2001 Sunroof Repair and Adjustment
02-17-2009, 02:31 PM
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2001 Sunroof Repair and Adjustment
With all the talented folks around this site, I hate to try to pass myself off as an expert, but after spending day after day working on my sunroof, I think I may have learned a few tricks. However, these may be things that all of you folks already know.
Here are a few quick facts:
1. The gear is square, it pulls cables that are round. It wears out and becomes concave and doesn't work anymore. Motor turns and you hear a lot of clicking but nothing moves.
2. The gear itself from an older Grand Prix and many other GM cars will work. The gears on those slip on and have a ring clip that hold them on. The trick is getting the gear off of your 2001 model. They seem to be pressed on. If the gear has worn-out teeth, you can close the teeth in a vice and use a hammer and punch to drive the shaft out of the gear. You can then drill a hole in the shaft, thread it and put a screw and washer on to hold the gear on the shaft.
3. With the motor off, the sunroof slides back and forth pretty easily. Slide it forward and up into the closed position. Then connect the motor to the wires BUT DO NOT INSTALL IT. Turn on the key and hold the switch in the closed position until the motor stops turning. That way the motor thinks it just closed the sunroof - and you have manually closed the sunroof, so you have in fact "timed" the sunroof.
4. There are 4 torx head screws - two on each side - you can use these to make any adjustments that need to be made.
5. If major adjustments need to be made, if you remove the headliner the motor has a sloted opening in the back. You can take a wide flat blade screwdriver and push in on this slot which will disengage the motor. Again, push the switch to the close position until the motor stops running. Push the screwdriver into this slot - disengaging the motor - and turn the screwdriver until the sunroof is fully closed. When you take out the screwdriver the motor re-engages.
6. If you have to replace the motor, I have attached a list of vehicles that have the same sunroof motor as the 2001 and newer Bonneville. I was surprised to see that Saturn uses the same motor.
Well, I can't attach the list, but if you need it I can e-mail it to you.
Here are a few quick facts:
1. The gear is square, it pulls cables that are round. It wears out and becomes concave and doesn't work anymore. Motor turns and you hear a lot of clicking but nothing moves.
2. The gear itself from an older Grand Prix and many other GM cars will work. The gears on those slip on and have a ring clip that hold them on. The trick is getting the gear off of your 2001 model. They seem to be pressed on. If the gear has worn-out teeth, you can close the teeth in a vice and use a hammer and punch to drive the shaft out of the gear. You can then drill a hole in the shaft, thread it and put a screw and washer on to hold the gear on the shaft.
3. With the motor off, the sunroof slides back and forth pretty easily. Slide it forward and up into the closed position. Then connect the motor to the wires BUT DO NOT INSTALL IT. Turn on the key and hold the switch in the closed position until the motor stops turning. That way the motor thinks it just closed the sunroof - and you have manually closed the sunroof, so you have in fact "timed" the sunroof.
4. There are 4 torx head screws - two on each side - you can use these to make any adjustments that need to be made.
5. If major adjustments need to be made, if you remove the headliner the motor has a sloted opening in the back. You can take a wide flat blade screwdriver and push in on this slot which will disengage the motor. Again, push the switch to the close position until the motor stops running. Push the screwdriver into this slot - disengaging the motor - and turn the screwdriver until the sunroof is fully closed. When you take out the screwdriver the motor re-engages.
6. If you have to replace the motor, I have attached a list of vehicles that have the same sunroof motor as the 2001 and newer Bonneville. I was surprised to see that Saturn uses the same motor.
Well, I can't attach the list, but if you need it I can e-mail it to you.
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