FAQ: Sunroof/Moonroof Problems & Adjustment

Wow. That stuff is foreign to me. Jimmyriv, when you get it figured out could you explain it to me in laymans terms?

There are instructions for synchronizing the roof in the '99 Service Manual. I have some trouble with SA #152 but I haven't looked into it yet.
I think the pictures the Mark post are close, just not sure.

okay so the sun roof works partially. i can hear the motor running, but nothing happens when you try to let the roof go all the way back. it will work fine when you tilt it up, but when you tilt it back down it does not pop up flush with the rest of the roof so it leaks.

like i said before i'm sure the motor works, because i can hear it running whenever i press the button. where are the cables/tracks located so i can check those out? how do i remove the headliner so i can acess the cables/tracks? i need help so i can stop leaks.

I have a similar problem, only I can toy with the button to get it in a position so the roof doesnt leak.

1996 rivi.... some people i talked to said the sun roof only tilts up and others have told me thats a lie it should go all the way back. from looking at it i belive it should go back too. but when i mess with the switch it will only tilt the back of it up... whats the problem?? does it rlly only tilt up or is their wire problems possibly or a problem with the motor and tracks or what? any help appreciated.

When you push the button forward it will close the moonroof when its open, and when its closed and you push the button forward it will pop the back of the moonroof up. So if I were you I would push the button back and while you are doing this put your hand out your window and push pressure down on the back of the moonroof glass from outside the car to help assist it to pop down and go back. I had a few friends that had this problem and its was only because the gasket around the glass was sticking to the body of the car. If this makes the glass go back you need to greese up the gasket around the glass and the frame with some silicone greese. Let me know if this is your problem and helps you out. Good Luck

So the other day I went to open the sun roof and it started to go back but about 3/4 of the way back it stops and then starts to close then before it closes it starts open again, it began to repeat the process until I pushed the close button, now it won't open at all. This happened once before, I looked at the fuse panel and figured since it was an OEM option it would more than likely be on the accessory fuse, when I pulled the fuse it was fine. After re-installing the fuse the sunroof began to work like normal, until a few days ago. This problem seems to accompany the cruise being difficult to get turned on. Any suggestions?

sounds like a bum switch. Or a limit switch that has become cranky.

What do you other guys think - I think get a replacement switch from junkyard and swap 'em.

Albertj

That's where I'd start. Especially since that would be the least costly repair.

I pulled the switch down and saw some damaged wires, that might be the culprit, we'll see.

Too freakin hot to work on the car here today....

#1BearsFan wrote:

Too freakin hot to work on the car here today....

... but I don't have a choice, everything I need to get done is outside!

99Rivman wrote:

#1BearsFan wrote:

Too freakin hot to work on the car here today....

... but I don't have a choice, everything I need to get done is outside!

True Dat

So far so good, Sunroof is now working. Thanks guys.

while you are at it, might want to do a quick visual on the cruise wiring - I'd pull the panel under the steering column and just look at things, trying to guess whether any of the wiring had ever been disturbed.

After all you did say the cruise was intermittent.

That failing - time for a wiring diagram.

Albertj

So my sun roof feels like randomly pulling itself up after driving awhile or if I go over 80mph. Something is not holding it down and when I press the sun roof button it makes a horrid grinding noise and will not seat sun roof all the way down. I'm afraid this will cause major leaks and already creates an annoying wind noise obviously because its not sealed.

Is this a motor problem, gear problem or something else? Sounds like the gear is shot but it opens no problem and pops the roof open. Just an issues when closing and pulling down the glass to seal it.

Seems to be never ending..

you have to clean all the mating surfaces including the rubber seal. pia, but you have to clean the cables with wd40,then grease with whatever the manufacture recomends for grease. that should help.if you live in Ct then the winter might have made its way into the roof.....

I wouldn't be opening it too much until i figured out what was wrong.
I've not had that problem, but maybe someone else on here has and can help you.

robotennis61 wrote:

you have to clean all the mating surfaces including the rubber seal. pia, but you have to clean the cables with wd40,then grease with whatever the manufacture recomends for grease. that should help.if you live in Ct then the winter might have made its way into the roof.....

Do you recommend removing the headliner to fix this problem.?
Do you have experience with a prior Sunroof problem, if so I'd like to know for future possible repairs.

I've not had any problems with the riv. but my acura had the same issue,NY weather, and all i did was best i could,clean the cables,by hand,then grease the tracs. that did it. I'm guessing the riv isn't that much harder. the hard part is starting the work.

Did you have to remove the Headliner to do any preventive maintenance.?????

no. at first i thought i might have to. but i wanted to just try doing the job without removal. it worked.

You mentioned cleaning and lubing cables. I've never seen any cables on our sunroof.
That was why I asked about removing the headliner to gain access to the mechanism./

no cables? showes you how observative i am.
according to the manual,after you remove the "pinchweld lace" it seems preety straight forward as to how to proceed. note ,that you have to remove the assist handles,sunshades,and disconect the whole shebang. pia.

robotennis61 wrote:

pia.

What does pia mean?