My sunroof only opens with a little help. The motor is running and can move it maybe a little bit under its own power, but I have to push it open and then pull it closed to get it to actually work.

I'm not planning on fixing it until I pull out the saggy headliner, but wanted some advice on the possible problem and perhaps an antidote before tackling it.

 

The gear in the sunroof motor is bad. Remove rear seat squab, remove forward trunk trim panel, there's the motor and the nuts which retain it are accessable now that the seat isn't in your way. No need to disturb the headliner, almost nothing ever goes wrong with the actual sliding roof assembly and cables. I have good used motors if you are interested, PM me.

 

Thanks for the help JtO. I'll have to get back to you in a year or two when I'm ready to tinker with the car again.
It's good to know that it's a simple fix.

 

Muy sunroof only opens about 2 1/2 inches, then makes a clicking sound if I continue to hold down the switch. I think something may be blocking the path, I am not sure. It does open and close but only the 2 and 1/2 inches.

 

Same problem

 

can i just get a gear or do i need the whole motor? rear seat squab, what is that? forward trunk trim panel..... is that the flat spot that some people put speakers in. the flat spot behind the rear passengers heads????

 

the rear seat squab is the rear seat Back. In order to remove it, just remove two screws at the front bottom of the rear seat, then lift the seat and remove from car. The seat Back has two screws at the bottom too, remove those too. then push the seat Back from the bottom UP, to disengage it from its brackets. remove Back from car.

The sunroof motor is located at the center with two cables.

TRIVIA:
you can manually open and close the sunroof with a little cranking tool that Jaguar included in every XJ. Most cars have lost them by now, although it would be wise to look in the trunk, removing the square upholstery panel which is held in place by two black plastic screws. Use a coin to turn the screws.

Many US cars came with this tool mounted to one of two beams behind this upholstery panel, where there is a square hole in one of them, very close to the back of the sunroof motor. Usually they were held there with a nylon tie. Who knows, it might still be there.

you simply attach the crank tool to the bottom pin of the sunroof motor and turn it, just like a window crank. Clockwise and counter-clockwise to open or close the sunroof panel.

These crank tools can still be ordered through the Jaguar dealer. About $40.00 nowadays I would think. Maybe cheaper.

This tool is a good way to check the sunroof motor gear. If the gear is stripped, it will skip as you turn the motor.

But it could be something as simple as the gear and cable COVER not being tight enough, so I would check it by turning it manually before replacing the motor.

So guys, run and get them cranking tools, if you can't find them, let me know. Here's a picture.


Jose

 

The mounting nuts are inside the car, the motor comes out from the trunk. The forward trim panel is the vertical panel you see when you stick your head all the way inside the trunk and look forward. The sunroof motor is behind that panel.

Sunroof motor gears were previously available separately, but I haven't tried to buy one in about ten years. A manual crank handle isn't any more effective than a working electric motor at rotating a gear which has stripped teeth, or is sometimes broken in half.

 

a good number of years ago I had a similar symptom, turned out to be not a broken gear, but that the cover and tension plate, held in place by two, 5/16 nuts and washers, was loose, allowing the cables to "float" away from the gear teeth. This can be checked before removing the motor. And a great time to lubricate the cable worms and gear, if the gear turns out to be fine.