'96 4Runner, sunroof not working...
- Thread starter LarsW900T
- Start date
gonna try and revive this thread. My daughters 96 has a leaking sunroof but it wont open so cant clean the drain lines. Any suggestions besides pulling the headliner? Is there a link to pulling headliner?
I cant start a new thread because I do not have enough posts yet.
Thanks for any advise.
I cant start a new thread because I do not have enough posts yet.
Thanks for any advise.
Brian.
Member
Timmy has a video on just this:
YouTube
YouTube
2 actually, not sure which order to watch them in. BUT, you do not need to remove the headline to just clean the drains. If you pull the 2 black plastic trim pieces on either side of the glass (L & R), there are 4 10mm nuts that hold the glass in place. Lift it out and you have access. If the mechanism doesn't work, do *NOT* fuss with it or you'll have way more headache (personal experience in trying to get mine working). I'd recommend using a silicone caulk to seal the sunroof in place. It can be removed if someone in the future wants to replace the whole sunroof mechanism, but will prevent leaks in the meantime.
If you plan to remove the headliner, you might want to go ahead and just order some of the plastic clips that hold the center back area up. I broke all but one of mine, even using the proper tools and having trim removal experience.
I had similar symptoms with my 99, after trouble shooting pretty much everything my best guess was the motor, I bought a used one pretty cheap put it in and its worked great ever since. I took apart the old one and one of the brushes was broken, it was very intermittent when I bought the runner , it seemed to act up when it was rainy
and wet, usually I got it closed by banging on the ceiling where the motor was located to get it to close before the rain came down.
and wet, usually I got it closed by banging on the ceiling where the motor was located to get it to close before the rain came down.
This worked for me.
Remove trim and headliner. drop the sun roof assembly, try and remove the coil spring from the copper tracks, de-grease clean and re-lube with lithium grease. Mine had dried up grease and worn out plastic on the spring guides that had seized inside the copper tubes. after reassembly the auto- position function no longer worked but the sunroof would work. hope this helps
Remove trim and headliner. drop the sun roof assembly, try and remove the coil spring from the copper tracks, de-grease clean and re-lube with lithium grease. Mine had dried up grease and worn out plastic on the spring guides that had seized inside the copper tubes. after reassembly the auto- position function no longer worked but the sunroof would work. hope this helps
Roc Doc
New member
Sure, why not bump a thread started in 2010?
So still haven't found a definitive answer as to what fuse or fuse relay powers the sunroof, as the domelight guess doesn't make sense to me as it's only a 10a circuit. But as I learned a long time ago, try all the switches and you might get lucky.
Turned the map lights on and off up by the rearview mirror, then turned the dome light on and off through all positions, and viola the sunroof started working again. My guestimate is that the domelight switch contacts just needed to be exercised and were creating an open in the circuit.
Anyone have a better guess?
So still haven't found a definitive answer as to what fuse or fuse relay powers the sunroof, as the domelight guess doesn't make sense to me as it's only a 10a circuit. But as I learned a long time ago, try all the switches and you might get lucky.
Turned the map lights on and off up by the rearview mirror, then turned the dome light on and off through all positions, and viola the sunroof started working again. My guestimate is that the domelight switch contacts just needed to be exercised and were creating an open in the circuit.
Anyone have a better guess?
McLoven1t562
New member
time to renew this thread yet again so I'm not posting a new one lol
First off, a lot of our 3rd gens end up just having the OEM grease that turned into concrete. Which is my personal issue right now and why I am incredibly hesitant to spend my money, time, and effort to grab one from a Pick-Your-Part
MAIN QUESTION, does anyone have links to videos or literature that explains how to actually break down your sunroof so that I can attempt to remove the chain and hopefully just clean it and re-lube it??? My motor works great, and I've seen others clean up their chains by removing all the ancient grease, lubing up and just putting it back together.....but I pulled mine and I cannot figure out even the first step to breaking down the assembly so I can remove the chain.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!:lookout:
First off, a lot of our 3rd gens end up just having the OEM grease that turned into concrete. Which is my personal issue right now and why I am incredibly hesitant to spend my money, time, and effort to grab one from a Pick-Your-Part
MAIN QUESTION, does anyone have links to videos or literature that explains how to actually break down your sunroof so that I can attempt to remove the chain and hopefully just clean it and re-lube it??? My motor works great, and I've seen others clean up their chains by removing all the ancient grease, lubing up and just putting it back together.....but I pulled mine and I cannot figure out even the first step to breaking down the assembly so I can remove the chain.
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!:lookout:
TheSaturnV
Member
I rebuilt mine a few years ago, and while part of the problem was the stupid grease Toyota used, the drive cables were also coming apart. They are some kind of spiral metal cable with a silicone type coating, which was starting to come off. The cables push/pull through tiny drinking straw sized tubing which is a real recipe for jamming up, especially with the coating breaking down and the concrete grease!
