# Sunroof problem



## Sampanther (Jun 26, 2020)

Hello. I opened my sunroof yesterday (Nissan x trail 61 plate) to get some air in the car as it was roasting and now the button seems to be playing up! Before I had to just press the button once and it would do what I wanted but now I have to hold the button down and it stops every maybe 10 or 12 cm and I have to pash again for it to continue. 
Could the heat yesterday have done something to the switch? It works just doesn’t work as it did before, having to hold the button down rather than just pushing it once. Any ideas? Thank you, Sam


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

Could be lack of lubrication.
The motor can pull it in the beginning but at some point it overloads and stops. 
Lubricate the sliding rails as far as you can see. Otherwise you have to acces the mechanism hidden by the roof liner.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

i wonder if the switch control can be pulled out and carefully clean the contact points? Just be careful no to further damage anything. Or if not sure , take it to an autoglass shop. It may be a simple cheap repair or they might tell you that the moonroof motor is getting worn out and weak or as Otomodo mentioned above, the tracks need lube. They should have the proper track lube. WD40 or silicone spray will initially lube but dries out too easily. I'd poloitely call up a glass shop with your concern and ask their manager if they have good experience with servicing sunroof/moonroof issues. Might be even a cheap fix freebie , just to keep you the potential future customer happy and return for other needed repair/replacement work.


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## daveyb86 (10 mo ago)

I'm commenting on this as I had a similar issue and I seem to have fixed it with a reset. We bought a big plant for the garden and had it poking out the sunroof for a couple of hours. We parked the car a few times during these few hours. When I went to close the sunroof after removing the plant the glass slid forward a few cm, then I had to press the button again, got another few cm of movement and so on. Eventually found myself stuck with the trim cover about 10cm across and the sunroof only going between starting to slide under to open, and forward tilt (but moving a centimeter or two at a time, and never getting to a point of "definitely closed"). I gave up and left it overnight, this morning I could only get it to tilt open slightly or closed back to the way it was last night.

I followed the below steps but it didn't work as smoothly as below, here are the official steps: 

Use the following reset procedure to return the moonroof operation to normal.
1. Place the ignition switch in the ON position.
2. Push and hold the moonroof switch toward 2 . Once the moonroof has reached the full tilt position, release the switch. Push and hold the switch toward the 2 position again. After a delay of four seconds, the moonroof will make a small movement and backup.
3. Release the switch.
4. Within 5 seconds of releasing the switch, push and continuously hold the switch toward 2 . The moonroof will move from the tilt position to the open position and back to the close position.
_NOTE:
If the switch is released at any time during Step 4, the procedure must be restarted._
5. Release the switch. Do not place the ignition switch in the OFF position for at least 2 seconds. The moonroof is now reset. If the moonroof still does not operate properly, have the moonroof system checked by a NISSAN dealer.

Here is what happened with me:
1. Place the ignition ON
2. Push and hold the switch - a slight tilt opening, and then the trim panel started sliding across (5cm at a time) and kept sliding.
3. Decided to let the trim continue as that didn't happen yesterday and continued holding the switch
4. Once the trim fully closed, click the switch back to open. It completed the full sequence of rolling back the trim and then opening the sunroof fully.
5. Click the switch to just close the glass, it completed the full close mechanism including the trim
6. Waited a few seconds, clicked the switch back and just the trim opened, click again and the glass opened. Click forward and the glass closed, click forward again and the trim closed.

I think it has fixed itself now!


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

daveyb86 said:


> Here is what happened with me:
> 1. Place the ignition ON
> 2. Push and hold the switch - a slight tilt opening, and then the trim panel started sliding across (5cm at a time) and kept sliding.
> 3. Decided to let the trim continue as that didn't happen yesterday and continued holding the switch
> ...


That's called "timing" the sunroof, just like "timing" an automatic power window. On older rides it's often required whenever the battery is disconnected. You're basically telling the roof controller to relearn where the open and closed positions are. The instructions can differ with some models, but most of them behave like yours. You get the roof fully closed (dinking the switch if necessary), hold the button on "close" until the pane starts doing something, then keep holding it till it stops doing anything. On some models you need to release it and then hold again after it starts to respond. Sunroofs with "auto" functionality all have some similar procedure. Some of the newer ones like gen3 Muranos can be very stubborn and may need the initial procedure repeated several times before they respond. For Nissans or Infinitis, if you have a Service Manual, you can find the exact procedure in the RF (Roof) section. Locate the "Remove and Replace" instructions for the sunroof motor and there will be a link for "Additional Service After Replacement".


