Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting wrecked sunroof? (not the white plastic gear...)

My sunroof has the typical problem -- not a melted gear, rather one that has been bored out. So the motor works, but only when disconnected from any type of load. In other words, it won't push the sunroof.

So a while back, I removed the motor assembly (will get the replacement gear etc.) I am not concerned about the motor or gear. I will get a new gear and I'm certain I will be able to fix the motor assembly.

I have been operating the roof by hand. It takes a little bit of force, but you can do it. On hot days, I wear gloves because that sucker is hot. It's been OK.

Until today. I tried to get it into the "vent" position, and something or things snapped. Now, one side does not really want to seat, and I don't believe I will be able to manually get it open again.

Which is a problem, because according to the shop manual, to fix it, you have to open it.

Anyone been down this road before? What should I do?

Check out this thread for getting new gears. There is also a tutorial on that site.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=genmods&Number=1051507&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

Thank you for referring me to the odometer gears thread. I plan to get a new sunroof gear from them to fix the *motor* assembly -- but my current problem is that the roof itself is messed up. I have taken the motor out, so that is no longer a part of the system. Fixing the motor assembly would be nice, but my sunroof has problems other than the motor assembly.

I was using it manually, if you've had that experienence, you will know that it takes a certain force, even if you've lubricated the track, to open and close the sunroof(mechanical gear-down). Well, as I said, I forced it up a bit too much on Saturday and something or things "popped". Could be that the rubber gasket around the roof (which has pulled out some in front) prevented me from getting the roof into proper position. Who knows. Point is, I forced it, and it popped, and now it is in some unknown "wrecked" state.

Principal problem is there is this polygonal black or grey plastic piece that has popped up on the driver's side. This popped-up polygonal piece prevents me from lowering the back side of the roof and sliding the roof back. If I could get this piece to seat properly, then I could slide the roof back and take the whole thing off. Right now, it won't, and I'm afraid to force it. Anyone know how much a sunroof assembly (*NOT* the motorized electrical part, but just the assembly, preferably sans panel) costs?

I also believe the little comma-shaped pieces that guide the roof into "vent" position have popped off. I assume that the three things (polygonal plastic piece, two little comma-shaped guide pieces) can be popped back into place if I knew what I'm doing, and could perhaps get the roof back (so I could take it off) but I'm basically working blind.

I am wondering if anyone has had this experience and how it was resolved. I have and will reference the manual, although from memory, the manual assumes the sunroof already can be slid back in order to disassemble the unit (and really work on it).

This is why I came to the board, but thanks for your assistance on the odometer gears motor assembly piece.

Also, I apologize if I'm sounding b*tchy. I am real ticked off at my own ineptitude for forcing the roof. Also, now I can't open the damn sunroof, which my kids always ask me to do, which I use as incentive to get them in the car. Can't afford to spend hundreds having a mechanic fix/replace (well, they typically want to replace it and then charge you for installing a brand new part) something like this just now. So any help would be greatly appreciated:

1. Anyone have to replace a sunroof assembly (not the motor or the white gear that interfaces to the metal helical gear on the motor)?

2. Anyone know how to get the polygonal piece I have tried to describe to seat? Anyone else's sunroof has been in this state?

David Frank