How did you get the glass out to inspect the mechanism?

 

Do you have the shop manual? The JTIS. It's in there.
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Pop off the guide rails and remove 4 torx bolts holding the sunroof glass to the assembly. (Make sure you have assistance when lifting the sunroof glass off the top of the car)

 

I've had the Webasto kit sitting on my desk for a few months. With the wet weather here during the Fall/Winter/Spring, I wanted to have an entire day (or two) to do the work.

There are a few differences in the directions between the '04 MY and 2005. To wit:

- the caps on the rear of the sunroof tracks have only TWO rivets, not three as the 2004 has.
- the sunroof motor and control module are one piece and do not need to be calibrated. If you make sure you position the slider components fully forward and use a pin to fix the cam to the slider/lifter, then the only adjustment required is to make sure the glass is level with the roof - using the 4 screws which attach it to the lifter rail.

I dropped the headliner, but didn't remove it from the car. It's a bit cumbersome, but you can do everything you need while working around that big piece

I think I'll write up a replacement set of directions for > '04 MY cars - particularly the headliner removal, since I'll soon need to remove it to reglue the fabric :/

Ken

 

Hi Ken,


great!!! What is the VIN-nr of your STR? Mine is a my 2005 with VIN N27895.
Iám interestes since I was able to find a complete sunroof assy from a very nearby VIN-nr. I plan to install this asap but don't know what calibration procedure applies for this variant.
Also good to hear that you didn't have to remove the headliner from the car, but I assume you took the seats out.
Look forward to your write up of directions.


Kind regards,

 

Was this the Sunroofdoctor kit Ken?
Or did you find another source?

 

You'll need to drop the headliner, for sure. There are bolts and rivets which will have to be removed in order to take the old assembly out and install the new one. Given that you'll be working with a piece that spans nearly the entire width of your car, and it isn't a one-person job, I'd recommend going ahead and removing the headliner from the car.

It comes down easily enough, but you will have to research how to disconnect the wiring harness from the car's circuit. Running down the passenger-side C-pillar, is a cable bundle which goes under the parcel shelf. It looks like you can access it from the trunk, but I'm not sure. JTIS might have more detail. You might want to remove the front passenger seat, but I think you can probably get the headliner out if you recline the seat all the way, and move it as far rearward as it will go.

Good luck

 

Yes, it was. The web site lists is for the '04 Lincoln LS. Other than the interpretation required because of the small instructions mismatch, it was a perfect fit!

One thing I noticed, and this has nothing to do with the kit, is that you can reinstall the rear-cabin grab bars swapped left-right. They fit just fine, however, the lights will not go out It took me an embarassingly long time to realize I had them crossed-up. If you think about it, though, it makes sense - there's a three-pin power connector (courtesy light power, reading lamp power, ground), and the reading lamp switches are both in the same position relative to the occupant. They stamped the same piece of aluminum for the power buss, but mount one to its face on the left side, and the other to its "back" on the right side

Moral of the story: pay attention to the "L" and "R" stampings on stuff!

Ken

 

Look at the plastic retaining cap attached to the rearward end of the tracks. It should have two rivets holding it on, and a nipple to which the drain tubes attach. Also, notice the motor and control assembly. On mine, it was a single-piece unit (not two-piece as the previous model-year). I would recommend removing the motor and cleaning the helical gear. Mine had a lot of buildup of very fine metal shavings and gunk.

As far as calibration goes, there isn't really any. I might call this kind of unit a "net build", in that all the tolerance is built-in from the point of installation. However, there is a single important procedure that you'll want to follow:

- the cam, which attaches to the cable-actuated shuttle, has a small alignment hole in it. This hole lines up with a hole of the same size on the panel lifter rail (the long plastic piece with the channels in it).

When you get the assembly in place, push the sliders all the way forward, and insert something into these two holes (a small drillbit works well) to hold the parts in alignment with each other.

- Install the motor (grease the helical gear first).

- I test-fit the roof-panel, and connected the overhead console to the power plug.
- Reconnect the battery and cycle the sunroof open, closed, and to vent a few times.
- Disconnect the battery and remove the roof panel (I find it easier to get the headliner back in place if I can stick my head out the hole in the roof!)
- Re-install the headliner, taking car to put parts stamped "R" on the right side, and "L" on the left side!
- Replace the roof panel and use the tolerance provided in the holes in the attachment tabs to level the roof. I put a little protectant on the rubber seals at this point as well.
- Reconnect the battery and cycle the roof a few times. Check the alignment.

One thing to note, as well, if you park on any kind of incline you'll want to block your wheels. When you reconnect the battery, the electric parking brake will release. I don't like the idea of the car sitting on the park pawl of the transmission, so I block the wheels any time the battery is disconnected. Since you're messing about near the head-curtain airbags and their gas cylinder igniters, removing power to the system is a VERY good idea

I'll add some pictures of the cam-to-rail alignment holes.

Cheers, and good luck!

Ken

 

Very good tip on the rear cabin grab bars!
I am sure that one would have got me too.
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Ken, I only see kits for 01-02 Lincoln/Jag is there another listing somewhere?
Or is that what you used?
I'd email them directly but never got a response last time.

 

They have several kits which will work. Webasto sold the same sunroof/vent assembly to Chrysler, Ford, Lincoln, Chevy, Isuzu, Buick, Saab, and Oldsmobile (and probably more)

If the kit contents image looks like the attached image, it'll work. The only difference might be the later-model cars (> '04) should have the newer motor/controller unit and a simpler rear endcap on the tracks.

Ken