New E46 Sunroof Repair DIY

lincomatic · 02-27-2006, 01:11 PM

I've posted a new step-by-step DIY guide to E46 sunroof sliding sunshade repair, complete w/ photos at:

http://www.lincomatic.com/e46sunroof/e46sunroof.html

Asterisk* · 02-27-2006, 01:27 PM

Nice!

Might come in handy.

Custom3 · 02-27-2006, 01:31 PM

wow....written very well....thanks

Canuck328i · 02-27-2006, 02:23 PM

Excellent job and my compliments on the photography - great job!

Mark

doncmleon · 02-28-2006, 03:00 PM

u kick ass! GREAT JOB!

LI_BIMMER · 02-28-2006, 09:57 PM

I needed this. Thank you for taking time out to create this doc. It is much appreciated. Thanks.

lincomatic · 02-28-2006, 10:34 PM

glad you guys found it useful.

mine was messed up far worse than any of other the doc's i found

it looks like i might have to bite the bullet and buy the repair kit, because the "wiper" thing that got bent up is still grinding a bit.

whizbang · 02-28-2006, 10:53 PM

Great info, thanks! But before I go through the trouble of doing it myself, does anyone know if the dealership will fix your sunshade while still under warranty?

EIAlfonso · 02-28-2006, 11:06 PM

Great job on the DIY.

My Sunroof Cover busted about 2 years ago.

There were pieces falling down here and there for the first 1.5 years.

If I brake to hard the sunroof actually closes by itself.

What pieces, other than the left and right sliding pices, do you think I"ll need ?

I'd rather buy to many pieces, and have some left over, than try this twice.

EIAlfonso · 02-28-2006, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whizbang

Great info, thanks! But before I go through the trouble of doing it myself, does anyone know if the dealership will fix your sunshade while still under warranty?

Yes they definitely will.

lincomatic · 02-28-2006, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whizbang

Great info, thanks! But before I go through the trouble of doing it myself, does anyone know if the dealership will fix your sunshade while still under warranty?

it's clearly a defect. it should be covered.

lincomatic · 02-28-2006, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EIAlfonso

Great job on the DIY.

My Sunroof Cover busted about 2 years ago.

There were pieces falling down here and there for the first 1.5 years.

If I brake to hard the sunroof actually closes by itself.

What pieces, other than the left and right sliding pices, do you think I"ll need ?

I'd rather buy to many pieces, and have some left over, than try this twice.

It's hard to say without opening it up to take a look. Actually, removing the glass only takes a few minutes. If you want to spend $100+ to be safe, you can buy the repair kit that I mentioned, but personally, I think you should just open it up and look.

The sunroof closes by itself, or the shade? My shade was completely loose, and would open/close when I accelerated/braked hard.

EIAlfonso · 03-01-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lincomatic

The sunroof closes by itself, or the shade? My shade was completely loose, and would open/close when I accelerated/braked hard.

The shade closes/opens by itself, all kinds of pieces have fallen off. It goes in cockeyed it comes out cockeyed, it rattles/squeaks.

Probably the weakest designed part of the car.(just slightly worse than the weather stripping)

lincomatic · 03-01-2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EIAlfonso

The shade closes/opens by itself, all kinds of pieces have fallen off. It goes in cockeyed it comes out cockeyed, it rattles/squeaks.

Probably the weakest designed part of the car.(just slightly worse than the weather stripping)

Yup, I had exactly the same symptoms, except my motor would also go crunch whenever I forgot, and tried to open the roof.

My sunroof got stuck when I tried to open it again last night. Argh. I think the "wiper" just have jammed again. I think I will just remove it. At least this will give me a chance to take some of the photos that I forgot to take before writing up the DIY.

Tom Busby · 03-01-2006, 02:25 PM

Perhaps some dilectric grease (high quality vasoline) under the wiper would help?

I posted elsewhere on this but can't remember where (sorry) but can you tell us how much the glass weighs?

Thanks for the great writeup. I liked your invented words for the parts.

EIAlfonso · 03-01-2006, 11:40 PM

What exactly makes up the sunroof repair kit?

Also I think it a good idea to sand down the tracks to remove any metals burs that might have come up during all the grinding.

lincomatic · 03-02-2006, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EIAlfonso

What exactly makes up the sunroof repair kit?

Also I think it a good idea to sand down the tracks to remove any metals burs that might have come up during all the grinding.

