloli123]

I have 2000 lx 470 and its sunroof leaks because one of the drain pipe is partially blocked. I covered the sunroof with the tape around the boundaries but somehow the water is still leaking in. I am not sure how water is getting in and leaking into the car. What can I use to make it water tight?

The sunroof has also stopped functioning. I opened it up to unclog the drain pipe but it got stuck at the tilt position. If I press the tilt button again to bring it back to close, the sunroof attempts to go down a bit but then move up in the tilt position. The slide button does not do anything now. Can you help? I dont wish to fix it. If there is way to manually force close it. I will prefer that.

Once I am able to close it, I want to seal it. How may I do that?

 

[baghloli123]

I removed the windshield pillar trim and I am able to see that the drain pipe is clear. I add a full glass of water in the drain and I can see that the water continue to drain from the pipe slowly. If you look at the pictures, about a foot length of pipe is under the headliner, and this is where the blockage is. I used a 12 gauge electric wire and it could only go about 6-9 inches into the pipe.

The other side, I can slide all 3 feet of wire. My suspicion is that the pipe is likely pressed under the headliner. (you can also see the water leak damage to the headliner here), Is there a way to reach and clear the pipe by removing the front section of headliner.

 

[baghloli123]

Here is what the sunroof is doing now. It is stuck at the tilt open position and it is not going down. The slide button when pressed does not do anything, which I guess will not work unless the sunroof is un-tilted. The tilt button when pressed, trigger the down movement of the sunroof but it goes back to tilt position rather than to close

 

[Ayune]

It’s trying to tilt back down but the motor feels resistance (like a pinched finger) so it re-opens. The resistance is probably from old cables with hardened grease. You need to push the sunroof down from the top while it’s trying to close, to help it down.

And if you remove the sun visors and U-shaped felt trim around the sunroof opening the headliner will drop down enough for you so look up there. May have to remove the overhead console too (remove one screw inside the front pocket, then pull straight down.)

 

[Malleus]

The cables which operate the sunroof are susceptible to corrosion, especially salt corrosion. The fit between the cables and the guide tubes they're in is very tight and it doesn't take much salt corrosion to render them inoperable. The only solution is to replace the cable mechanism. It is still available. Simply closing the sunroof will only postpone your problem for another day.

This model is the only one Toyota was kind enough to design with a replaceable seal. For about $60 and a few hours of your time, you can have a new seal. However, the drains are to move the water out of the drain pans; the seal is a dust excluder. It's the drain lines that do the heavy lifting. The 80s are really bad about draining well, even when the drain tubes are clear, since they eventually run into the rocker panels (and then proceed to rust them out). The GX470/GX460 has the design solution: the drain line runs through the floor and outside; never clogs.

If you really don't want a sunroof, the best solution is to remove it, and replace it with a solid panel. It's a two day job, if you have the tools and skills. If not, it may be more costly than simply fixing the sunroof.

 

[Joagmon]

It’s trying to tilt back down but the motor feels resistance (like a pinched finger) so it re-opens. The resistance is probably from old cables with hardened grease. You need to push the sunroof down from the top while it’s trying to close, to help it down.

And if you remove the sun visors and U-shaped felt trim around the sunroof opening the headliner will drop down enough for you so look up there. May have to remove the overhead console too (remove one screw inside the front pocket, then pull straight down.)

I’ve had this tilt issue as well and found this solution to get it back down. Carefully pop the 4 pieces of black trim off of the glass frame. Remove the 4 bolts holding the glass to the track system. Remove the glass and push your tilt switch. The track should drop back into place and you can then bolt the glass back to the track. I ended up disabling the tilt switch to prevent reoccurring. Mine slides open and closes just fine, but tilting was a constant problem.

 

[baghloli123]

ok, I am able to see the problem once I remove the headliner. The drain pipe was really pressed and narrow down. Who ever installed the drain pipe didnt pass it through the right place. I am able to fix this problem now.

However, despite pressing down the sunroof, the roof does not go down and continue to move up to its tilt position. Given the rainy season, I will not be able to drive it with opened sunroof. I care less about whether the sunroof operates or not as I almost never use it. I just want to shut it close.

From your comments "It’s trying to tilt back down but the motor feels resistance (like a pinched finger) so it re-opens. The resistance is probably from old cables with hardened grease. You need to push the sunroof down from the top while it’s trying to close, to help it down." How much force you are talking about. I pressed it a bit but I am sacred that forcing too much will break some other parts.

Other comment, "The cables which operate the sunroof are susceptible to corrosion, especially salt corrosion. The fit between the cables and the guide tubes they're in is very tight and it doesn't take much salt corrosion to render them inoperable. The only solution is to replace the cable mechanism. It is still available. Simply closing the sunroof will only postpone your problem for another day." How may I reach the cable? Since the sunroof does slide, I cant see what is along the side of the sunroof. Is there a way to grease it while its in the tilted position.

 

[Joagmon]

ok, I am able to see the problem once I remove the headliner. The drain pipe was really pressed and narrow down. Who ever installed the drain pipe didnt pass it through the right place. I am able to fix this problem now.

