zach_denver

I was driving the other day and when I went close my sunroof found that it won't close the last 2". Damn I'm ****ed.

Here are the symptoms:

1)The motor works -- the sunroof will open and close all but the last couple of inches. (horizontally) (You know how it usually stops and you have to release the button / push it again and raises up and closes -- it doesn't do that last part.

2)The wind deflector was stuck down, my dad forced it up (and broke some clips that hold the two cables that push this down (My dad always screws up my car..) (this was after the sunroof was stuck open.)

I don't know if it's a mechanical (e.g., track) or electrical (e.g. a relay problem.)

If this is more than a $100 repair, I would just assume have my sunroof permanetly closed. Do I need to take the whole roof apart to do this?

Has anyone had any experience with this? Any writeups? Any advice?

Thanks

Zach

«§»Craig B«§»

iTrader: (5)

sounds like it's probably a mechanical problem

If you have an owner's manual (the one in the glove box normally), it shows how to manually close the sunroof). You have to remove the maplight/sunroof switch panel. It just has clips on one side and pulls out. Then you should have a special tool in your trunk tire iron kit that will fit into a part of the sunroof motor and then you can crank it closed. I dont know the exact details, but that's pretty much it.

zach_denver

Craig, That's a good suggestion, unfortunately it won't move the last couple of inches even by hand (or with a drill for that matter.) Does anyone have any other advice? It's (of course) been raining and snowing horribly so my max (and often me) have been stuck at home.

Thanks

Zach

«§»Craig B«§»

iTrader: (5)

if it wont move any further even with the special manual cranking tool, then it's obviously a mechanical problem
move it back the other way and see what the deal is

zach_denver

OK, I found the following thread in the 4th gen forum..
But I have the follwoing questions:
1)Will this kit work on a 3rd gen SE?
2)Is the procedure the same and do I really have to do all this s***!? Take the A,B,C pillars apart, the roof, the backseat -- it seems like it would be easier to just drive it to PA and leave the doors unlocked...

( http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=132724 )

If it works, maybe someone else will find it useful..?

This job is time consuming (I won't get into the lost time of running to Home Depot for a lost screw which my cousin lost). I figure now that I know what I'm doing, it should take about 4 hours to do the rebuild.

The sunroof rebuild kit costs about $43 (which it seems that the dealerships are trying to make a killing on unsuspecting Maxima owners charging anywhere from $500 on up over $1000 to do what I did I'd say this is a $150 job at the most).

Here are the pics:

At this point, everything needs to come out of the roof including the lining. The rear seat, the plastic covers for all of the pillars, visors, the rear view mirror, the 3 interior handles and the interior lights were removed to drop the roof liner.

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/73/56/142...4-028001E0-.jpg
http://a6.cpimg.com/image/74/56/142...0-028001E0-.jpg
http://a8.cpimg.com/image/76/56/142...f-028001E0-.jpg

We unbolted the sunroof track from the roof of the car. This is all straight forward when you remove it.

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/77/56/142...5-028001E0-.jpg

The next pic shows the bolts that need to be loosened to remove the glass from the track. There are plastic covers that need to be removed that hid the bolts. This goes for both sides.

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/78/56/142...a-028001E0-.jpg

My cousin Dave preparing the track for disassembly.

http://a2.cpimg.com/image/7A/56/142...f-028001E0-.jpg

There are brass fittings at the end of the track that need to be removed in order to slide the broken tracks off. Chances are if your sunroof doesn't move properly, your tracks my look like this...

The first of the 3 pics show that damaged tracks. The cables are disconnected from them. The last pic shows the old against the new.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/7E/56/142...9-028001E0-.jpg
http://a4.cpimg.com/image/7C/56/142...3-028001E0-.jpg
http://a3.cpimg.com/image/7B/56/142...2-028001E0-.jpg


When we removed the old tracks , the cables were still stuck inside of their guides. We used the new cables to push them out. There is much more to be explained on this part of the job because after the new tracks go in, you will need to put the track back up into the car (with the sunroof glass bolted back onto the tracks) to see if the glass is flush with the roof when in closed position. Befroe this is done, everything will need to be in position as if the sunroof is closed. We must have pulled the sunroof out like 10 times to get the sunroof's height correct.

If everything goes right, the roof should fit back in like this....

