Notices
Series I Trouble Shooting This is the place to learn more about or discuss any issues you're having with your RX-8

Sunroof will not open, help?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 09-21-2009, 07:08 PM
  #1  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Decat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sunroof will not open, help?

Maybe I am just really bad at searching, but I have not found anything to really help me out with my sunroof problem.

So when I push either button to open the sunroof, there is nothing, not even a slight noise to try and open it a little. Nothing at all happens. However when I push the close button you can hear the motor try and close the sunroof even more.

I have checked all the fuses, and nothing else in the car electronically is not working properly, the sunroof sounds like it is trying to close but absolutely nothing happens when you try and open it.

Ideas? If the motor goes out wouldn't it just not do anything regardless of opening or closing? Is there a gear or something that might be stuck? I have not idea. Only thing that happened around the time of this was I was taking the visor apart because it broke and I got one spark from the wires, but the visor is working perfectly now, and no fuses were blown. Sunroof just will not open.

I am sorry if this was already addressed somewhere I just haven't found anything in my searches.
Old 09-22-2009, 05:35 PM
  #2  
Registered
iTrader: (1)
 
Chainu127's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It may be possible that the sunroof motor's hall effect sensors got thrown out of whack or the memory was cleared and the module lost it's calibration, or "initial position setting" I would try resetting it.
From the workshop manual:

Sunroof Motor Assembly Note
Note
• If the guide is removed, initial position setting of the sunroof motor will be required. After installing the sunroof unit, perform initial position setting using the following procedure.
1. Press the CLOSE switch to fully close the glass panel.

2. When the glass panel reaches the fully closed position, temporarily release the CLOSE switch and press it again for approx. 13 s continuously. Continue pressing the switch until the glass panel automatically stops at the fully closed position after reaching the mechanical lock position.

3. When the glass panel stops at the fully closed position, temporarily release the CLOSE switch, then press it again within 5 s and hold.
Note
• Press the CLOSE switch continuously until the glass panel opens to the fully open position, returns to the fully closed position and then stops.
4. Release the CLOSE switch when the glass panel stops at the fully closed position.
Hope this fixes it!
Old 09-23-2009, 12:27 AM
  #3  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Decat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Chainu127
Hope this fixes it!
Thanks I really wish it was that easy. I tried holding the close button for a lot longer than 30 secs and tried lots of different scenarios and nothing. The lights fade when I try to close it, but when I push either open or slide open button nothing happens, the lights do not even dim, just nothing at all.

Any other ideas? Am I really going to have to pay the stealership $100 to tell me what is wrong with this?
Old 09-23-2009, 01:24 AM
  #4  
Super Moderator
 
ASH8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 10,861
Received 316 Likes on 225 Posts
I was going to suggest fuses, but you have checked.

Have you done ANY modifications to the car recently, disconnect battery?..

Sorry I can't help, these sunroofs have been pretty reliable, meaning I have not heard of any issues...yet.

Is your battery OK, car starts OK, plenty of Charge?
Old 09-23-2009, 10:18 PM
  #5  
Registered
iTrader: (1)
 
Chainu127's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Decat
Thanks I really wish it was that easy. I tried holding the close button for a lot longer than 30 secs and tried lots of different scenarios and nothing. The lights fade when I try to close it, but when I push either open or slide open button nothing happens, the lights do not even dim, just nothing at all.

Any other ideas? Am I really going to have to pay the stealership $100 to tell me what is wrong with this?
Re-read the directions. It's not just holding the close button for a while one time. I know you've tried different "scenarios", but unless you've done it exactly as listed, it's unlikely you coincidentally went through the initial position setting routine.

If you say your lights dim when pressing the close button it's definitely drawing current- as you've stated, the motor isn't bad.

Notice in the procedure the open or tilt buttons are not used a single time. This means the sunroof will fully open even while you're holding the close button if you're doing the procedure correctly.

I'd try it one more time exactly as listed and if that doesn't do it, then I dunno. I'm almost sure it's not a stuck or broken gear, or something blocking the track, because if it were you would at least hear the motor humming TRYING to turn, and the lights would certainly dim.

The way the logic control board is set up is that if the "computer" doesn't know where the extreme positions are, it will not even try to power the motor.
Old 09-24-2009, 04:44 AM
  #6  
FLAME ON!
 
