Subaru Rear Sunroof Shade Removal/Installation

[Anthenium]

Hey there swinging Subaru-ers,

 

I just picked up a 2002 Outback L.L. Bean Edition for $1800. It needed This-n-That, and I've taken care of most of it. And as the title suggests, there was no shade in the rear sunroof, just the sunroof itself. I have found a Totaled car with the shade for $50. But I have to remove it, and then install it.

 

Anyone ever have the Pleasure, or at least a Clue? I'll be hitting YouTube and a Shop Manual if I can get my hands on one...

[lmdew]

You have to drop the headliner, which means all the trim has to come out.  Lot's of work, there are small metal slides that allow the shade to slide.

 

In warm weather the trim should be OK.  Practice on the wreck car first.

[gbhrps]

Anthenium,

 

Had an 04 that I pulled the entire sunroof assembly out of to replace the front lift mechanism. The job isn't hard, just takes time. The only non standard tool required is a Torx 55 bit for the top anchor bolts for the front seat belts (needs to come out in order to pull off the B pillar molding.)

 

Everything on the headliner comes off, pull all of the ceiling plugs you find in the rear, pull the door weatherstripping down to about half way down the doors (no need to go any further than that) A, B, C and D pillars, moldings around the rear tailgate opening, and the moldings around each sunroof opening. Keep your hands clean! Any dirt that gets on the headliner knap will clean off, but will show the marks after its reinstalled. Remove all headrests.

 

Pull the plastic covers off the two scissor lift mechanisms for the front sunroof, and remove the two nuts/bolts under each one. Push the front sunroof up at its rear and capture any shims you find at the scissor lift fasteners (they have to go back in the same locations later.) That front sunroof can just stay where it is, no need to remove it further.

 

From the top of the roof, reach down into the metal structure between the front and rear sunroofs. There are 3 or 4 oblong/rectangular very flat plastic plugs that the center of can be pried up, and then the entire plug comes out. I seem to recall that on the top of the headliner in spots around the sunroof openings, there are patches of velcro that help hold the headliner in place. Obviously pry/pull those areas down at the very last, then the entire headliner goes out the back of the car.

 

After disconnecting the sunroof switch and motor wiring connectors, there will be 6 drain tubes to disconnect from the sunroof drain channels, and 12 to 14    10 mm nuts to remove that hold the entire sunroof assembly to the roof structure, and then everything goes out the rear in one assembly.

 

Fix your sunshade, and take the time to clean out all of your drain tubes. Upon reassembly be certain that the drain tubes are properly held on each drain channel spout. You might want to silicone them on, or use small alligator clamps.

 

After your fix of the shade, you can use a separate 12 volt source to power the sunroof open and closed to test the shade before you do the reinstall. Good Luck!

Edited May 18, 2016 by gbhrps