SolaraGuy.com

My 2006 Solara Sport Cp.sunroof will not open, I can get it to open about one inch, then it stops. You can see that on the drivers side that it hangs up a second after you push the open botton. The tilt up and down works fine. I took it to Toyota and they said they would need to drop the headliner and that it would take some time to do that. I said OK! and when I dropped off the car it was inside less than a 1/2 hour and the service tech said it would need cables, track, and a new motor costing $2500. They never pulled the headline all the wanted was my $100.00 and said they knew I would not want to spend $2500.
My question and where I need help is, How do you remove the headline to check the track? What is my problem, I know I'am not the first one with this problem--where do I start.

I just got this Solara in June with 48K so problems with Solara are new to me--NEED HELP

Make sure the sunroof is calibrated. Usually if the battery was disconnected due to previous work on the car all the windows and sunroof need the spacing calibrated. (Check here: http://www.justanswer.com/uploads/skyvisions/2008-10-31_164904_04_sienna7.pdf) Also, check to see visually if there's a bug, twig, nickel, etc in the track (i.e. getting a mirror and checking the back and sides with the panel popped up). If the sunroof encounters any resistance/obstruction it will back off it's intended direction (built in safety feature). If no blockage start with the cheapest possible fix first--WD40 sprayed along the rails. Try those two first and respond back.

And I just gotta say a lil' somethin' about the people working at this dealership of yours--they deserve to be shot in the nuts with a loaded .410 Taurus Judge with shredder rounds....unless they were on some pretty bad crystal meth then I would say have pity and just pistol-whip and jackboot them. To tell a customer it costs $2500 to replace a sunroof is uncalled for--don't go back there. Getting a power sunroof installed is roughly under $1500 at most ripoff shops, let alone one replaced. I'm having a hard time believing you need a motor AND new tracks--getting one fixed will definitely, definitely not cost you $2500. Your symptom does not sound like a blown motor at all (or else it wouldn't even travel an inch or pop-up or do so with alotta noise). I highly suggest that if the problem can't be solved by the two methods above that you seek a second opinion from an independent shop that installs them.

Black Bob wrote:Make sure the sunroof is calibrated. Usually if the battery was disconnected due to previous work on the car all the windows and sunroof need the spacing calibrated. (Check here: http://www.justanswer.com/uploads/skyvisions/2008-10-31_164904_04_sienna7.pdf) Also, check to see visually if there's a bug, twig, nickel, etc in the track (i.e. getting a mirror and checking the back and sides with the panel popped up). If the sunroof encounters any resistance/obstruction it will back off it's intended direction (built in safety feature). If no blockage start with the cheapest possible fix first--WD40 sprayed along the rails. Try those two first and respond back.

And I just gotta say a lil' somethin' about the people working at this dealership of yours--they deserve to be shot in the nuts with a loaded .410 Taurus Judge with shredder rounds....unless they were on some pretty bad crystal meth then I would say have pity and just pistol-whip and jackboot them. To tell a customer it costs $2500 to replace a sunroof is uncalled for--don't go back there. Getting a power sunroof installed is roughly under $1500 at most ripoff shops, let alone one replaced. I'm having a hard time believing you need a motor AND new tracks--getting one fixed will definitely, definitely not cost you $2500. Your symptom does not sound like a blown motor at all (or else it wouldn't even travel an inch or pop-up or do so with alotta noise). I highly suggest that if the problem can't be solved by the two methods above that you seek a second opinion from an independent shop that installs them.

I forgot to add that the dealer unpluged the power to the switch so I am dead in the water. I need to drop the headline to connect the power and check the cables. The service tech said they were bad and if one broke I would not be able to close the roof. Thanks Guy! I need the help and glad so far for the information Will

I second black bobs post. Man that stealership you went sucks ass!