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

Sometimes i wish my Xtrail came with a moonroof, often i am happy to not deal with old age vehicle related issues such as stuck moonroofs or broken motors, broken moonroof glass. 
Having said that, i once owned a then new 2004 Honda Civic Si, 2 dr coupe till 2015. It came with the factory moonroof and i really enjoyed opening it, even on cloudy/cool days. 
It was pretty tiny moonroof opening, but it was typical Honda well built and i never had a leak or stuck open/failing moonroof. What i also liked about it was my Civic came with a dark black interior. Black seats, dash, console, door panels, carpets. Only the headliner was a light grey color. I hated the dark cave enviroment and opening the monroof gave me some light mood boosting relief.
- Took me awhile to adjust to the Xtrail with no moonroof or even a pop up sunroof! But to offset, my Xtrail is a boxy upright design with very nice outward visibility and upright, large windows. So with the Xtrail's lighter color fabric seats, light grey carpet and off white headliner, it was in many ways much better driving enviroment. 
Just wish the damn air conditioner worked past 2016. I may ask a mechanic to verify it is a blown air compressor . Maybe it is something much more simpler and cheaper to repair!


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

tonyvancity said:


> Just wish the damn air conditioner worked past 2016. I may ask a mechanic to verify it is a blown air compressor . Maybe it is something much more simpler and cheaper to repair!


The fuse and the low-pressure cutout certainly come to mind. You can check the compressor fuse yourself, and a quick look at the static refrigerant pressure with a gauge can tell you whether the freon is low. Most healthy Nissan A/C's will show around 75~100 psi static. If it's much lower then the ECM and pressure sensor (or Low-Pressure cutout switch, whichever an Exxie has) will prevent the compressor from turning on.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> That's called "timing" the sunroof, just like "timing" an automatic power window. On older rides it's often required whenever the battery is disconnected. You're basically telling the roof controller to relearn where the open and closed positions are. The instructions can differ with some models, but most of them behave like yours. You get the roof fully closed (dinking the switch if necessary), hold the button on "close" until the pane starts doing something, then keep holding it till it stops doing anything. On some models you need to release it and then hold again after it starts to respond. Sunroofs with "auto" functionality all have some similar procedure. Some of the newer ones like gen3 Muranos can be very stubborn and may need the initial procedure repeated several times before they respond. For Nissans or Infinitis, if you have a Service Manual, you can find the exact procedure in the RF (Roof) section. Locate the "Remove and Replace" instructions for the sunroof motor and there will be a link for "Additional Service After Replacement".





VStar650CL said:


> The fuse and the low-pressure cutout certainly come to mind. You can check the compressor fuse yourself, and a quick look at the static refrigerant pressure with a gauge can tell you whether the freon is low. Most healthy Nissan A/C's will show around 75~100 psi static. If it's much lower then the ECM and pressure sensor (or Low-Pressure cutout switch, whichever an Exxie has) will prevent the compressor from turning on.


good advice. Im just watching a youtube video on a Xtrail AC diagnos .
i'm pretty sure i have long ago ran out of freon.
i'm thinking of a cheapy fix is to buy a recharge kit and see if it leaks rapidly. If so, i have a leak.
Not much money to pay a mechanic to test and hunt down leaks, but eventually i will. If they determine big issues, i just say forget it.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

