Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Calling All Moonroof Motor Victims!!!!

All,

I have been in contact with a North American Reagional Sales Rep with Webasto. His name is John Perrine. Although his position is with the aftermarket group, he has been in contact with the engineering group.

Currently, he is tracking down the origin of the motors used in out assemblies.

I mentioned all of the problems posted here at this website (stripped gear and burned out electronic assembly/stuck in vent position syndrome), and invited him to log on and search fr the problems himself, for confirmation.

Now, I think that it's time to have everyone with sunroof problems (mainly due to the faulty motor) send him a polite e-mail testifying their situation.

So far, he has been doing a good job digging for information within Webasto and keeping in contact with me, AND, he is doing this on his own time; so do DO NOT lambast him.

Just send him a note stating the situations, and how often they seem to be recuring, and that the Ford Techs will only act as part replacers. We all know that Webasto can make good roof units. So let John know that.

I personally noted that their aftermarket units offer a lifetime warranty, but the OEM versions don't boast such a proud claim.

"Throwing motors at the problem" - DemonSVT.


His e-amil address is below. Good luck; maybe a group effort will get a permanent fix to this problem.

I know the number of complaints has dwindled significantly since the weather's cooled off; but come April, I fully expect another round of motor failures to hit this site.

Good luck, and let's get this issue fixed for good (even if it's a lifetime supply of nylon spur gears!!!) Just kidding, but let's get this resolved and fixed permanately.

Good luck,

David


John Perrine
john.perrine@webasto-us.com

My neighbor is the plant manager (or was it plant engineer?) at the Webasto plant in Livonia that made the Contour assembly. She is well aware of the problems that Contours have, as is my other neighbor, a Ford Customer Service representative. Apparently this is a well known problem at Ford. I wonder if Ford would even consider a re-engineered replacement for our retired cars.

By the way, I understand the same mechanism, or a similar one, lives on in the Focus. Maybe there will be an update for that mechanism that would work for us. Luckily, my lease SVT hasn't had that problem yet, and it's due for replacement soon. Cross your fingers...

I too suffered with a bad moonroof motor and had to replace it due to the cheap plastic gears that cannot take the summer heat. But, I doubt if anything can and or will be done about it since our cars are no longer in production. I love my CSVT, but FORD sucks when compared to Honda and Toyota quality. Sad but True!

Ahhh, don't forget that the Contique still lives on in the Mondeo and the Jag X-Type.

Therefore I think that retrofits of higher quality parts should be relatively easy.

As a last resort, if we had a contact with Webasto that sould allow us to buy direct instead of paying the painful markup of the Ford Parts department, tha twould account at least for some commitment of Webasto to stand behind their product.

Hell, they make an aftermarket unit for the car. Why not offer to replace the OEM version with one of those (at cost if nothing else) with the regular lifetime warranty on the unit.


this issue WILL surface again in 5-6 months with another round of units going bad. So I am trying to "head it off at the pass" and maybe get something lined up when (not if) it comes around again.

Keep the information coming.

Thanks,
david

Last time I talked to the company (Webasto) They couldn't give 2 hoots about the problem. They wouldn't even sell any plastic gears to the dealership who was ready to buy them in whatever bulk number Webasto told them!!!

Webasto basically told us (The dealership & myself) to go F@%& ourselves...

I'm surprised at this, but don't expect much...

Come on Chris Hightower and your Brass gears!!!

All,

I recevied an update from John Perrine at Webasto.

He basically got stonewalled from the engineering department (image that.), and also found out that Ford bought all rights to the parts used in the OEM sunroof (smart move for them to sell $35 motors for $300 once the warranty runs out) so buying from Webasto is impossible (as Demon pointed out.)

However, I am inquiring on interest for a 3rd option. John is inquiring with the I/A's of the aftermarket roofs on the possibility of giving us a price break on having an aftermarket unit put in to replace the OEM POS.

Below are his comments to my inquiry on this issue:

"There may be some way to look at getting one of our aftermarket units installed to replace the OE unit, but a couple of issues I see are, that there are size differences with what I have and what the OEM has and the other issue is to find a way to have the Webasto Authorized Installation (A/I) shops help out on the labor end of the deal. Unfortunately, I couldn't do any exchange type of programs, because the Aftermarket division and the OEM Division are two totally seperate divisions and they (OEM) would not get involved with anything to that magnitude.

You are right in your assumption that I am concerened about how Webasto is percieved in the marketplace and I know that the units that the aftermarket produce are quality products. Our warranty has always been Lifetime on all moving parts of our sunroof models regardless of the miles to the original owner of the sunroof unit. I am willing to find a way to work with the Contour club members to see what we can do in getting the Webasto A/I shops to help out on some pricing for remove and replace (R&R) the OE sunroof, but I really can't give you a definitive price of the R&R, because some of the shops would vary on pricing and labor, to which I have no control over like the OEM would on the dealerships. But, I am confident, with the close relationship that we have with our network, we could find a solution for your club members."

Now, one main question that I pose is: What modifications are require to drop in the aftermarket unit in the OE opening? If anyone has looked into this comments are greatly welcome.


If anyone has any feedback, comments, questions, or gripes, let me know.

Of course the 4th option is to just take it to a body shop and have the hole welded up.

thanks,
David

one would hope that an $800 upgrade to a car wouldn't use $3 parts

Funny...that's essentially the attitude I got when I contacted Webasto in Livonia and that's what I told John as well. Fortunately my brother works at a dealership and got me a motor assembly at cost but it was still $120 or so. That's a lot of money for essentially a nylon gear.

Another interesting note...notice that the drive has a socket where a manually-operated handle would go. In the Haynes manual there's a picture clearly depicting a handle-operated sunroof. I think that probably ended up being a europe-only deal but I wonder if the correct trim plate and handle are available to just go manual instead?

That would be a very nice option (manual crank) if it could be obtained.

Anyone able to get any info on that?

Regards,
David