Sunroof shade not sliding back

[SpeedDemon4x4]

So i repaired my sun roof but now the shade no longer slides back when you use the vent feature. I'm confused as to why this is happening. Ive had this happen to all three of my e36 cars. Anyone know what i'm doing wrong here? Thanks for any help.

[BMWManiac]

I had mine repaired and it seems like mine is too thick....either way, I just remembered with your post, so can't wait to find out how to fix this!

[BrianJ]

It would be helpful to explain what “repair” you’ve done.

Anywoo, here’s a thread on the cartridge not sliding back. There could be other reasons, but, without knowing the details of the repair....

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ck-when-tilted

[scooper]

I'm chasing the same damn problem. I think some of the plastic has broken along the rails so the inner shuttle doesn't slide forward anymore.

[hli]

How far back is the interior panel supposed to slide back while the sunroof is tilted? Mine has never moved when the sunroof is tilted.

[Mless5]

How far back is the interior panel supposed to slide back while the sunroof is tilted? Mine has never moved when the sunroof is tilted.

~4".

Make sure the shuttle is seated in the white plastic tabs that pull it back and forth. My sunroof cover is disconnected, I'll take a picture tonight and will post what I mean.

[scooper]

what typically breaks when the inner shuttle fails to slide back? Having a hard time diagnosing what's broken...Thanks.

[Miclin]

When the sunroof tilts, the white plastic piece “catches” the driving mechanism in driver side of sunroof rail and slides the screen back 4 inches.






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[scooper]

what is the part number to this white plastic piece and where does it reside? I have a lot of black metal pieces and two rail guides pictured above. Thanks.

[Miclin]

The white plastic piece attaches to the end of the left guide rail. If you look closely at the mechanism you will see that there is a small metal tab next to the left rail that moves when sunroof operates. When sunroof tilts, the tab moves back and catches on the plastic piece which moves the screen back.


I looked and can’t find any source for only the plastic piece. I eventually bit the bullet and bought the entire kit even though I only needed the plastic catch.

It is a PITA to get the plastic piece and everything else to fit without removing the entire sunroof cassette but doable.


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[scooper]

Does this piece sit towards the rear window and has a spring? I can't see clearly from your pic (it's all super white!). Thanks again!

[Miclin]

The plastic piece should attach to the rail. The picture where I made a red circle shows that this sunroof is also missing a plastic piece. Sunroof needs to be in the closed position so the metal tab that will pull the screen back is in the correct position for the whole thing to work. It’s hard to explain but removing sunroof and liner and while operating the roof mechanism is helpful to make sense of how this all works.



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[scooper]

You circled the front passenger side in that pic? I will look again at my assembly...I don't recall seeing one of these on the driver's side.

[Miclin]

That’s the driver side guide rail. It’s visible when you remove headliner screen


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[scooper]

are the front seats backwards then (in that pic)? I removed the sunroof assembly and located the white plastic piece you circled. However, mine is made of metal. I will inspect it some more and see how it functions. I see that that piece is connected to the rear end of the driver's side rail. I see it functioning as a stopper (full open of sunroof cover). Is the piece connected to anything else besides the end of the driver's rail guide? Thanks again!

[Miclin]

My bad. Wrong pic. It should be driver side toward the back. See this pic from pelican parts. It’s the frame B. This pic has sunroof cassette completely removed. The white plastic piece is attached to the back of rail. T


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