98 Q45 Sunroof gets stuck when it's warm out

[tfvesquire]

Ok, now that our weather in Illinois is starting to warm up, I have been using my sunroof on the few days lately that have been above 50 degrees. On a day that it got to 62 degrees, I went to open the sunroof and it got stuck (stopped) opening and even closing. I had to help it along. I tried to spray some PB Blaster on the tracks and that helped a little, but it still got stuck a few more times. Is the motor starting to die or do I need to do something with the track and/or rubber seal around the sunroof panel?

Anyone else had probelms with their motor starting to go and needing a replacement unit? I don't want my sunroon to suddenly stop working with the panel wide or partially open over the summer.

Any info would be great. I found several used motors online, but not sure if I want to try a used motor or spend the $$ on a new or refurbished one.

Thanks,

Ted

[elwesso]

You could try testing the motor if you wanted, the motor can come undone from the sunroof assembly. I kind of doubt the motor is weak, you probably just need to clean the rails really good.

Correct me if I'm wrong but 98 Q doesn't have a glass sunroof, does it?

First thing I would try is removing the sunroof panel (very easy actually) completely off the car, and lubricate the rails really good. I did this one time and actually was able to clean them out real good toward the back which had some gunk built up.

[tfvesquire]

It's actually the last year of the "moonroof" which is painted the same color as the rest of the roof. 99 thru 2001 are tinted glass IIRC.

Your repsonse cut out when you were starting to explain how to remove the sunroof panel. Open 1/2 way and then...............

Let me know the rest so I can get this thing working right.

Thanks!!

Ted

[elwesso]

LOL! Sometime's I'm a space cadet... I actually just wanted to keep you in some sort of suspense.....

To remove the sunroof panel, open the sunroof about half way. On both the left and right side of the sunroof, in between the headliner (on the sunroof) and the sunroof panel, there's a clip that you can push down with a screw driver and push the headliner back. From there, there's 4 nuts holding the sunroof panel onto the car, and then the whole panel comes off, which will expose the whole sunroof track and the rear drains. You can then clean the rails and whatnot afterward.