in the video, it mentions one should vacuum out the compressor for moisture. I do not have any means to vacuum out any moisture.
How critical is that? IF i try to buy some refridgerant from my auto parts store and i ignore the vacuum moisture step, will it work poorly or will it not work at all? 
i guess i should leave it alone and bring it in to a garage when i have some money.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Given the length of time it's been out of service, there's probably a good bit of moisture in there. Once the system is circulating again, excess moisture left in the system will eventually overwhelm the dessicant inside the receiver/drier and the system will rot from the inside out. So just dumping R134 into it isn't a great idea. Plus, overfilling it is a risk when you use a can, and that can do way more harm than good. At best the high pressure switch will keep the system from working, at worst you pop the safety valve. Those have a nasty habit of never re-seating properly, so if that happens you can ruin a perfectly good pressure hose or compressor (wherever it's located on an Exxie, I don't know that). My advice is don't mess with it and visit a shop with a proper A/C machine when you can afford it.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> Given the length of time it's been out of service, there's probably a good bit of moisture in there. Once the system is circulating again, excess moisture left in the system will eventually overwhelm the dessicant inside the receiver/drier and the system will rot from the inside out. So just dumping R134 into it isn't a great idea. Plus, overfilling it is a risk when you use a can, and that can do way more harm than good. At best the high pressure switch will keep the system from working, at worst you pop the safety valve. Those have a nasty habit of never re-seating properly, so if that happens you can ruin a perfectly good pressure hose or compressor (wherever it's located on an Exxie, I don't know that). My advice is don't mess with it and visit a shop with a proper A/C machine when you can afford it.


* '' My advice is don't mess with it and visit a shop with a proper A/C machine when you can afford it.''
---- will do! *
_thanks for the solid advice. 
in the meantime, if it does get hot, i can just drive Ace Ventura style .








or turn my Xtrail into a convertible with a Sawzall._
A friend of mine did that in the late 1980s to his old crappy, ready for the junkyard- 1968 Olds Cutlass Supreme. And i believe he drove it like that for a year or more. Daily driver.
Which is crazy when you know how rainy it gets here in Vancouver. Third most rainy city in Canada with an average of 161 days per year. But number often swings upwardly to a high of 190 days. 
November and december can be brutal with 20-30 rainy days per month.
I guess he drove with a bucket to bail out the water.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Back in those days we didn't think the Cutlass was big enough to be called a "boat". That was reserved for Vista Cruisers and '98's. But I guess it doesn't apply anyway, I'd suppose the opposite of a boat is a swimming pool.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> Back in those days we didn't think the Cutlass was big enough to be called a "boat". That was reserved for Vista Cruisers and '98's. But I guess it doesn't apply anyway, I'd suppose the opposite of a boat is a swimming pool.


i was a child ''back in the day'' and i remember the cars my father and uncles drove us around in. 
I have a vague memory of when my uncle used to come get me and my mom to take us somewhere while my dad was at work. A family doctor, my mom to get a new hairdo , etc. 
And yes, it was my Uncle. My mom's brother . 
Anyways, i was about age 5'ish. They sat up front. I sat in the very rear cargo hold , crosslegged, playing with some dirty old Matchbox car i found buried in the family garden. I remember how friggin hugeeeeeeeeeeee the station wagon was. The motor rumbled and grumbled , loud AF.
My mom had to shout ask me f i was okay back there. No seatbelt, i just wanted a flat area to keep playing with my toy car. No idea what type of car i was in, but i recall blue with wood side panelling , the front hood looked like i could play soccer on it. Google pic of what i think i was riding in back in 1974 or so.....1970 Chrysler Town and Country.


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

I can name that tune in zero notes. Our family wagon was a green '59 Chevy a lot like this one. Many hours spent in the "rumble seat" on vacations. We had a sedan too, same year, Dad used to let us roll around on the back deck and wave at the drivers behind us. Even cops.


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## tonyvancity (Jan 2, 2017)

VStar650CL said:


> I can name that tune in zero notes. Our family wagon was a green '59 Chevy a lot like this one. Many hours spent in the "rumble seat" on vacations. We had a sedan too, same year, Dad used to let us roll around on the back deck and wave at the drivers behind us. Even cops.
> View attachment 8470


Vacation ? what is this thing you call Vacation? 
for i have heard of this word on my tv. Families on vacation. Yes, i think i saw a few tv shows on that. The Brady Bunch. Happy Days! Vay-kay-shun.
Anywhooooo, nice wagon your pops had. Were you forunate enough to ride around in air conditioned comfort? 
All that glass with no air conditioner , bunch of screaming kids in the back.....it be like the vacation from the movie The Shining. 
Here'sssssssssss Johnyy!


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## VStar650CL (Nov 12, 2020)

Nope, no air. First car we owned with air was an AMC Ambassador, 1969. We weren't bad kids, as long as Mom and Pop didn't mind the anti-gravity.


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