Sunroof question

[pordog65]

Hi
My sr5 sunroof is being held closed on the rear with a wedge of wood
Is that factory..lol

Watz up there that may be broke or missing
I'm in Oregon an its spring so I'm not wanting to open a CAN of rain on my lap..?

[Petros]

the sunroof runs in a tack, there is a metal spiral feed cable like linkage the runs from the motor in the front down each track on either side, it sucks the assembly forward to close it, and pushes it back to open it. the track itself is what causes it to seal by having it move up into potion in the last bit of travel. It might not be moving all the way back to the full closed position, or the parts could be bent or worn that does not allow it all the way closed.

as the parts age there are various things that can break or wear out, It might only need to be lubricated and cleaned, to get it to go that last 1/2" or so to get it to close all the way. Also check for leaves, dust build up or other debris that could be blocking it the last bit of travel, make sure the drain lines are clear and draining. There is a diagram of the parts in the FSM but unfortunately not a lot of detail. if you can not find anything wrong on the outside you may have to drill out the rivets holding the tack assembly together to get a look at the inside parts to see if something is worn or broken. about the best you can do it take it all apart (carefully so you do not break anything) and inspect each part and see if you can repair or replace it. I have found often you can use a file or bend the metal parts to get a better fit., to compensate for the wear, so it will work properly again. Lubricate it all well before you put it back together. I used pop-rivets to reassemble it, but you can also use small nuts and bolts.

Good luck.

[pordog65]

OK third time..
My sunroof
Is held up with a block of wood..
Why?
Watz broke up there

[Petros]

It likely does not travel the last bit of track length, that last bit of travel has it move up against the seal. It will leak if it is not pressed hard against the stops, that block of wood likely is because it will not press up hard against the seal. If there is no power to the motor it will also not close all the way and the block of wood is there to hold it closed. That is what I was saying above.

several things to try:

1) First see if it has power, if not get power to the motor and see if it will close all the way, it also might need a new motor if even with power it will not move.

2) get it open and make sure the drains run free (small tubes in the corners, used compressed air to blow them out). if the drains are plugged water will collect around the seal and likely seep in, getting to drain should stop that.

3) Next would be to check for debris stopping the hatch from going full forward to make a good seal. Lubricate all the moving parts with lithium grease and light machine oil spary.

4) If it still will not seal, and you can not see why it will not go to full stop, you will have to take it apart and inspect each piece to see why it is not traveling the last little bit of distance.

[Mattel]

Hi Pordog, I have had the factory sunroof on my red Tercel and present Corolla 4wd. They are a pretty rare and need to be kept clean and lubricated but work fine after that.

Someone on here made an excellent video about how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWmQRb5qKoE. the same style is also on the Corolla and Celica factory sunroof so some parts might be changeable.

By unscrewing the controller over the switch/map lights you can access the motor and a manual screw that will open or close the sunroof if the motor is not working. You may need just to clean and lubricate the tracks and spiral wire

There is also I believe a fuse in the kick panel that you might want to check.

Also check the drain holes are working when you have got it open as water and detrius can build up there.

Petros is right. the last part of the closing of the sunroof pushes the sunroof back and up towards the seal. so there might be an issue with the guides that push it up or just something on the track.

Good luck with it all!