@!!narotordo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Strip Club
Posts: 948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I had the samething happen to me with my 3g eclipse. You can hear the motor trying and the lights dim. So what I did was spray some WD-40 on the tracks from inside the car and bingo!
So have you tryed wd-40?
Old 09-24-2009, 02:03 PM
  #7  
Super Moderator
 
ASH8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 10,861
Received 316 Likes on 225 Posts
You are ROCKING/PUSHING the switch in the correct direction???..to Open..??

Tracks should have Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly over them...
Old 10-09-2009, 02:13 PM
  #8  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Decat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by ASH8
I was going to suggest fuses, but you have checked.

Have you done ANY modifications to the car recently, disconnect battery?..

Sorry I can't help, these sunroofs have been pretty reliable, meaning I have not heard of any issues...yet.

Is your battery OK, car starts OK, plenty of Charge?
Yes, I replaced the battery because it died, and I also disconnected the passenger side sun visor.
Old 04-01-2010, 06:43 PM
  #9  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Decat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Question

Ok so after the RX-8 had been sitting in the factory for 4 months getting the engine replaced 4 times the sunroof worked for about 2 weeks, then one time when I closed it, it was very stop-go-stop-go with lots of hesitations and then finally it closed after I had to press and let go and press and let go of the button a few times. Then it would not try to open any more, it would still try to close for a few days, and now there is no response to either open or close buttons, nothing yet again. Is the motor just going out, or has the motor gone out? Can I access the motor from removing the center roof console? Thanks for any help.
Old 04-02-2010, 12:02 AM
  #10  
Oilfield trash
iTrader: (2)
 
Grungepup's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
try lubing the guides the glass slides on
Old 04-05-2013, 02:53 PM
  #11  
Registered User
 
rovic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
wow Thx Chainu127 where ever you are. I tried your posted solution and it worked like a charm!!! I still have my '04 Velocity red. Its been almost 10 yrs now.
Old 08-03-2014, 04:17 PM
  #12  
Registered
 
superROB23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
aftermarket button change???

so there is an unusual button layout. It's a small black 5 button layout.
Sunroof will not open, help?-1407100513617.jpg can anybody tell me what this is???
Old 10-20-2014, 07:33 PM
  #13  
New Member
 
nineplusthree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Decat
...then one time when I closed it, it was very stop-go-stop-go with lots of hesitations and then finally it closed after I had to press and let go and press and let go of the button a few times. Then it would not try to open any more, it would still try to close for a few days, and now there is no response to either open or close buttons, nothing yet again.
This is exactly what happened to me, except it's been a week or so and still sounds like it tries to close, but nothing when I try to open or tilt.

Today I pulled out the switch panel and tested the switch circuit board to make sure the button contacts were completing the circuits and everything checked out. I then swapped out the relay with one that I knew was working and still nothing.

Next step was going to be pulling out the motor and test it but figured I'd search here first.
Old 10-28-2014, 06:07 PM
  #14  
New Member
 
nineplusthree's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fixed my problem

The shop manual's sunroof motor reset procedure from the 2nd post worked for me.

I could hear the motor try to shut the sunroof but heard nothing when I would press the slide open or tilt button.

Using the manual's steps it reset the "zero point" of the motor and works like a champ now. And just to clarify the directions, you keep holding the close button, but the roof will open all the way then shut again.
Old 10-24-2022, 08:16 PM
  #15  
New Member
 
RX8_Cowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 4
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Decat
Ok so after the RX-8 had been sitting in the factory for 4 months getting the engine replaced 4 times the sunroof worked for about 2 weeks, then one time when I closed it, it was very stop-go-stop-go with lots of hesitations and then finally it closed after I had to press and let go and press and let go of the button a few times. Then it would not try to open any more, it would still try to close for a few days, and now there is no response to either open or close buttons, nothing yet again. Is the motor just going out, or has the motor gone out? Can I access the motor from removing the center roof console? Thanks for any help.
Decat, did you ever figure out the problem with your sunroof?
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
fourwhls
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
7
02-20-2019 05:16 PM
cliffkemp
Series I Trouble Shooting
7
10-03-2015 11:11 PM
Danield97
Series I Trouble Shooting
1
09-30-2015 05:59 PM
jasonrxeight
RX-8's For Sale/Wanted
2
09-30-2015 01:53 PM
GK1707
RX-8 Parts For Sale/Wanted
0
09-27-2015 07:33 PM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Sunroof will not open, help?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:33 PM.