However, despite pressing down the sunroof, the roof does not go down and continue to move up to its tilt position. Given the rainy season, I will not be able to drive it with opened sunroof. I care less about whether the sunroof operates or not as I almost never use it. I just want to shut it close.

From your comments "It’s trying to tilt back down but the motor feels resistance (like a pinched finger) so it re-opens. The resistance is probably from old cables with hardened grease. You need to push the sunroof down from the top while it’s trying to close, to help it down." How much force you are talking about. I pressed it a bit but I am sacred that forcing too much will break some other parts.

Other comment, "The cables which operate the sunroof are susceptible to corrosion, especially salt corrosion. The fit between the cables and the guide tubes they're in is very tight and it doesn't take much salt corrosion to render them inoperable. The only solution is to replace the cable mechanism. It is still available. Simply closing the sunroof will only postpone your problem for another day." How may I reach the cable? Since the sunroof does slide, I cant see what is along the side of the sunroof. Is there a way to grease it while its in the tilted position.

ok, I am able to see the problem once I remove the headliner. The drain pipe was really pressed and narrow down. Who ever installed the drain pipe didnt pass it through the right place. I am able to fix this problem now.

However, despite pressing down the sunroof, the roof does not go down and continue to move up to its tilt position. Given the rainy season, I will not be able to drive it with opened sunroof. I care less about whether the sunroof operates or not as I almost never use it. I just want to shut it close.

From your comments "It’s trying to tilt back down but the motor feels resistance (like a pinched finger) so it re-opens. The resistance is probably from old cables with hardened grease. You need to push the sunroof down from the top while it’s trying to close, to help it down." How much force you are talking about. I pressed it a bit but I am sacred that forcing too much will break some other parts.

Other comment, "The cables which operate the sunroof are susceptible to corrosion, especially salt corrosion. The fit between the cables and the guide tubes they're in is very tight and it doesn't take much salt corrosion to render them inoperable. The only solution is to replace the cable mechanism. It is still available. Simply closing the sunroof will only postpone your problem for another day." How may I reach the cable? Since the sunroof does slide, I cant see what is along the side of the sunroof. Is there a way to grease it while its in the tilted position.

I’ve had this tilt issue as well and found this solution to get it back down. Carefully pop the 4 pieces of black trim off of the glass frame. Remove the 4 bolts holding the glass to the track system. Remove the glass and push your tilt switch. The track should drop back into place and you can then bolt the glass back to the track. I ended up disabling the tilt switch to prevent reoccurring. Mine slides open and closes just fine, but tilting was a constant problem.

 

[e9999]

I went through a similar situation recently with my 80. The sunroof just stopped working when open. Not a great spot to be in with rain looming. I ended up removing the glass so i could get access to the rails and was able to manually close the mechanism back. That was lucky. One surprising lesson I learned is that on the 80 at least the glass is truly easy to remove and that saved me a great deal of aggravation. Don't know about the 100 (yet).

 

[baghloli123]

Can you share the pictures of what bolts and trim I need to remove to remove the sunroof glass?

I’ve had this tilt issue as well and found this solution to get it back down. Carefully pop the 4 pieces of black trim off of the glass frame. Remove the 4 bolts holding the glass to the track system. Remove the glass and push your tilt switch. The track should drop back into place and you can then bolt the glass back to the track. I ended up disabling the tilt switch to prevent reoccurring. Mine slides open and closes just fine, but tilting was a constant problem.

 

[baghloli123]

Hi, I am able to remove the sunroof, however, the sunroof mechanism still dont move to close position from tilt position. It tries to go down but then reverse to tilt state. I tried forcing a bit but pressing down from the top but it didnt help.
Now, can you please help me how to do further diagnosis. I see some rust along the side but I couldnt locate the cables. I took some pictures, since I didnt know what to look for there, I captured what ever was accessible. Please see if you find any abnormality here.

 

[baghloli123]

Final two pictures

 

[TheForger]

@baghloli123 Clean out all of that debris from the tracks. I tape a small piece of 1/4"dia tubing to the end of my shopvac to get in these rails a lot. Even just using some type of pick, flathead, or end of a zip tie would work. Sunroofs are designed to open back up when they sense an obstruction so it won't catch a body part in them.

 

[Ayune]

This spiral worm thing is one of the cables:

 

[baghloli123]

This spiral worm thing is one of the cables:
View attachment 2513068

Thanks. It is full of rust. How may I clean it since it is barely exposed. Will WD40 do the job or shall I use lithium wax

 

[johnnyquest]

Baghloli123 which four screws did you remove to take out the glass - the torx or phillips? thx

 

[Mars06LC]

Baghloli123 which four screws did you remove to take out the glass - the torx or phillips? thx

I believe you can leave the phillips and torx on, but remove the plastic and expose a nut that removes the glass. You can see in pics above the screws are still there. Here's a writeup.

 

[Ayune]

Baghloli123 which four screws did you remove to take out the glass - the torx or phillips? thx

Remove the four gold nuts and lift the glass upward and off.

 

[johnnyquest]

Thank you!

Remove the four gold nuts and lift the glass upward and off.

Thank you!

 

[johnnyquest]

I believe you can leave the phillips and torx on, but remove the plastic and expose a nut that removes the glass. You can see in pics above the screws are still there. Here's a writeup.

Awesome!