Sunroof Problems

[Helen chang]

Hi all I am new to this but I need help and suggestions. I have 2004 gx-470 which I take good care of and the warranty ran out Jan this year. A few days ago I try using my sunroof and heard a weird noise then it just stopped. It will only open but not close. I took it to the dealers and they said the motor was bad and also the wiring is bad. Ok. if I used it all the time I underdstand. But since I've had the car I have only used it maybe a handful of times. The total cost to repair this is 3,469.14. Now that is insane. what do anyone suggest or recommend? They said they have to replace the whole housing of the sunroof to get to the wiring. Geez for that amount I can put a down payment on another. I am just so upset and dissappointed with lexus right now. help??

[Step Hen]

Have you been cleaning the sunroof tracks of dirt/debris and replacing the old grease with new grease? If not, I would imagine that was one way the sunroof was damaged without much operation.

If the sunroof is still stuck open, there is a manual way to close the sunroof with a crank. Check the owner's manual for specifics on that. I don't really see how the wiring could be damaged. I would almost think that it went off track rather than the motor or wiring going out. If there was a burning smell or smoke, then I could see the motor or wiring being damaged, but you didn't mention either of those.

You could take the car in to a auto glass specialist and get it repaired/replaced for less than $3500. Good luck.

[GXLEX]

I'm New To The Forum & I Have Gained Alot From Reading As A Guest Over The Past 2 Weeks Or So.. It Started For Me With A Stuck Open Sunroof On My 2003 Gx470..

I Googled How To Remove The Headliner , But I Can Not Find The Instructions To Add The To This Post.. But Here Is The Abridged Version For Those Who Want To Save $2000.00 If/ When This Happens To You:

You'll Need:

1.electric Screwdriver (phillips Attachment)

2.drill (for Those Stubborn Stuck On Screws)

3.four Inch Extender For Socket Wrench

4.turnable Socket Wrench & 10mm Socket

It Was Experimental When I Did It, So I Don't Have Pictures To Accopmany These Abridged Instructions... But From What I've Seen On Other Forums Including This One, I Think The Answer On How To Fix It Is What Everyone's Missing...

Disclaimer:

((i Am Semi Handy & By No Means Am Inviting Anyone Who Doesn't Know How To Operate A Screwdriver To Attempt This Repair. If You Are Handy With A Scredriver (electric Or Not) & Willing To See Parts Of Your Interior You Might Not Have Seen Before To Get This Repair Done..proceed..

This Worked For Me , & From My Research It Should Work For Those Who Also Have A Stuck Open Sunroof))

Let Me Say This For Clarity... The Problem Lies In The Dryness Of The 2 Cables That The Motor Turns To Open & Close The Sunroof... If Your Sunroof Makes Grinding Noises When You Try To Operate It.. This Means Your Motor Is Fine & Hte Below Repair Will Fix You Sunroof..

The 2 Cables Reside In The Front Of The Sunroof Assembly In A Clear Plastic & A Metal Housing.. The Object Is To Remove Both Cables From The Clear & Metal Housing (one Side Will Remain Fastened In While One End Of The Plastic Covered Cables Will Full Come Out Of The Sleeve/track... Once You Have This Done..

I Poured Baby Oil Into Both Sides Of The Track To Lubricate It Before Taking The Cables Out ( I Had To Blow The Baby Oil Htru Both Ends Of The Straw Until It Came Through The Open End Where The Motor Meets The Cable.

Once You Expose The Cables By Pulling Them Out Of Their Tracks Fully So The Entire Cable Minus The Part Holding It The Sunroof Assemblies Are Exposed, You Want To Apply Any Standard Multipurpose Grease Evenly Across The Both Entire Cables & Place The Back In Their Tracks...

Also Clean The Tracks Where The Glass Assembly Glides From Dried Grease & Apply Fressh Grease On The Entire Track..

The Track & Glass Part My Take Some Playing With, Nut A Flat Head Screwdrive Will Help You Get The Plasic Pieces Out Of The Rectanlular Slots Tehy Lock Into Aloowing You To Manually Function The Sunroof To Tilt Up , Open & Close Positions.. Once You Grease The Track For The Glass & All The Moveable Parts On The Actual Sunroof.. Put It In Closed Position & Reinstall It Back Into The Gx470...

Don't Worry, If You Notice When You've Bolted It Back Up That Its Not Fully Closed... It Will Fix Itself Once You Normailze It By Holding The Tilt Up Botton For About 10 Seconds Once The Sunroof Motor & Everything On The Headliner ( Rear Pass. Light , Rear Ent Sys, Sunglass Tray & Fron T Light Assembly, Etc) Have Been Reinstalled..

So To Make A Long Story Short.. You:

1.simply Removed The Headliner & Sunroof (screws & Tension Clips From The Sun Visors , Seatbelts Front & Rear ,trunk Lining..unbolt Sunroof & Remove It Out The Open Trunk Door

Note: Sunroof Assembly Weighs About 100 Lbs... I Weigh About 170 & I Did This Whole Job Alone.

2.cleaned The Tracks & Regreased Them With $2.00 Multipurpose Grease ..

3.reinstalled The Sunroof & Headliner

4.& The Held The Tilt Up Button To "normalize" The Sunroof

5.worked Like A Charm... I Hope This Saves You Time & Money...

See You In The Nex Thread

[Vadim]

I know this is an old post, but I had the same issue with '08 GX and thank you to GXLEX direction I got it fixed this weekend.

So thank you :)

Vadim

[VBdenny]

Wow. I've heard of sunroof issues before but makes me glad I never open one. Never cared much for them and usually leave the cover closed. Had mine tinted with limo tint so I can leave the slider back. Opening it lets in dust, humidity and heat.

My neighbor paid a guy he knows $350 to get his closed and fixed on a Huyundi (whatever) but the dealer wants into the thousands. I'm closed now and probably staying that way. Never liked holes in roofs much anyway.