[9ines]

Hello,

finally have the car and the first order of business is to get the sunroof working. The switch does not operate up or down and when pressed, no sound can be heard anywhere.

As far as I know, the critical paths here are:



Sunroof motor

Sunroof relay in fuse box

Sunroof relay on motor

Console switch



What is the best way to troubleshoot these items (is this everything)? I would prefer not to use the "replace everything until it works" method. :-)



thanks,

-kbarber

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[Cloud9...68]

First, make sure you check all the fuses that pertain to the sunroof operation; I believe there are at least two. If these are all OK, I would go to www.clarks-garage.com, which has a great step-by-step troubleshooting guide for the sunroof. It looks a little intimidating because it is so detailed, but therin lies its value as well, so just take your time and read through it. I would start with the console switch; Clark's Garage explains how to remove it, and then you can test it with an ohmeter, which I believe the site also explains how to do. I would next check the switch bewteen the sun visors. It's possible that it isn't being "made" by the little tab on the sunroof. Try pusing it by hand; if you hear a click, that's likely your problem. If these check out (hopefully it's not the console switch, because it's fairly expensive), proceed through all the other electrical components (relays and swtches) and test them all, which Clark's garage also explains how to do.



I feel your pain - the sunroof mechanism is very complicated on these cars, and a lot of work to troubleshoot. But the fact that you're not getting any response at all at least narrows it down to an electrical component of some kind.

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[9ines]

Thanks. I don't hear a click from the micro switch, so I will start there,



-kbarber

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[Ryan]

It has been awhile since I played with a sunroof, but as I recall the center front micro-switch has to be working or the system thinks there is no roof panel in place and nothing operates. The switch can be bypassed with a jumper wire at the switch to test it.



Hope this helps.

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[Cloud9...68]

Ryan,



Yes, what you say is correct. If that front microswitch isn't "made" (normally by the little tab on the sunroof), the system will think the sunroof is off, and nothing will operate. So a problem with this switch is definitely a strong candidate for the OP's problem. In fact, come to think of it, since it is so much easier to remove and test this switch than it is the console switch, I would probably start there, after the fuses have been ruled out.

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[9ines]

Well, I am working on this, but I can even get the sunroof to open manually. How many turns should it take to unlock?



thanks,

-kbarber

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[Cloud9...68]

If you can't get it to operate manually, your gears may be stripped (mine were). To check the gears, you need to remove that little panel at the rear of the sunroof. It's held with something like seven screws. Then you will have access to the areas where the gears are located; they're what drive the curved black metal links that move the sunroof up and down. A set of gears isn't very expensive; something like $15 from Sunset Imports.



I know that working on the sunroof is a royal pain. I just removed my clutch and flywheel, and this was a thousand times more fun that messing with that wretched sunroof mechanism!

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[9ines]

[quote name='Cloud9...68' timestamp='1298124635' post='105263']

If you can't get it to operate manually, your gears may be stripped (mine were). To check the gears, you need to remove that little panel at the rear of the sunroof. It's held with something like seven screws. Then you will have access to the areas where the gears are located; they're what drive the curved black metal links that move the sunroof up and down. A set of gears isn't very expensive; something like $15 from Sunset Imports.



I know that working on the sunroof is a royal pain. I just removed my clutch and flywheel, and this was a thousand times more fun that messing with that wretched sunroof mechanism!

[/quote]



I have a new set of gears and a micro-switch. It looks like I'm not the first one to try to fix this; the buttons that cover the two rear adjustment points for the micro-switch are missing and there was a drive cable in with some extra parts. Don't know if the cable was replaced or if someone just took it out. I'll spend the morning working on this and see what I can figure out.



thanks,

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[9ines]

Mystery partly solved. The PO removed the cable and then locked the roof shut by inserting small screws to keep the gears from spinning. I'll try to put it all back together. Hopefully, once the micro-switch is replaced, the motor will actually move and I can get this all adjusted.



