Mercedes SEC Sunroof Issues - Help!

[Haris]

Hi all,

Having some issues with my sunroof, initially the sunroof motor was knackered as I opened it up and found that the gears had been sheared. So finally got hold of a working motor and refitted everything as I think it goes.

What happens now when I try close the sunroof the clip holding the sunroof cable cover clicks out of place and then the cable just get's pushed and bent. The whole motor moves aswell and the bracket flexes bending everything. Basically the cable doesn't get pushed down the cable guide as it should.

The sunroof isn't seized or anything, as I can push it shut and I have greased the rails up.

If someone could get me a close up pic of their early SEC sunroof motor it would be much appreciated! just so I can make sure I have fitted it correctly.

Anyone provide any help, really stuck!

 

[Haris]

anyone?

 

[Haris]

or is there anyway of closing the sunroof fully manually for the time being?

 

[BTB 500]

Sounds like a problem with the cable? Something caused the gears to shear on the old motor.

 

[jefrs]

Do you mean the cable is coming out like this S210 ?

There is a plastic piece missing from in front of the cable, the MB part cost me £2. It clips on over the tongue with the hole behind the cable and is retained by a single screw. The part is same each side so it has two screw holes but I gather some folks put an extra screw in which means drilling an extra hole in the tongue (obvious when you look at the part).

I found the roof would close but not open, the cable pushes the window open. If the retainer is not in place then the cable spools out. It is a straight pull to close the window so it should shut, is there crud in the cable run? - there is a safety feature that if it meets resistance then the motor stops. Try nudging the button whilst helping the window manually.
The roof would raise and lower but not slide back. I got new cables but did not have to use them, the roof works perfectly now.

Other thread - http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/interior/89762-w210-sunroof-fix.html#post997720

 

[Haris]

That's exactly what happens, but I have the correct clip which should hold the cable guide but it's not strong enough. I think I'm going to take the sunroof & the complete mechanism out to see if I can find the problem.

 

[jefrs]

I don't have a pic of the "clip" in place but you do have to make sure the cable is tucked in first and that the clip goes over the tongue and pushes right down until it clicks in and is fully seated and firm. It looks flimsy but when properly in place the cable cannot push it out because the other gubbins is in the way to stop it expanding.

I noticed that if the cable is kinked then it may force the clip up and off at the front, hence putting another screw through the "extra" hole. I managed to ease a slight kink out of one of my cables with my fingers and did not need the extra screw. The screws are just self-tap but the MB ones have Torx slot heads, they are not screwed into the tongue but pass through it into the other side of the clip to close it and so grip the tongue. Personally I feel it is a bad engineering solution and don't see the need to have an opening there at all, but perhaps there is no other way to fit the cables.

To get the clip in properly, I did have to remove the S210 roof glass, but not the entire mechanism, I don't think you need do that. Removing the glass is fairly simple. Raise the glass and unclip sideways and pull out the two "fans" to expose screw heads, undo and lift out glass, the sliding panel guides are sprung and it can now be removed too. The pic shows the cable with the tilt/lift bracket removed too.

The motor is somewhere in the dome and pushes the cables out to slide the glass back, it pulls the glass closed, further pulling raises the glass. I do have a pair of new cables in unopened packets for the S210 but no idea if they're the same part number you need nor what they cost.

Whilst I had it apart I did clean the runners and seals, there was a lot of muck, and the cable runs so far as possible by shooting some Teflon-based bicycle "wet" chain-lube onto the cables and down the hole.

 

[Haris]

I've taken the sunroof out completely and found that one side of the sunroof was missing it's rubber guides which is probably why the motor wasn't able to move the sunroof easily. So i've ordered new ones all round, I also found out that the metal frame around the sunroof costs over 1k from Mercedes!

 

[Haris]

Right does anyone know where about's the front sunroof gutter tubes end up? As my passenger front is blocked. Have tried putting a plastic tube down it to push all the dirt down but it hasn't helped at all. So I need to know where the end of the tube should be? it disappears down the A-pillar and I can't see it anywhere after that?

Appreciate the help!

 

[jaymanek]

comes out in front arch, behind the plastic liner.

 

[Haris]

comes out in front arch, behind the plastic liner.

Thanks, will check it out tommorrow

Can finally start putting it back together after all this messing about!