Moonroof in '03 Legacy GT will not open or tilt?

[shortlid]

The car has been siting 6 months.   Worked well last summer.  However now it seems to click for a second but does not budge.  Will not vent either? Any advice?

[gbhrps]

shortlid,

I've dealt with several moonroofs over the years, and by the clues you given us, I have a couple of suggestions for you to try.

First, check for a sunroof fuse.

I suspect that your sunroof is stuck in place due to lack of use/the sunroof seal sticking to the roof structure opening.

Try spraying some WD40 or silicone spray around the entire seal of the sunroof, and then try sliding a dull knife blade (dinner knife?) between the roof metal skin and the sunroof seal, and slide it around the entire sunroof opening. If the sunroof seal has stuck to the skin of the car roof, this should free it up. Afterwards, give it another spray.

If that doesn't allow the sunroof to open, try doing it manually. Your owner's manual has a pictorial showing how to pull the center ceiling plastic plug (dead center of the headliner behind the sunroof about 20 inches or so.). You pull the plug out, insert the allen key tool from your car's tool kit, and crank the sunroof fully open or closed as needed.

After both of these methods, try the sunroof switch again.

If none of this gets you anywhere, the sunroof assembly will have to come out of the car, and you don't want a dealership to do the job as it'll be $1000 and up. Its not a hard job to do, just time consuming. If you need parts, get them or an entire used sunroof assembly from a wrecking yard. Good Luck!

[idosubaru]

If you can’t unstick or get it working, its insanely easy to replace the entire sunroof assembly. Used $75 and swap it.

[shortlid]

On 8/1/2019 at 10:53 PM, gbhrps said:

 

"I've dealt with several moonroofs over the years, and by the clues you given us, I have a couple of suggestions for you to try.

First, check for a sunroof fuse. "

I can not find the sunroof fuse anywhere in the fuse blocks.  Manual does not mention it, not listed on covers for fuse boxes under hood or in lower drivers dash?

[gbhrps]

shortlid,

There may not be one, as the sunroof circuit could be part of the overhead map lights, rear view mirror circuit, power mirrors or similar.

You get a click and nothing happens ..... either some connection has come loose, the switch is dirty (clean its contacts) the sunroof computer is bad, the drive motor is bad, = drop the headliner and pull the entire sunroof assembly from the car (easy once the headliner is out) ten 10 mm nuts, one electrical connection near the map lights up front, and everything goes out the tailgate in one piece.

Once on the work bench, test the motor, the switch, and if still no go, get a used entire assembly from a wrecking yard , test it with 12 volts on the work bench and then install it into your car. A first timer will take 2.5  hours to get the assembly out of the car. The only special tool needed is a Torx 55 bit for the upper front seat seat belt anchors. 1.5 hours is all that's needed to put it back into the car. (Hint: seat the sunroof properly into its roof opening before snugging down the ten or so sunroof attachment nuts. As well, it would be wise to put alligator clamps or zip ties on each of the drain tube fittings to ensure they don't come off. Be prepared to loosen the 4 nuts that fasten the sunroof glass to its mechanism in order to properly seat it in the roof skin opening uniformly on all sides.)