Stuck sunroof

[sooty]

Hi. I have a 1998MY UK spec Explorer with an electric sunroof. It is stuck slightly tilted open. The motor unit is made by Bosch. I see on the underside of the motor/gear housing a place for the key to go to manually close the sunroof. Unfortunately I don't have the key. I expect it may have come with the vehicle when new but it is no longer in the car. The local Ford dealers in the UK are more interested in selling glorified shopping carts than helping me sort out a proper Ford... So your help would be appreciated- where can I get the key from? Is there another way of getting the roof to work? Thanks guys.

 

[sooty]

Last night the roof decided to open itself fully. It picked a night when it was pouring with rain to open itself to the elements. I was somewhat surprised to put it mildly!

This focused my mind on getting it wound back manually. Anyway in case this ever happens to you... find the yellow slot on the underside of the motor. You will have to pull down the overhead console to access it. Now it looks like the slot requires a special tool. The Ford dealers on both sides of the pond where no help..... they never told me the centre yellow piece is sprung loaded. Put a big screwdriver in to the slot (pushing the yellow centre down) and turn it around to close the roof manually.

That's all there ever was to it. Makes me wonder how the roof could open itself in the middle of the night.... something for another day. At least mine is now water tight.

 

[skeneguy]

Could it be a faulty switch? However without the ignition on it's bizzare that it opens at all, maybe relay contacts shorting? Anyhoo, good tip on the manual close..

 

[sooty]

Hi. I checked the switch. With the ignition on there is power to the back of it. I did a continuity check and the switch is functioning correctly.

The switch has solid red, blue and black wires. The solid black seems to be the common earth. The red and blue forward or back input.

At the motor however there five wires, the aforesaid red, blue and black and the addition of two mysterious wires one a sort-of light green with a black stripe, and the other red with a blue stripe. Both these other wires have power to them at all times.

I have no wiring diagrams showing where these wires are from or why they are attached to my motor. I have a theory that it might be to do with a sort-of 'laz-e-lock' system where the truck shuts all the windows that are open when you lock the doors. Also I know the Explorer has a system to keep the interior electrics energised for a period of time (I think 40 mins) after the key is out of the ignition. Could be that. Looking on the bright side (hard when you live in the UK!) I know my motor works (when it wants to) and that the sunroof mechanism works freely. So the good news is it is an electrical/electronic fault... hence I have unplugged the motor.

 

[LMedina]

Aloha! I have a USA 2000 Ford XLT with a sunroof which occasionally did not close, but instead sticks in the VENT mode with it slightly open, just like how you describe your predicament. Don't know what your circumstances were when it first happened, so let me relate to you mines:

It began shortly after I first disconnected the batt to do some engine work. Found out that Ford actually says to leave the sunroof in the VENT position BEFORE disconnecting the batt, or else strange things will result. And strange things did happen after reconnecting the batt, like the roof retracting THEN immediately closing on its own; not able to remain in the VENT position; not closing after being in the VENT position, etc.

What worked for me was setting the roof in the VENT position like Ford recommends, then disconnecting the batt again and waiting a few hours. Reconnect the batt, and THEN cycle thru all the positions (Open, Close, Vent). After that, the problem simply disappeared.

This led me to conclude that somehow, one or more of the SUV's computers actually monitors and controls the sunroof! Why Ford might want to design it this way, don't ask me. I surmise that the sunroof controls are integrated with the rest of the electronics, and the computer(s) get "confused" when the power's cut and the roof's in the closed position. My belief is reinforced by Ford's "leave it open in VENT position" instructions. And when the the power's restored, the computers have trouble associating the right commands to the right roof positions.

Whew! OK, try it. I don't know anyone else who's posted a similar problem/recourse and I hope it helps you and others. //LMedina

 

[sooty]

Aloha to you too! I think you have something here. My fundamental problem though was that it wasn't moving at all- up until the uncommanded opening in the dead of night- so I couldn't cycle the sunroof. It is a confused sunroof motor! I'll get round to fixing it when it stops raining- could be some time in June at this rate! In the meantime I can't take a risk of it opening itself again, so it remains unplugged.

Thanks for your help.