Our 4th gens are aging and some regular wear and tear becomes quiet common.
This is one of the easier fixes for a sun roof assembly which has stopped working. I have the Limited V8 from 2005.
The motor assembly alone without the sunroof and it's rails is sold new for 800 USD. My fix cost me 50 cents.
Now what to check first, so this fix actually applies:
1. Make sure that the sunroof is not stuck in it's rails. That requires a MUCH MORE complicated repair, well, actually a total replacement!
2. Check the switch assembly. Make sure that it's sending 12V current to the motor. Easy to do: take head with switches and lights out, unplug electric motor, press up or tilt button and check if the corresponding contacts on the plug are carrying load with a volt meter. If yes, the switch assembly is OK
3. This is for AISIN GEAR ASSEMBLY SLIDING ROOF DRIVE 63260-35050 but it applies to actually all electric motors.
On the pics are the motor axis, and the motor case. One of the carbon brushes has been used up and became so short they the disconnected from the motor axis. The motor itself - case with magnets, axis and contact ring for the carbon brushes - are OK and also the electronic board regulating the motor is good. For a simple carbon brush, replacing the entire motor assembly is a waste! And a horribly expensive one on top.
My situation: the sunroof stopped moving. I checked the fuses, all OK. Checked the switches with the electronic boards, was OK, checked the electronic board in the motor assembly, also OK. Current of 12V going to the motor when switches UP/DOWN or TILT are pressed. But nothing moved!
Finding the fault took some time, but it was worth it, while the replacement comes only as a full assembly for 800 new or on ebay for 100 plus. Taking off the electronic board from motor assembly, leaves two contacts leading directly to the motor. When 12V current is connected the motor should move, which it did not in my case. When disassembling the motor, I noticed that the carbon brush on one side was worn down and lost contact to the motor axis. The carbon brushes are 50 cent each. Best to get a set of different sizes to find the best fit.
Now the motor runs again and the sunroof opens, closes and tilts.
Pics:
1. motor axis
2. motor case
3. assembly with the one carbon brush out which was worn and too short
* What happened to my pics? Cannot see anything, maybe it needs more time to upload?
Update a few days later:
The sunroof motor had one broken carbon brush. Replacing it was not difficult. Standard carbon brushes come for a few cents each. I sanded them carefully to get it into the rather small size used in the AISIN electric motor. Then I tested it with a 12v battery hooked up directly to the motor. To do that you need to remoced the electronic board and connect wires drectly to the motor pins. Looked OK when I tested it ourside the 4Runner.
But once I installed the motor back, it turned out that it is too weak to move the rail assembly. The rail and the ribbons with teeth, which move the sun roof are OK. But the motor just did not have the same power as before.
So I found a temporary solution: with the electronoc board removed and the battery disconnected, I attached wires directly to the pins of the motor and guided the wires outside. Then I connected an instrument that allowed me to raise voltage to 24V - double of the standard battery voltage of 12V.
And surprise: the engine morved the sun roof without any problem. Back and forth - up and down!
This is just a temporary solution, after all I cannot provide the electric motor with 24V current when I run the car. But it helped to get the sun roof closed.
Now my question: Obviously the replaced carbon brushes decreased the strenght of the electric motor. Did anyone encounter this? Are there any electricians in this forum who could explain this?
This is one of the easier fixes for a sun roof assembly which has stopped working. I have the Limited V8 from 2005.
The motor assembly alone without the sunroof and it's rails is sold new for 800 USD. My fix cost me 50 cents.
Now what to check first, so this fix actually applies:
1. Make sure that the sunroof is not stuck in it's rails. That requires a MUCH MORE complicated repair, well, actually a total replacement!
2. Check the switch assembly. Make sure that it's sending 12V current to the motor. Easy to do: take head with switches and lights out, unplug electric motor, press up or tilt button and check if the corresponding contacts on the plug are carrying load with a volt meter. If yes, the switch assembly is OK
3. This is for AISIN GEAR ASSEMBLY SLIDING ROOF DRIVE 63260-35050 but it applies to actually all electric motors.
On the pics are the motor axis, and the motor case. One of the carbon brushes has been used up and became so short they the disconnected from the motor axis. The motor itself - case with magnets, axis and contact ring for the carbon brushes - are OK and also the electronic board regulating the motor is good. For a simple carbon brush, replacing the entire motor assembly is a waste! And a horribly expensive one on top.
My situation: the sunroof stopped moving. I checked the fuses, all OK. Checked the switches with the electronic boards, was OK, checked the electronic board in the motor assembly, also OK. Current of 12V going to the motor when switches UP/DOWN or TILT are pressed. But nothing moved!
Finding the fault took some time, but it was worth it, while the replacement comes only as a full assembly for 800 new or on ebay for 100 plus. Taking off the electronic board from motor assembly, leaves two contacts leading directly to the motor. When 12V current is connected the motor should move, which it did not in my case. When disassembling the motor, I noticed that the carbon brush on one side was worn down and lost contact to the motor axis. The carbon brushes are 50 cent each. Best to get a set of different sizes to find the best fit.
Now the motor runs again and the sunroof opens, closes and tilts.
Pics:
1. motor axis
2. motor case
3. assembly with the one carbon brush out which was worn and too short
* What happened to my pics? Cannot see anything, maybe it needs more time to upload?
Update a few days later:
The sunroof motor had one broken carbon brush. Replacing it was not difficult. Standard carbon brushes come for a few cents each. I sanded them carefully to get it into the rather small size used in the AISIN electric motor. Then I tested it with a 12v battery hooked up directly to the motor. To do that you need to remoced the electronic board and connect wires drectly to the motor pins. Looked OK when I tested it ourside the 4Runner.
But once I installed the motor back, it turned out that it is too weak to move the rail assembly. The rail and the ribbons with teeth, which move the sun roof are OK. But the motor just did not have the same power as before.
So I found a temporary solution: with the electronoc board removed and the battery disconnected, I attached wires directly to the pins of the motor and guided the wires outside. Then I connected an instrument that allowed me to raise voltage to 24V - double of the standard battery voltage of 12V.
And surprise: the engine morved the sun roof without any problem. Back and forth - up and down!
This is just a temporary solution, after all I cannot provide the electric motor with 24V current when I run the car. But it helped to get the sun roof closed.
Now my question: Obviously the replaced carbon brushes decreased the strenght of the electric motor. Did anyone encounter this? Are there any electricians in this forum who could explain this?
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