9 replies to this topic

[minivipergirl]

I have an electric webasto sunroof which I think was fitted originally. However it has stopped working and appears to have a problem with the cogs as it wont close or open properly. Has anyone had a similar problem or know of anyways of trouble shooting to make it work?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

Thanks!

[Bungle]

does it work manually by popping out the round bung on the back and inserting a allen key and turning ?

[LondonDry]

I also have a factory-fitted electric Webasto sunroof with similar problems. I can open the roof with the allen key -- with a lot of resistance. One side pulls back more than the other and becomes cockeyed. Electric motor works, and can "assist" in opening while I hand crank. Closing is tough, because of crooked alignment. Allen key works. When the leading edge of the side that's closest to the wind deflector is fully closed, I get multiple clicks and a lot of resistance from the key while pulling the other side closed.

Any thoughts on how to fix it?

Thanks!

[Bungle]

i would try and grease the whole system as it sounds like everything is tight

how i'm not sure as i have never tried to get the bits apart

[LondonDry]

Thanks, Bungle, There is grease on the rails already. I can put some more on. I'm thinking that the cable system that pulls the mechanism is only pulling on one side, causing the cockeyed stance that prevents the motor from pulling the top open. When I open the top with the allen key, there is less of a cockeyed stance.

I've located an exploded-view drawing of the roof -- really complicated looking -- and I'm quite certain I'd have to remove it to get to the motor and other moving parts.

Here's how the top looks in its cockeyed position:


Here's an exploded-view drawing:

...and the parts list:


Any help from the forum would be greatly appreciated.

[MR J]

You definately will have to remove it to strip it down. I have just fitted one of these roofs to my Mini and have had it in bits on several occasions. It sounds like you may have stripped the teeth off one of the guide cables, in which case you would need a new cable.

Here is a description of how to strip the roof to take the cover off, (taken from an ebay listing. Sorry if it's yours) from there you should be able to determine whats wrong with it.

If you are capable of DIY it will present no problem and will be easy to renew a shrunken roof. It involves gluing with contact adhesive, but the new roof has all the lines marked on it so you know where to position it, and the glue is included in roof kit supplied by FIGAROCARS. The one thing it may require whilst replacing the cover are the 2 wire bond stretchers that run inside the outer edges, these are located in sprung retaining brackets which are pop riveted with a total of eight 3mm pop rivets. The cables can be all rusted through, but if yours are ok you just rivet them back as they are. New ones can be fabricated from cycle brake cables, (most brake and gear cables are stainless steel now), and usually come with one nipple already attatached. Once the 2 springs are threaded back onto the new cable another nipple needs to be crimped on, (the total length over nipples is
1085 mm) if you do not have a complete old one to measure. Draw strings are included in the new roof to allow you to feed them through the stitched channel.

STARTING THE JOB - THE WHOLE ROOF UNIT HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE!!!!

Start by opening the roof about 300mm, pull off the edging rubber around the roof aperture, carefully unstick the headlining from that same aperture, drop the headlining down. ( you can remove the whole headlining, but it is a lot of extra work and may get damaged in the process)


Then on the headlining, (of the opening roof) where it tucks up at the front, push it forward to gain some slack and unhook it off its retaining hooks and allow to hang down. This exposes the 6 front header fixings. Remove the exterior plastic wind deflector,

disconnect the motor wiring connector, pull off the 4 drain pipes at each corner, undo the 40 10mm nuts holding the roof in the car, and with some help lift the whole unit out of the car.

With it laying on the bench with the inside facing up, you can now undo those 6 front header fixings, 3 fixings each side, two 10 mm nuts and one phillps screw. Once they are removed the header rail comes free, then at the rear under the rubber seal there are 6 phillips screws which releases the rear of the sun roof, (you will notice the holes are slotted, we will come to that on reassembly) remove them and now turn the whole roof unit up the other way. Lift that rear header forward, and it uncovers the 2 inspection plates held on with 4 screws in the aluminium runners.


Once removed you slide all the hood sticks back and out of the apertures, that’s the roof covering separated from the roof. Next remove all the covering where its stuck to the front and rear headers, there is a rubber seal on the front header which you remove and glue back in position when the new cover is in place, as do the 2 small sponge fillers at each side. This is the point when you find if you require new cables. Drill out the old pop rivets (3.1 drill bit) from the 4 retaining brackets located at each corner, unclip the spring and nipple, clean up the springs and brackets, grease them up so they slide easily within. ( "You can get round this without drilling if are careful by prizing open the bracket just enough to remove the spring and wire and then again to replace it"). Lay out the new cover and use the draw strings to pull the cables back into place, pop rivet the brackets back in place, apply the adhesive to both the new cover and the headers, allow it to go touch dry and then stick in place making sure you stay on the premarked lines of the roof. Lastly stick the 4 corner covers in place to tidy up the corners. From there on it is self explanatory and is reversal of above ,the only tip here is when tightening the 6 rear header screws, make sure the header is at the rear of the slots( so you have a small amount of adjustment in the future if the need arises, as you will never have to make it tighter). It is at this point a good time to clean and oil up the mechanism, blow out the 4 drains and check they are not blocked. It is advisable to put a temporary 12 volt supply on the motor so you can check the operation of the roof before putting it back in the vehicle.

Edited by MR J, 22 December 2011 - 05:15 PM.

[LondonDry]

A tip o' the hat to you, Mr J! Great step-by-step instructions. When you say that I may have stripped the teeth off one of the guide cables, do you mean one of the "nipples" as described in the instructions? If so, then I can source some cycle cable locally and make the repair.

Otherwise I'll need a UK source for the part. Any suggestions? Maybe Webasto's current Hollandia 400 uses the same part.

[The Matt]

Moved to FAQ section, very helpful information in here.

[MR J]

A tip o' the hat to you, Mr J! Great step-by-step instructions. When you say that I may have stripped the teeth off one of the guide cables, do you mean one of the "nipples" as described in the instructions? If so, then I can source some cycle cable locally and make the repair.

Otherwise I'll need a UK source for the part. Any suggestions? Maybe Webasto's current Hollandia 400 uses the same part.

No, the drive cables are exposed once the cover is removed. The cables in the description are inside the edge of the cover to pull it taught when it is shut.

with the cover removed, the drive motor can be taken off (3 screws) to examine the drive cables. The drive cables can easily be removed also once the motor is removed.

I have no idea where you would source another cable because it has the bracket which fastens to the front of the top cover attached to it, maybe the Hollandia cables are the same, I don't know.

The only other option I could see is if someone has a broken roof unit they are willing to sell spares off.

Hope it turns out to be something else wrong that I've overlooked and is an easy fix.

Edit:

Just had a look on the webasto website at the Hollandia 400, the roof mechanism is totally different to the British Open Classic type roof.

Edited by MR J, 24 December 2011 - 03:35 AM.

[finch661]

is the removal the same for the manual webasto sunroof (bar the removal of the motor....)?

Edited by finch661, 08 January 2012 - 10:48 PM.