Hey everybody, this is my first post! Too bad it's for a problem.

I have had my '06 MINI Cooper S for about a month now, and it's panoramic sunroof was working fine. Then last week I noticed it seemed to close very very slowly one day when the car was off. I figured the motor's draw of current was less with the engine off.

Now last week I used the sunroof and it seemed fine, until I got home from work after my 20 min drive home, and the sunroof was so slow that it thought the resistance was an object in the way, and started opening again.

The same thing happened this week. I used the car at lunch, the sunroof worked fine, and then I opened it on the ride home, and when I got home I tried opening and closing it a few times. By the time I got to the third open/close the sunroof did not seem to be able to overcome some resistance and instead would re-open itself, like it sensed an obstruction.

I got out the closing crank from the tool kit, and when I tried to close the sunroof manually there was SO MUCH resistance that I felt the skinny metal crank tool was going to snap. I couldn't even move the sunroof an inch for fear of damaging it.

When I called the dealer a week or so ago they said that after the winter on the first use it's typical to be slow because the tracks need cleaning and greasing, which I could do myself. I looked at the tracks and they are very clean, and they don't really seem entirely dry or unlubricated.

Any ideas or similar experiences? I'd prefer to fix it myself since I fear that my white headliner material will be covered in black finger prints and WD-40 stains if I take it to my local dealer.

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the site. I've only been here a month or so as well.

As far as the sunroof problem. Mine is a little slow once in awhile (06 MCS) as well. I added some lube to the tracks both forward and aft of the sunroof.

There's a TON of topics on here about sunroof repair....I would just search those. You'ren gonna get the " seacrh" *****' all stirred up.

 

I was going to help fend off the *****' and post some links to the topics but its just as easy for the OP to use the search tool also.

As for a suggestion, I would start with the easiest first and clean the tracks, then Lube them (not WD40).

I used a commercial grade chain and gear lube for farm and industrial equipment (aerosol can) and havnt had a problem yet.......

 

79cutlas and ntmid8r,
Like I said the tracks are clean, and they aren't dry so I don't think it's a lube issue. I know you said yours is sometimes slow, but mine is so much worse than slow. I can't move it with the crank tool and to close it I had to push hard against it while holding down the button. I don't think it's a lube issue, since the tracks aren't dry and just a few hour earlier it move quickly on it's own.

I searched more than once for "sunroof slow" and other key words both in the Problems forum and in the General forum, but the only issues I found were lots on noise issues, a few threads about lubing the tracks, and how to cut a resistor out of the motor circuit.

I'm wondering if the motor is somehow seized up, but then why would it work well just hours before?

 

ntmid8r,
I got the same bonnet stripe as you do. Mine has some dark spots, like water spots. How do you keep yours clean, is there a particular wax, cleaner or compound that I should use that will remove stains without wearing the decal away?
Thanks!

 

99% sure that it is, in fact, the tracks that need to be lubed. Mine was like this as well and it is hard, if not impossible, to see the actual track. I bought a can of white lithium spray grease and coated the track using the straw applicator and it has been fine since.

It will work differently depending on the temp and humidity outside which is why you are seeing it fluctuate.

 

remember...lube attracts dirt, dust, sand, pine-needles, etc. First steep...use some lithum grease...the spraycan stuff is great. Then if you still have an issues....you need to do more than lube...you need to get the gunk....the spent lube, muck, etc that are on the part that rides on the tracks off, then re-lube.
The motor is fine....for now.... If it runs slow, and the hand crank is showing it is binding, the motor is Likely getting VERY hot trying to open and close it...and overhearting a small, light duty motor will quickly cause failure.

 

I've had the problem sporadically over the last 3.5 years. Yesterday was the first time I had to pull the roof closed while holding the button.

I know that some Finish Line bicycle grease did help my old 93 saturn's sunroof and it smells awesome. However, it sounds like the Mini tracks are harder to access.

We are going to have great weather this weekend and I really want to open my top!

 

Yes, lubricate the tracks. Get a can of sprayable white lithium grease; it should come with a tube tip (i.e. like the one that comes with a can of WD40).

 

daflake,
Thanks, I'll try the lithium grease. And it's supposed to be over 70 degrees this weekend, so I'll see if it operates better in the heat or not.

ZippyNH,
I don't see that much caked on gunk. The tracks look very clean. But I'll look again.

