Sunroof issues

General talk about the Subaru Baja.

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deepnsteep
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by deepnsteep »

ZUBAJA wrote: Sun May 24, 2020 4:37 pm Thank you for the schematic. It only took me about an hour and a half to take things apart and come up with that on a sheet of paper by tracing wires (I also drew up a schematic for inside the module box).
Wish ANY of it helped.
Originally, when working correctly, push the open button back and it opened. Push it forward and it closed partially, push it again and it closes completely. That's they way it is SUPPOSED to work. I never really used the tilt / vent option (didn't know what it was - I figured "up and down" were for the antenna (WRONG).
Currently, it seems to do whatever it wants. I have to mess with the up and down button, and then it will open. Push close, and it closes almost all the way, and I have to finish closing it with the up - down button. I have 2 motor / module assemblies, my original, and one I took from a Legacy sedan yesterday. I have 2 sets of switches. I can swap any of it around and I get the same results. I went so far as removing the entire headliner to see if maybe there was another micro switch in the track I didn't know about. There isn't. I did find that I have a rust issue in the R/R corner of my roof under the cargo rail :roll:. I also wanted to pull the headliner to clean it. The P.O. hauled a bunch of little kids and a dog around the the headliner was very dirty. Some spot cleaning seems to indicate it will clean up okay.
Oh, did I mention that it rained today :shock:. Fortunately, I had the roof all in the closed position before that started.
I will post pics of what I did in case it helps someone else.DSCN1669.JPGDSCN1670.JPGDSCN1671.JPG
I just got my hands on an '05 non-turbo and have been figuring out its kinks. The sun roof stopped working today so I pulled the dome light cover off and played with the switches and wires. Seems like it's probably a bad wire to one of the switches. But question for you on the pictures with the headliner down. Do the speaker wires go overhead? My stereo only seems to work when the outside temp gets pretty warm. Like 88 deg. I basically have a Delorean! I wonder if I have some pinched wires up there...
mike-tracy
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by mike-tracy »

harleyjohn45 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:17 pm
mike-tracy wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 9:16 pm
harleyjohn45 wrote: Fri May 22, 2020 7:44 pm You guys just revealed another problem I have. My sun roof opens fine, but when I close it, it goes a few inches then stops, hit the switch again and it closes all the way. I'm still trying to find something that worked correctly on my Baja.
John, that's a safety feature that all Subaru sunroofs have, so children's (or even adult's) hands don't get caught in there when closing.
Thanks Mike, I was getting nervous. I'm still waiting for my mechanic to get back in town to get the new valve cover gasket installed. I think that's where the oil smell is coming from. I have not been driving it, because of the oil smell.
Just remember John, a Subaru that leaks oil is a running Subaru! :lol:
1992 Legacy SS, 5mt and heavily modified
2000 Impreza RSTi Coupe
2003 Baja, H6 and Dual Range 5mt swap
ZUBAJA
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by ZUBAJA »

Don't know od any speaker wires up in the roof. It was limited to the sunroof, rear view mirror compass, and some light wiring for the back. Radios, being very electronic, can be temperature sensitive.
One thing I found is the sunroof motor is "timed" to the sunroof drive. If the motor is removed , the gears need to be back in the same position they were in before removal. The little cam detents and micro switches are all for specific positions of the sunroof (I.E. fully closed, fully open). Dennis
TruckBekka
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by TruckBekka »

Hi everyone! Thought I'd post my question in this thread, because I have some small issues with my sunroof. It opens and closes, but it makes pretty bad sounds. It squeaks and creaks everytime its sliding, so I thought about lubricating it. I found a BMW sunroof grease, but I either applied it wrong or the problem is in something else. Do you have anything like that with your sunroof and how do you fix it?
06Suparu
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by 06Suparu »

I think of the sunroof as the red button. DONT EVER TOUCH THE RED ONE
ZUBAJA
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by ZUBAJA »

Reality is to properly solve your sunroof issues and properly lubricate it, you may have to remove the entire headliner (NOT fun). While the motor has been out of my sunroof for some time now, when my car was being sanded and repainted, apparently some sanding grit got into the mechanism. I may have to take a bunch of it apart to clean and lubricate it now. Dennis
TruckBekka
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by TruckBekka »

06Suparu wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 3:44 am I think of the sunroof as the red button. DONT EVER TOUCH THE RED ONE
lol agree

Many years ago I was selling my MK3 jetta and the guy asked me to show if the sunroof operated correctly. I opened the sunroof, he checked it out and we made the deal...in about an hour the sunroof refused to close...but it was no longer my problem.

Anyways, I just added some grease to the sunroof rails on my Baja and hope not to do anything to it again.
ZUBAJA
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by ZUBAJA »

FWIW, Currently, my entire headliner is back out of the car (truck). Took it out last Sunday because of an annoying water leak I couldn't trace. It was dripping at the top corner where the plastic cover over the A pillar meets the headliner. Had the side down, and removed and resealed the roof rack rail twice, but it still was dripping. After removing it, I ran water over the roof - NO LEAKS. It rained the next day NO LEAKS - but somehow my driver carpet was damp. The second rainstorm, I went out and there it was. Dripping from the sunroof mounting. Turns out the L/F drain tube was clogged at the very bottom (I had previously inspected the drain AT THE TOP and found it clear), with enough rain, the tube filled up and then the water backed up over the drain channel. It had been running across the top of the headliner, and then down the plastic trim piece. The clog at the bottom was slightly porous, and allowed the standing water to drip out onto the floor pan - the tube was not tucked into the proper place where it could drain outside of the car. There is a very small drip on the right side now and I know it is from the roof rack rail on that side. That, and my other sunroof issues will be resolved before the headliner goes back in. Hope this helps somebody. Dennis
Francos03bj
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by Francos03bj »

Hello all,
Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread, not sure if I should have started a new one.
I need help with my 2003 Subaru Baja's sunroof.
It became stuck once, but after a short while it decided it would shut close again, and I relieved, just left it alone. I went to the auto glass shop to have it inspected and the thing started working again just fine! I was really happy that it was working again, but then when I got brave and tried again at a later date, it did become stuck once more and stayed stuck for a couple days, and then it closed back up. Now it doesn't do anything, it doesn't slide or tilt up. It's dead.
Does it sound like I need a new motor? It can't be that both switches are bad? Or can the tracks be seized?
I can't find another new motor, they've been discontinued, and used ones are just as hard to come by.
Does anyone know if the Baja can take a motor from either an Outback or a Legacy?
Any help will be immensely appreciated. 👏
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Guacamole
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Re: Sunroof issues

Post by Guacamole »

Motor should be the same from a 00-04 Legacy. If I were in your shoes, I would disconnect the sunroof all together and just leave it closed because it's a PITA to repair/replace, and you might permanently damage the plastic retaining clips holding the ceiling in trying to get to the thing, which also are difficult to source now.
Bajas are sadly at the age of "does it need to be fixed?" stage.
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