Sunroof problem

["Robert H. Caron" <jca@gte.net>]

The sunroof mechanism contains two cables that are moved by a single pinion gear. When one cable jumps one or more teeth of the gear, the left and right rear guides become out of balance. That is, one guide is positioned slightly ahead of the other. This is evidenced by a skewing of the sunroof. Continued operation of the sunroof in this condition will exacerbate the problem (cause the guides to become even more unbalanced) and will ultimately cause the levers adjacent to the guides to break.

Usually, if the imbalance is not severe and if the cables have not been damaged (chewed up by the pinion gear), the sunroof can be readjusted. When one or both cables are damaged, you need to replace the cable assembly. Also, carefully examine the levers adjacent to the rear guides. They are cast parts and tend to develop cracks when operated unbalanced as described above.

The reason the problem occurs in the first place is that the cables are not moving smoothly. To ensure freedom of movement, the cables should be cleaned and lubricated periodically. Mineral oil is the preferred lubricant.

-- R. Daneel Olivaw.