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/2E/54/142...7-028001E0-.jpg

You will need to adjust the height after test fitting the sunroof to the roof.

The rest of the pics show us getting the car back together and showing the end results of the sunroof's movement and open/closed position. We were very happy with the results.

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/73/56/142...4-028001E0-.jpg
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/34/54/142...a-028001E0-.jpg
http://a7.cpimg.com/image/2F/54/142...a-028001E0-.jpg
http://a1.cpimg.com/image/33/54/142...7-028001E0-.jpg
http://a3.cpimg.com/image/35/54/142...f-028001E0-.jpg
http://a5.cpimg.com/image/41/54/142...7-028001E0-.jpg
http://a4.cpimg.com/image/40/54/142...3-028001E0-.jpg
http://a6.cpimg.com/image/42/54/142...1-028001E0-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/3C/54/142...3-028001E0-.jpg

The kit from Clay Nissan:

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/37/54/142...f-028001E0-.jpg

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

None of those picture links are working You need to get rid of the ...'s in the links and get the full URL.

zach_denver

OK, these should be correct...

***Originally posted by deezo (4th-gen forum)***

This job is time consuming (I won't get into the lost time of running to Home Depot for a lost screw which my cousin lost). I figure now that I know what I'm doing, it should take about 4 hours to do the rebuild.



The sunroof rebuild kit costs about $43 (which it seems that the dealerships are trying to make a killing on unsuspecting Maxima owners charging anywhere from $500 on up over $1000 to do what I did I'd say this is a $150 job at the most).

Here are the pics:

At this point, everything needs to come out of the roof including the lining. The rear seat, the plastic covers for all of the pillars, visors, the rear view mirror, the 3 interior handles and the interior lights were removed to drop the roof liner.

http://a9.cpimg.com/image/AD/70/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/AE/70/10978990-1407-028001E0-.jpg"
http://a8.cpimg.com/image/1A/74/10979098-65e8-028001E0-.jpg"

We unbolted the sunroof track from the roof of the car. This is all straight forward when you remove it.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/B4/71/1097...-028001E0-.jpg


The next pic shows the bolts that need to be loosened to remove the glass from the track. There are plastic covers that need to be removed that hid the bolts. This goes for both sides.

http://a8.cpimg.com/image/B6/71/10978998-08b2-028001E0-.jpg"

My cousin Dave preparing the track for disassembly.

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/B8/71/1097...-028001E0-.jpg

There are brass fittings at the end of the track that need to be removed in order to slide the broken tracks off. Chances are if your sunroof doesn't move properly, your tracks my look like this...

The first of the 3 pics show that damaged tracks. The cables are disconnected from them. The last pic shows the old against the new.

href="http://a4.cpimg.com/image/20/74/10979104-5e3e-028001E0-.jpg
href="http://a3.cpimg.com/image/BB/71/10979003-426f-028001E0-.jpg
http://a1.cpimg.com/image/B9/71/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a8.cpimg.com/image/C0/71/1097...-028001E0-.jpg

When we removed the old tracks , the cables were still stuck inside of their guides. We used the new cables to push them out. There is much more to be explained on this part of the job because after the new tracks go in, you will need to put the track back up into the car (with the sunroof glass bolted back onto the tracks) to see if the glass is flush with the roof when in closed position. Befroe this is done, everything will need to be in position as if the sunroof is closed. We must have pulled the sunroof out like 10 times to get the sunroof's height correct.

http://a3.cpimg.com/image/15/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a9.cpimg.com/image/C1/71/1097...-028001E0-.jpg http://a6.cpimg.com/image/C8/71/10979016-1ee4-028001E0-.jpg" http://a0.cpimg.com/image/CC/71/10979020-c0b5-028001E0-.jpg"

If everything goes right, the roof should fit back in like this....

http://a4.cpimg.com/image/16/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg

The rest of the pics show us getting the car back together and showing the end results of the sunroof's movement and open/closed position. We were very happy with the results.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/18/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a9.cpimg.com/image/1B/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a0.cpimg.com/image/1C/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg http://a1.cpimg.com/image/1D/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a3.cpimg.com/image/1F/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a5.cpimg.com/image/21/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a8.cpimg.com/image/24/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a1.cpimg.com/image/27/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/28/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg
http://a6.cpimg.com/image/22/74/1097...-028001E0-.jpg