-kb

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[9ines]

All done! Thanks for your help. The only problem is that the console switch operates backwards (up is down, down is up). I destroyed the original gears trying to figure that out, but everything is operational now.



-kb

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[Cloud9...68]

"The only problem is that the console switch operates backwards (up is down, down is up)"



Mine was doing that for awhile, too! I never did figure out what caused that to happen, or why it stopped doing it. I'm coming to be of the opinion that the system is possessed. Now, mine sorta works, but only under the following condition: I have to move the key all the way to the farthest position before it will engage the stater (I always forget if this is called the "on" or the "accessory" position; I think it's the "on"), and then raise the sunroof up to the vent position. Then I can move the key back to the accessory position, and either lock or unlock the sunroof. But if I try to go directly to the accessory position and then try locking or unlocking the sunroof (without first going through the procedure described above), it just stares back at me, mocking me. Won't move in in either direction. It's as though I have to "wake it up" by first moving the key to the "on" position and then raising the sunroof to the vent position before it starts cooperating. Very strange...

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[Auburn968]

So what is the correct way to remove the roof? Ive called myself referring the manual over and over again but the only way I can get the roof panel out is by raising the roof. Getting out and actually popping the curved tooth gear rods to the side so they disengage from the track, then remove the panel. What I get totally confused about is when you look at the very back edge of the track its open by design. I would assume that is somehow suppose to allow the curved gear to slide in and out without complication. I can't figure out how it works. Can someone shed some light please, no pun intended.

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[tamathumper]

On the 944S, I believe I would press the button to raise the roof all the way. Then, I would let go of the button and press it again and the arms would disengage. It's been a while, but that's my recollection.

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[DaveN]

I simply turn the ignition key 1/2 way, press the sunroof button down and the arms retract into the car body. Then you unclip the front 2 snaps and push the roof out while guiding the wind flat at the front free. Reverse gets it back in.

Key fully on and the roof acts normal and doesn't retract the arms.

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[ds968]

My sunroof has been acting up ; lifts only about a third of the way of its max opening potential, but more importantly the levers / arms do not always catch the roof slots so it does not shut it closed, just brings it down but it's loose. If I open and close it ten times, it might catch it once or twice out of ten attempts , and locks it in place. Until I get the problem fixed however, I need to disable the console switch because car wash guys or parking valets always manage to touch that switch somehow , in spite of being clearly told to stay away from it , and screw up my roof again. I thought I would just remove the fuse, but that same fuse operates a couple of other things, so is there a way to just pop up or pull out that plastic switch cover and disconnect some wire that's in there ?

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[flash]

nope.  you have to lift up the entire center section of the console.

 

there is a chance, assuming you have the clock/storage box, that you could pop that out, and reach the switch from there and pull the connector off.

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[Rap]

You have other people clean or park your car?

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[ds968]

1. the clock is still there,  but the PO added the boost gauge and the oil temp gauge so I don't know if the entire configuration is on one platform and how easy it is to remove that plate, or if i can get to the roof switch connections from there.  I'll take a look

 

2. yes, but only the daily driver one,  no one else touches the blue car !   

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[ds968]

the gauges plate is easily removed, but unfortunately, the wire harness which leads to the switches is tucked in too far with practically no access to it through that opening, it cannot even be pulled back enough to see where the respective connections are.  since there is no way / no angle at all to look in there and see what's what and where, the entire center section needs to be removed to do anything.  ugh, i might just find a way to block the switch cover from being depressed into the "open roof" position , jamming something in between the console and that end of the switch or some other method.  maybe superglue it in place ? lol.      f'ing Porsche, as if they couldn't dedicate that fuse solely to the roof !! arrrgh           

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[JTP]

Why can't you just remove the plastic surrounding the shifter boot? It's 4 screws and the switches pop out. Am I not thinking of the correct switch?

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