99 T4R sunroof help

[Beatindown941]

So I recently just acquired my second 4Runner. It is a 99 and in absolutely perfect condition. The only problem the car has, is that the sunroof doesn't open. It sounds as if the motor is fine, but it doesn't budge. So either the window is of tract or the noise I'm hearing isn't the motor trying to open the window, but it's the motor being faulty. So if any of you have dealt with this, please feel free to share some insight. Or, even better, if you know how to fix it please leave some details. Thank you!

 

[TheDurk]

I've not had to mess with my 4Runner roof--yet; my experience comes from a long battle with a 1985 BMW 735i. It sounds as though your motor may have a stripped gear internally, if you can hear it operating. This usually happens because the roof is not sliding because of corrosion on the cable mechanism or crud obstructing the tracks. So you have to fix both.

Pretty much have to take the thing out and see what is going on, fix or replace the motor, and clean, lube and adjust everything on the roof itself so it doesn't happen again soon. That's what I did on the BMW. It turned out an acorn got eaten up in the tracks and stripped a gear in the actuator. The FSM is a good place to start:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/fsm/repair.html

The sunroof (called 'Sliding Roof") stuff is under Body Mechanical, about 9/10ths of the way down the index.

 

[BrianSD_42]

have you tried "assisting" it? I taped off my sunroof during the rainy season, 4 months later when I first tried to use it, it would not open. I then gave it a push both down and then back, after opening the first time it works fine now. A little bit of silicone lube doesn't hurt either.

:frog: