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2013 sunroof and screen issues

Jason4606

New Member
Joined
August 31, 2025
Messages
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City, State
Birmingham, AL
Year, Model & Trim Level
2013 Explorer 4WD Limited
Hi All,

I had a sunroof leak that I suspect was due to a driver-side front drain clog. (Based on the way vehicle was parked)

Wanted to clean the lines, but the glass won't slide. Sunscreen was still working, so I checked fuses then swapped the 2 motors to make sure it was the glass motor and not something else. It didn't work, and now the sunscreen won't operate either after that motor was reinstalled. (Neither motor will even run when disconnected from the tracks.)

Motor control boards show no signs of water ingress, corrosion, or failed components and motors run with 12VDC applied directly to terminals. All 3 switches, the constant and delayed ACC power, and ground tested at the motor connectors are all fine.

I've tried the reset procedures multiple times for glass and sunscreen with motors fully installed and also free from tracks, just to see if either would ever spin. Nothing.

I'm at a loss for what else it could possibly be. But have a really hard time believing the sunscreen motor would stop working in the time it took to remove and reinstall.

Any other ideas? Is there a no-load feature in the controller that might sense the motors are disconnected from the tracks? Doubt it. But no details available that I can find.

Will be trading/selling this vehicle soon. Don't want to just start throwing money at it without a good idea what the issue is first.

Thanks!
 



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Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
You seem to have done everything that would have recommended. I don't know why the original shade motor isn't working when you put it back in place. Are you able to check to verify that there is power going to it?

Peter
 






Welcome to the Forum. :wave:
You seem to have done everything that would have recommended. I don't know why the original shade motor isn't working when you put it back in place. Are you able to check to verify that there is power going to it?

Peter

Thanks!

Unfortunately, yes. There is power and ground, and the switched input power for open/close/tilt measured at the back of both motor connectors.

Connectors don’t appear to have any corrosion and after unplugging/plugging several times assume would help wipe the contacts.

At a complete loss. Cant stand the thought of ordering 2 motors without knowing for sure. But not sure what else to try.
 






Hi Jason. I'm not familiar with the 2 motor setup other than knowing they can be interchanged. Is it possible to remove the one that was working for the shade and leave it connected to its power source without it trying to drive the shade and then see if it works? Somewhat similar to a bench test.

Peter
 






Hi Jason. I'm not familiar with the 2 motor setup other than knowing they can be interchanged. Is it possible to remove the one that was working for the shade and leave it connected to its power source without it trying to drive the shade and then see if it works? Somewhat similar to a bench test.

Peter
Tried "loose" and installed. Nothing.

Doesn't make any sense. Feel like there's something silly. But with voltage at terminals on motor, including the switch inputs, I can't think of anything else to try.
 






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