Sunroof misaligned - Can tilt it but can't open it.

[White535Mtl]

Well the title describes pretty much everything. It's been since before winter and now that the weather is fairer, it would be nice to be able to enjoy the sunroof. It seems that the roof doesn't close fully; the back passenger side is still a little crooked when I try to close it.
And since I can't retract the roof, there's not much I can do...

Any insight?

Oh yeah, and anyone have a picture of a bad bushing on the control arm? I'm not quite sure how to look for signs of wear. And of course, I do have the notorious shimmy at about 55mph.

[Kalevera]

Most of the sunroof cassette is composed of plastic parts that crack or shatter under any real stress. The complexity of the unit makes it difficult to diagnose without pulling the cassette and looking at it. And it's impossible to replace any of the track components with the cassette still in the car.

It's a bit of work, but not that hard -- pull the headliner and the cassette is held in place by about 15 torx T20 or T25 screws. You'll want two people to support it when first pulling it -- heavier than you think. Sit in the back seat and lower it down...the front is supported where the cassette nudges into the roof (slide the entire cassette backwards to get it free).

Thrust rod bushings typically exhibit cracking failure in the rubber -- check both sides.

best, whit

[SharkmanBMW]

do you have a mechanic in Montreal, or do you need one?
I can set you up if need be!

[duby55]

I have the exact problem. Are there any special issues dealing with the headliner removal and reinstallation? I would love to get that working.

[Kalevera]

It's not that difficult, but requires some care to avoid damaging the headliner and backing board. Erich (shogun on the forum) has a nice procedure on how to do it -- find his profile on the forums and click on his website link, the procedure's in there somewhere.

best, whit

[duby55]

Thanks Lowell, this is 1 of those things that I have been putting off for 2 years. I can hardely wait to see the sunshine.