I'm not sure of the exact contents... I didn't look carefully, I definitely saw the "wiper" in there, as well as the "driver." It might contain the SLIDING PIECE bits as well. You can find out by checking it out @ your dealer. Considering that the 4 SLIDING PIECE bits cost me $65+, it might not be that bad a deal. Now that my "wiper" seems to be bad, I'm regretting not buying that instead.

lincomatic · 03-02-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Busby

Perhaps some dilectric grease (high quality vasoline) under the wiper would help?

I posted elsewhere on this but can't remember where (sorry) but can you tell us how much the glass weighs?

Thanks for the great writeup. I liked your invented words for the parts.

I think you posted your question on one of the other Bimmer boards. I replied to it already on whatever board that was... I'm not sure of the weight, but it's probably <5lbs. I can weigh it for you next time I take it apart (hopefully this weekend).

2000_328CI · 03-02-2006, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unitim

Nice!

Might come in handy.

Might? Do you have an E46.... if so, it WILL come in handy

Flycaster · 03-02-2006, 08:24 AM

Great DIY! Thanks. I hope I never have to use it, but I've put it into my E46 DIY file...just in case.

02-27-2006, 01:11 PM	#1
lincomatic Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tinsel Town Posts: 8 My Ride: 2000 323i View My Garage	New E46 Sunroof Repair DIY I've posted a new step-by-step DIY guide to E46 sunroof sliding sunshade repair, complete w/ photos at: http://www.lincomatic.com/e46sunroof/e46sunroof.html

02-27-2006, 01:31 PM	#3
Custom3 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Dirty Jersey Posts: 5,327 My Ride: HellRot 330CI View My Garage	wow....written very well....thanks __________________

02-28-2006, 03:00 PM	#5
doncmleon Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: tx Posts: 188 My Ride: layin in the cut! View My Garage	u kick ass! GREAT JOB! __________________ Make GREAT decisions. All the time.

02-28-2006, 09:57 PM	#6
LI_BIMMER Registered User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: LI, NY Posts: 241 My Ride: 2000 - i, 2003 X5 View My Garage	I needed this. Thank you for taking time out to create this doc. It is much appreciated. Thanks. __________________ 2000 3xx i & 2003 X5 - Forgot the model, I debadged it.

02-28-2006, 11:06 PM	#9
EIAlfonso Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: McKinney,TX Posts: 895 My Ride: 2011 535xi M Sport View My Garage	Great job on the DIY. My Sunroof Cover busted about 2 years ago. There were pieces falling down here and there for the first 1.5 years. If I brake to hard the sunroof actually closes by itself. What pieces, other than the left and right sliding pices, do you think I"ll need ? I'd rather buy to many pieces, and have some left over, than try this twice. __________________

02-27-2006, 01:27 PM	#2
Asterisk* Banned User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: ATL Posts: 3,700 My Ride: gives me blue balls View My Garage	Nice! Might come in handy.

02-27-2006, 02:23 PM	#4
Canuck328i Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Happyland, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,173 My Ride: 09 Altima Cpe View My Garage	Excellent job and my compliments on the photography - great job! Mark

02-28-2006, 10:34 PM	#7
lincomatic Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tinsel Town Posts: 8 My Ride: 2000 323i View My Garage	glad you guys found it useful. mine was messed up far worse than any of other the doc's i found it looks like i might have to bite the bullet and buy the repair kit, because the "wiper" thing that got bent up is still grinding a bit.

02-28-2006, 10:53 PM	#8
whizbang Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 10 My Ride: '03 TiAg 325i View My Garage	Great info, thanks! But before I go through the trouble of doing it myself, does anyone know if the dealership will fix your sunshade while still under warranty?

03-01-2006, 02:25 PM	#15
Tom Busby Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Phoenix AZ Posts: 605 My Ride: 2001 325i, 1995 318i View My Garage	Perhaps some dilectric grease (high quality vasoline) under the wiper would help? I posted elsewhere on this but can't remember where (sorry) but can you tell us how much the glass weighs? Thanks for the great writeup. I liked your invented words for the parts.

03-01-2006, 11:40 PM	#16
EIAlfonso Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: McKinney,TX Posts: 895 My Ride: 2011 535xi M Sport View My Garage	What exactly makes up the sunroof repair kit? Also I think it a good idea to sand down the tracks to remove any metals burs that might have come up during all the grinding. __________________

03-02-2006, 08:24 AM	#20
Flycaster Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 402 My Ride: '05 Z4 2.5, '13 ATS View My Garage	Great DIY! Thanks. I hope I never have to use it, but I've put it into my E46 DIY file...just in case.

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