Sunroof maintenance?

[daves16v 1]

ok, that's me silenced :lol:

[Henny 0]

I don't think the replacement/repair of the mechanism is really too difficult, just extremely fiddly in the removal of all the headlining.

 

Actually, it's not all that fiddly either, you can cheat and get away with removing hardly any of the interior if you're sneaky.... 8)

 

ok, that's me silenced :lol:

 

I had a damned good look at the moonroof mechanism before I fitted it to my Corrado.... This is the 3rd roof I've fitted to it in the 18 months I've owned it (7 of which it's been off the road!) so I wanted this one to last a bit longer! :wink:

[dr_mat 0]

... in the 18 months I've owned it (7 of which it's been off the road!) so I wanted this one to last a bit longer! :wink:

 

You're "special", Henny... ;)

[Henny 0]

... in the 18 months I've owned it (7 of which it's been off the road!) so I wanted this one to last a bit longer! :wink:

 

You're "special", Henny... ;)

 

My Mummy and my Bank manager tell me that regularly... :silly: :wink:

[Bobbywhacker 0]

quick question..... what year passet should i be looking for?? Cheers

[Henny 0]

1993-96 (K to M IIRC) 8) It's the one WITH a grill on the front... ;)

[Mike Edwards 0]

The bits that cause the cable to break on the Corrado roof are same on the Passat roof... :(

[Henny 0]

you keep saying that Mike, but the bits that broke on BOTH of my last 2 corrado roofs aren't fitted to the Passat one I now have in my Corrado and I've yet to hear of a Passat roof which has broken like a Corrado one... :?

[Mike Edwards 0]

Okay, to clarify (a bit long, but bear with me):

 

The most common breakages on the corrado roof are:

- the failure of the locking mechanism on the slide function (generally on the passenger side) leading to a scratched/jammed roof;

- the casting on the end of the cable snapping (also on the passenger side) so the roof will tilt but not close or slide;

- the spring-loaded lugs that pull the lining up when the roof tilts can also break, but this seems to be related to the roof getting badly out of alignment as a result of the failure of the locking mechanism of the slide function.

 

The failure of the locking mechanism seems to be due to wear in the mounting for the locking lever where it slides in the track. This is listed in ETKA as the "Water Guide Plate" - 1h0 898 019.

 

The breakage of the casting on the cable seems to be due to mis-alignment of the locking mechanism when the slide function is used - this appears to be related to wear in the Water Guide Plate as well (listen for a popping sound as the roof slides back).

 

The Water Guide Plate is the same on both the Corrado and Passat roofs, which is what I mean when I say that the bits that break are the same.

 

For some reason, the design of the cable on the moonroof makes it less susceptable to breakage, while the tracks on the moonroof are spaced further from the roof meaning that wear in the locking mechanism has to be severe before the glass panel starts to scrape. When it does finally come into contact with the roof it jams completely and leads to some part of the side plate (described as a guide - 1h0 898 151- in ETKA) or it's mounting at the front snapping.

 

Not withstanding the above, I have 2 broken moonroofs in my garage at the moment - one with a broken cable (snapped casting on the end so it can only pull the roof forward into the tilt position) and one with a broken front mounting for the guide.

 

Both of these roofs have a very badly worn Water Guide Plate.

 

HTH. :D

[Henny 0]

Ah, that makes sense then... 8)

 

The bits that have broken on the roofs I've had have been the "spring-loaded lugs that pull the lining up when the roof tilts" which have either snapped off and jammed up the mechanisms on them or fallen off and hit me on the head as I've been driving... :| :lol:

 

Guess I've just been lucky with my unlucky-ness with sunroofs then! :roll: :lol: 8)

 

Cheers Mike... 8)

[woody 0]

I have just got a complete sunroof assembly out of a M reg C but the motor is missing. Will my motor from my Tilting but not sliding J reg one fit it.

 

Also is there any way to remove the sunroof panel from the mech

[Rpmayne 0]

I've seen two types of sunroof motor, one with a flat screw head for manual operation, and one with a plastic cover you slide 90deg. then use an allen key for manual operation. Each had a different connector on the motor although you may be able to rewire it to work. Not sure whether they are mechanically interchangeable.

[Henny 0]

the motors ARE mechanically interchangeable.... 8)

[Mike Edwards 0]

Yup - you can use the early motor to operate a later roof.

 

Doesn't work the other way round though - the later roofs have an indentation in the track to accommodate the larger late motor.

[Heardy 0]

My sunroof tilts okay but wont slide back properly, it goes so far and comes to a stop,but if you use the allen key to wind it manually it works fine .I suspect it's too tight for the motor to opperate it ,ive tried lubricating the runners but it makes no difference can any one tell me what to try next (i'm sure someone must have had this problem before and mannaged to cure it) any help would be appreciated or any links to a previous post :)

[Mike Edwards 0]

If it works fine using the allen key and you've lubed the right bits of the mechanism to no effect, you need a new motor...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Any chance you could post a pic of this infamous water guide plate? I don't know what bit that is.

 

I've got a complete sunroof assembly ready for overhaul. Thought I'd do the spare in the comfort of my house, rather than ripping the existing one out, again!

 

There is a bit of play on the passenger side when the roof is down, but none when tilted. I guess the plate guide thingy is shot? Cable guides aren't sheared though, which makes a nice change.

 

K

[Heardy 0]

I've mannaged to lube the cable as best i can using spray grease is there anything else i should try to lube do i need to strip it all down? Just wanted to make sure before i TRY and get a new motor!!