I think I saved one of the tubes and just replaced the cable/trolley assemblies on both sides plus some other bits. I wound up with around $600 in the job all said and done. Worth it to me, I use it all the time. Brian has an excellent idea about pulling the whole assembly out of a junker and working from there. Just google 2000 4runner sunroof cable, etc and you'll pull up a bunch of pics and assembly drawings. Not all that complicated.
Here's another thread from here:
Sunroof motor or gunked up tracks?
I think I saved one of the tubes and just replaced the cable/trolley assemblies on both sides plus some other bits. I wound up with around $600 in the job all said and done. Worth it to me, I use it all the time. Brian has an excellent idea about pulling the whole assembly out of a junker and working from there. Just google 2000 4runner sunroof cable, etc and you'll pull up a bunch of pics and assembly drawings. Not all that complicated.
Here's another thread from here:
Sunroof motor or gunked up tracks?
McLoven1t562
New member
??? where'd you get an aftermarket sunroof, and how much was that?? I know OEM is stupid expensive
That post was 12 years ago and that user hasn't been on in almost 2 years...
McLoven1t562
New member
i'll try to post it on here or maybe make a separate page and then link it, but I was able to pull step by step instructions from my companies Mitchell program which is used at tons of Auto Shops.
In the meantime, if anyone wants the directions & pictures, just send me a PM and I'll forward it to your email.
In the meantime, if anyone wants the directions & pictures, just send me a PM and I'll forward it to your email.
McLoven1t562
New member
my bad, been up for like 45 minutes n forgot this is a revived thread. ha ha
The problem is that you cant do the step by step because the cables are frozen in the tubes. If I were to be doing it again i would just cut the cables from the slides from the start. I was able to chuck the cable into a drill and then applied some heat to the copper tubes and get them spinning and out.
Do you see any rusting on the outside of the tubes especially where those small sponge pieces are? If so I would order new cables. Use the old pieces to hone out the copper tubes with some oil.
Also, if your motor was trying to move the assy it should be good but i would press the close button briefly and then once removed do not move the motor again. I believe that is where people have trouble when all back together and "out of timing".
Good luck.
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McLoven1t562
New member
my sunroof shows zero rusting, but I pulled out some concrete grease when I pulled the motor, and yea the motor seems to work great.
I mean upside of the directions I have, is it still shows me how to breakdown the entire assembly which is still very helpful. I may do a road trip (2 hour max one way) to San Diego with a fellow member in our 3G4R group cuz a guy is parting out his entire rig....depending on the cost, I may just buy his assembly that already works and then keep mine in storage to possibly fix and either sell or hold onto
we shall see.....I love my sunroof but I'm not in a huge rush, rather focus on upgrading suspension
Brian.
Member
FWIW, around me the yards are asking $100 for the entire sunroof mechanism in as-is condition (so, luck of the draw if it's functional or seized). FWIW, the cables are $200 per side, $400 total. 63223-35030 and 63224-35030.
I hate sunroofs, but at 6'4" I'd rather have the extra 2" of headroom. Our last vehicle that had one, we owned for ~17 years and I think the sunroof was used less than once a year. It's mostly a personal annoyance for me, if a vehicle Has something, I want it to be functional. I'll eventually buy a replacement sunroof, get it functional and installed. Was a little bit cumbersome doing the R&R solo, but I've done worse mechanic jobs by myself before.
my sunroof shows zero rusting, but I pulled out some concrete grease when I pulled the motor, and yea the motor seems to work great.
I mean upside of the directions I have, is it still shows me how to breakdown the entire assembly which is still very helpful. I may do a road trip (2 hour max one way) to San Diego with a fellow member in our 3G4R group cuz a guy is parting out his entire rig....depending on the cost, I may just buy his assembly that already works and then keep mine in storage to possibly fix and either sell or hold onto
we shall see.....I love my sunroof but I'm not in a huge rush, rather focus on upgrading suspension
If you dont see any signs of rust then I would bet you can save your cables.
McLoven1t562
New member
yea, I'm 6'2" so I have some room but I'm that guy who typically rides with every single window open, so in our 4Runner's case, I'm talking all 6 windows lol. Only time my sunroof is closed (besides bad weather) is when the sun is at an angle where it's super distracting or maybe the heat is a bit much. Otherwise I love all the fresh air
--- n yea I saw a number of 4Runners with intact sunroofs, but I'm just very afraid to gamble my money on 1) it working properly, and 2) how long until that one also seizes up??? lolYea that's the optimism on mine, now if I break it down properly and then find I can't salvage them....well so be it, but never know until I try =P
