Sunroof not working help please!

[Cshaw90]

Hey guys, I bought my 1996 Toyota 4Runner couple years back as is. The sunroof motor works but it wont open. When I press the button all you hear is the motor, same thing with the tilt. Can someone help me??

 

[97Run-Man]

Same here. My motor will just spin and spin if it's removed but it's like the track is stuck and won't let it move. Would you know how to clean them?

 

[nor_cal51501]

Looks like it's time to drop your headliners, unbolt the tracks and do some investigative work. I had to drop mine when one of my drains got clogged.

 

[97Run-Man]

How hard is it to remove a headliner? Any write ups you can link us to? I'm searching now as well

 

[nor_cal51501]

How hard is it to remove a headliner? Any write ups you can link us to? I'm searching now as well

Sorry, I didn't have any write ups to follow. I just got to work. Basically you have to start at the rear hatch. Remove the door sill plate then pull the upper plastic that the hatch dome light mounts to. Then you can pull the side cargo pannels off (if you have the cargo cover, unscrew the cups that mount to the pannels) and if you want to completely remove them you need to unbolt the rear seatbelts, then remove the rear passenger grab handles, and the plastic panel behind it. Then unbolt the drivers seat belt at the adjustable shoulder point and pull off the panel behind that(I had to pull off the lower panel also where the seatbelt goes in to get that panel off). Then remove the drivers grab handles and panels(including the a-pilar handles) BE CAREFUL to not strip the screws in the handles, they are soft heads and in there really tight. I suggest using some type of frozen bolt removal tool. I used a tool that has interchangeable bits with a hammer powered rotation so when you hit the back it forces the bit into the screw and rotates it simultaneously. Or you can just pound a flat head into the screw and order new screws. Lol once all those pannels are off you need to remove the drivers map lights and entire panel. Then remove both sun visors and the overhead light above the drivers center console. That should be very thing and the headliner should just about fall out…I'll attach a few pictures of half of my headliner dropped from when I did mine.

 

[nor_cal51501]

Here's the tool I used for the grab handle screws also.

 

[97Run-Man]

So you have to disassemble most of the panels in the car?! Looks like I'm not going to be working on that till summer. I plan to save the info though. Thank you!

 

[nor_cal51501]

Haha pretty much, ya. Its all really easy, then you get to the driver and passenger grab handles...maybe start with trying to get those out first, because if you can't get those out then no sense going any further. Good luck man. Let me know how it ies when you finally tackle it.

 

[vipergrhd]

Hey guys, I bought my 1996 Toyota 4Runner couple years back as is. The sunroof motor works but it wont open. When I press the button all you hear is the motor, same thing with the tilt. Can someone help me??

I think the cables are broken,there are 2 cables that run the length of the track to open and close the glass.i think they can be replace but the cost might be too much your better off getting a use one.

 

[renn1234]

I had the same problem with my runner. I removed the map lights and punched the crap out the "motor" out of frustration, then it started to work