Sunroof dead - help!

[YZThumper]

I guess it's my turn to have the sunroof puke on my 03 Sporty. Died last night - wide open and no amount of tugging will budge it. Went by the dealer today to see if they could just get it closed, but no luck. They want to keep it for a while

To make matters worse, my warranty ran out a few hundred miles ago. Just my luck.

So I read a couple of other threads about this happening to others. What are the outcomes? Any idea what this is going to entail and what it's going to cost me?

pray for dry weather!
thanks

 

[ToolmanJohn]

Get on the highway

Drive over 55mph to get the sunroof deflector to activate. There may be a cracking noise, BUT then try closing it , and help it forward if it moves at all.

I did this on Monday (this week) . My sunroof also died in the fully open position. I went to a bike ride, and managed to get over 55mph. The deflector tried to activate , and I decided to try closing it. It closed VERY slowly and labored while I was helping it by pulling.

My service appt is on the 3rd of October!! Good thing I got it closed. Mine is under warranty for another 12k. If I ultimately decide to keep it, I will most DEFINITELY get a full coverage extended warranty.

I bet it costs a lot to fix.

 

[YZThumper]

Re: Get on the highway

Drive over 55mph to get the sunroof deflector to activate. There may be a cracking noise, BUT then try closing it , and help it forward if it moves at all.

I did this on Monday (this week) . My sunroof also died in the fully open position. I went to a bike ride, and managed to get over 55mph. The deflector tried to activate , and I decided to try closing it. It closed VERY slowly and labored while I was helping it by pulling.

My service appt is on the 3rd of October!! Good thing I got it closed. Mine is under warranty for another 12k. If I ultimately decide to keep it, I will most DEFINITELY get a full coverage extended warranty.

I bet it costs a lot to fix.

Yeah, I tried to close it at highway speeds after reading that that worked for someone else on this board, but no luck. It doesn't budge even a millimeter.

 

[sharp4runr]

I'll look at my invoice when I got it fixed but I'm pretty certain it was over $600. I didn't have to pay for it since it was still under warranty.

I remember having to fix the sunroof on my 93 celica and it was around $800

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Have you got in the drivers seat facing the back of the truck using all your might to push it up as someone held the button.

You might have read my post where I had this same problem and that is what I did. I took it in for service once and they said it was off track. It happened again and I took it in to a different dealer.... they replaced everything. I saw the parts list and it totalled $1800 or so..... I would go in ASAP and schmooze with the service manager... Tell them it happened once before if you have to but then never did it again so you blew it off.

You could always buy the extended warranty now ($800 or so) and then bring it in for service. PM me for details if you go that route.

 

[<<<<]

There is an alan wrench in your tool box for overriding sunroof mechanism. All you do is remove access plug in the headliner and turn the wrench till roof is fully closed (read in the manual). You might still have to fix electronic glitch though. Good luck.

 

[toybox]

There is an alan wrench in your tool box for overriding sunroof mechanism. All you do is remove access plug in the headliner and turn the wrench till roof is fully closed (read in the manual). You might still have to fix electronic glitch though. Good luck.

You got any pics of this access plug? I don't remember ever seeing anything like that on the 4th gens.

 

[Offroader]

Re: Get on the highway

...The deflector tried to activate...

A speed sensitive deflector???

What were you driving????

A Porsche 911????

In my 4Runner the spring loaded deflector goes up when you open the sunroof. It doesn't care what speed I'm going, or if I'm not moving at all.

 

[toybox]

Re: Re: Get on the highway

A speed sensitive deflector???

What were you driving????

A Porsche 911????

In my 4Runner the spring loaded deflector goes up when you open the sunroof. It doesn't care what speed I'm going, or if I'm not moving at all.

The sunroof deflector on the 4th gens is speed sensitive. Lowers when you go 55mph or above and then raises when you go 45mph or lower. This info is on the same page of the Toyota U. that I posted for the broken winshield thread.

 

[<<<<]

Re: Re: Re: Get on the highway

The sunroof deflector on the 4th gens is speed sensitive. Lowers when you go 55mph or above and then raises when you go 45mph or lower. This info is on the same page of the Toyota U. that I posted for the broken winshield thread.

True

 

[Mark86]

What happens when you push the button to close it? Does it try to close but then retract or does it do nothing? When my sunroof jammed, I was able to close it by not holding the button, rather pushing it like 50 times to close it ever so slowly. The whole idea is to not activate the automatic close feature.

 

[YZThumper]

What happens when you push the button to close it? Does it try to close but then retract or does it do nothing? When my sunroof jammed, I was able to close it by not holding the button, rather pushing it like 50 times to close it ever so slowly. The whole idea is to not activate the automatic close feature.

It just lowers the deflector, then raises it again. I've pushed the button about 100 times. A few times it made this horrendous clacking sound, but most of the time I just get the deflector movement and nothing from the actual panel.

 

[YZThumper]

Oh, and I certainly don't see any access panel in which to stick an allen wrench. You could possibly fit one in the drive for the motor, but I doubt this would do any good (although I'm willing to try anything at this point...) I think the moonroof panel is absolutely jammed beyond all hope.

 

[Mark86]

Oh, and I certainly don't see any access panel in which to stick an allen wrench. You could possibly fit one in the drive for the motor, but I doubt this would do any good (although I'm willing to try anything at this point...) I think the moonroof panel is absolutely jammed beyond all hope.

Maybe you have to remove that panel where the sunroof swith is in order to manually close it? That would seem like a logical place to put something like that.

 

[YZThumper]

Maybe you have to remove that panel where the sunroof swith is in order to manually close it? That would seem like a logical place to put something like that.

Yeah, that's where the motor is too. The mech. at the stealer tried that already.

 

[toybox]

Maybe you have to remove that panel where the sunroof swith is in order to manually close it? That would seem like a logical place to put something like that.

When doing the Homelink mod I did not see a place to manually crank the sunroof closed.

Like Mark said, I remember one time when mine stuck, instead of just holding the button to actuate the automatic close I hit the button very quickly a bunch of times and it closed little by little.

 

[Offroader]

Re: Re: Get on the highway

A speed sensitive deflector???

What were you driving????

A Porsche 911????

In my 4Runner the spring loaded deflector goes up when you open the sunroof. It doesn't care what speed I'm going, or if I'm not moving at all.

You're right!!

I was wrong!!

How cool!!! It certainly lowers itself at a certain speed!!! This is a hidden feature.

I used to wonder why when I closed the sunroof, the deflector lower halfway. Now I know why. :

 

[<<<<]

I hope you checked the fuse already, but WTH check it again. That would be easy fix.

 

[YZThumper]

To follow up....

Toyota is doing the right thing and covering me, even though I am out of warranty. My 4R is only two years old, but I am over 36K. I take it in next week to get the sunroof replaced and I'll let you know how it works out. Props to Toyota USA.

 

[rossmon1]

Re: Re: Re: Get on the highway

The sunroof deflector on the 4th gens is speed sensitive. Lowers when you go 55mph or above and then raises when you go 45mph or lower. This info is on the same page of the Toyota U. that I posted for the broken winshield thread.

There is nothing electronic about this. The deflector is moved by wind pressure which pushes it down for quieter operation at speed.