(2000) Sunroof not working, help me diagnose the problem?

[TrizzyDizzy]

Ok, so good weather has finally came back around. Perfect time to retract that sunroof. Too bad it doesn't work, its stuck in the open position after deciding to not close the other day.

First off, is there a manual way to close it? Particularly without pulling down the headliner. There seems to be a circular turning hole underneath the sunroof motor, but it looks too small for anything, or at least any miscellaneous hex tool I own.

Second, what do you think is wrong with it? I hear a single click from around the sunroof motor area. This is not the click the sunroof button itself makes when you auto-open/close. I keep reading that a click means something is wrong with a relay, but aren't relays supposed to click when they are working to change/close/open currents. I wouldn't imagine a fuse was bad since I hear a click, but its worth a look. Where is it that by the way?

Just for additional information, everything else on the car works just fine. So there are no secondary symptoms anywhere else, that I know of. Thanks for your time!

[Lokim]

Have you tried grabbing the moving panel while holding the switch to "help" it along? Sounds like you may have a bad motor...

[BadQ45t]

I would try to find a sunroof company near you. That is what I always did when I had issues over the years, general mechanics don't deal with them often enough and the stealership will kill you.

where do you live??? I don't think there is a manual way to close it, my 97' I bought 2nd hand at least didn't come with the little wrench that my 85' Maxima and the wifes 91' Galant came with to "manually" close it.

[TrizzyDizzy]

Have you tried grabbing the moving panel while holding the switch to "help" it along? Sounds like you may have a bad motor...

Yea, I've tried, but I don't want to push too hard. It really doesn't feel like its budging. Before it went bad, it would go through spells of working one minute, but not the next. Every once in awhile, it would stop working, but would shape up if I gave it a quick jab :lol: Are these some symptoms of a dying sunroof motor?

I would try to find a sunroof company near you. That is what I always did when I had issues over the years, general mechanics don't deal with them often enough and the stealership will kill you.

where do you live??? I don't think there is a manual way to close it, my 97' I bought 2nd hand at least didn't come with the little wrench that my 85' Maxima and the wifes 91' Galant came with to "manually" close it.

Haven't bothered looking for a sunroof specialist, didn't know those exist. Hell, I live in Montgomery, Alabama, so the likelihood of us having any specialty auto shop that doesn't deal with 1/8th mile drag cars is a rarity. But at least the weather here is phenomenal, so no worries about the elements getting into the car. Well, aside from maybe a squirrel.

[maxnix]

Body shop.

Have you ever cleaned and lubricated the rails (white lithium grease)?

BTW, steel sun roof on the G50, glass moon roof on all other Q45.

[BadQ45t]

that is funny, in Los Angeles I knew of two shops that did nothing but sunroofs, just drove past the shop about 6 months ago when i was in LA too.

I agree, body shop is your best option if you cannot figure this out yourself....FYI Maxnix, my 97' has a steel roof, I am not a big fan of the glass roofs.

[Lokim]

Sounds like a bad motor to me...

[motownman]

try disconnecting your battery for 10-15 minutes and then reconnect and see it resets the roof. I had the same thing happen and it worked for me (2002 Q45). It seems that if your loses power the roof has to be reset. starnge but true.

[Ramrod]

I disconnected the battery and guess what, it fixed the problem of my sunroof not working. As motownman said, strange but ture.
Thanks.