 

I'm finding some good tips in this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...of-grease.html

 

Revwillie,
What do you mean by sporadically: Does your roof sometimes open fast, and then other times slows down just hours apart during the same day? That is also what happened to me. I operated it like three times and by the third time it kept trying to re-open.
I'm going to try the white lithium grease spray that seems to be the agreed upon stuff to use.
It still bothers me that the hand crank doesn't work, I'd think that it would at least move a little.

Also, I did see that thread that you point to with those tips, but that thread started going in the direction of lubing the sunroof due to squealing noise, and mine is silent, it just doesn't close as fast as it should. Does yours make squealing noise?

 

Yes, what has typically happened is that it runs fine in cool weather, but if the roof is exposed to strong sunlight or if it's just hot out, it gets really slow. Yesterday was a first and I'm anxious to deterimine the best thing to do before my warranty expires on the 28th.

Since my car is low milage, I only got one maintainance done at the dealer. I think sunroof lube is included in that. Dave at Passport Mini has been really helpful lately and I'm supposed to take my car in Monday anyways. I just want to enjoy the sunroof this weekend.

 

Revwillie,
Wow, that is good information. I was thinking that the hotter weather would make it slide easier, not slower. I'm going to try opening it in the morning when the temps are in the 40s and compare that to tonight when it's supposed to be around 70.

I'm in the same boat as you are, my warranty expires in a few months.

I literally FEAR taking the MINI in to the dealership because of my bad experiences with having my "nice" cars damaged at dealerships. I'm really concerned that they'll get dirt all over the white head liner. I won't go into past horror stories about how cars have gotten scratched, etc while in the hands of the dealer mechanics.

My wife has a BMW and the service always seemed good, but I don't know what to expect from the local MINI dealer, MINI of the Main Line, here in Bala Cynwyd PA.

 

Binding does not always make a squealing sound. Definitely try lubing the tracks to start.

 

And whats even more of a coincidence, I have the same dark spots as you.
I have tried several cleaners, polishers, with no luck.
Will probalblly replace later this year.
http://www.aestheticreations.net/bon...otstripes4.htm

 

ntmid8r,
Let me know when you replace them if it was easy to get the old ones off, and if your paint was darker where they used to be. I'm thinking about just removing mine and going without, as long as they paint underneath isn't a different color after having been hidden from sunlight for 4 years. My paint is dark gray metallic.

I'm going to try some heavy duty cleaner/compound and see how that does.

 

thats funny..cause I was going to go to Tractor supply here soon and get a can of heavy duty spray lube. I open and close mine all the time and its been fine, but I want to keep it that way!

 

Revwillie,
I did the experiment of opening the sunroof yesterday after work when the weather was warm and this morning when it was colder and it worked better when warm. This morning it could barely slide a half an inch after the tilt.

I think I see something binding, or I can see torque like pressure on some parts as I operate it. I may get out the crank tool again and try it manually instead of burning out my motor.

Regardless I'm going to try to lube it as suggested this weekend. The sunroof I mean.

I'll let you know what I find and if that makes things better.

 

Mine spotted pretty bad too. Nothing seems to get those spots off. I finally had the stripe removed. Then I decided I liked the look with the silver scoop and no stripe better so I never replaced it.

 

Thats an interesting thought, with just the scoop...Any pics?

 

Well, I tried cleaning and lubing the rails on mine, but it didn't help. I actually noticed that it looks like there was a rubber piece loose and hanging from each side's sliding piece (whatever you call the piece that slides through the track). Mine will open just fine with a small shudder. When it tries to close, it slows down to a shuddering stop and then gives up and slides back open. The grease spread around but didn't stop the shuddering. It still happens even when the car roof is 50F. So, my plan is to take the car into Passport Mini on Monday and open the sunroof there. I'll ask them to try closing it (without pushing it manually) and it should be obvious that it's a warranty repair.

 

revwillie,
I'm interested to hear what Passport MINI has to say. I see the same kind of shudder, and some of the parts of the side rails toward the front of sunroof torque back and forth as if there is incredible pressure being put on them when you go to close the sunroof.

I don't see any rubber piece hanging loose on mine.

I bought the white lithium grease in a spray Sunday night, but I didn't get a chance to even try using it yet.

 

I used a heavy duty chain lube on mine the other day. It made a huge difference in the speed and no more shudder when it opens or closes.

 

Mine was working fine when I got the car in december, but then in february it started to act weird! Opening was slow and it would stop and open again when I was closing it! I put some lube in the rails (front section) with no results, but when I lubed the rails in the back section (where the roof sits over the other glass), it started working fine! Since then I have no problem with it!