2005 Sunroof panel: fixed !!!

[Cusser]

2005 Sunroof (OK, Yukon XL Denali) fiber panel had jammed somehow, couldn't get it to move into place, outer metal sunroof worked OK. After monkeying with it, letting my non-dealer mechanic look at it, "fixed" it by taking a cutter knife and cutting off the rearmost 1/2 inch of the fiber board. Now we can move the fiber board independently, and open it , and close it independently.

Methinks GM or someone over-engineered this, and maybe the fiber part was supposed to open automatically when the metal part retracted, but somehow had gotten jammed.

[mishalah]

Originally Posted by Cusser

2005 Sunroof (OK, Yukon XL Denali) fiber panel had jammed somehow, couldn't get it to move into place, outer metal sunroof worked OK. After monkeying with it, letting my non-dealer mechanic look at it, "fixed" it by taking a cutter knife and cutting off the rearmost 1/2 inch of the fiber board. Now we can move the fiber board independently, and open it , and close it independently.

Methinks GM or someone over-engineered this, and maybe the fiber part was supposed to open automatically when the metal part retracted, but somehow had gotten jammed.

I have the same problem with mine...but I'm not sure what or where the fiberboard piece is.

[Cusser]

Originally Posted by mishalah

I have the same problem with mine...but I'm not sure what or where the fiberboard piece is.

The fiberboard piece is the coardboard-like panel that one should be able to slide back and let in only light, if one wants to have the glass part remain closed.

[mishalah]

Originally Posted by Cusser

The fiberboard piece is the coardboard-like panel that one should be able to slide back and let in only light, if one wants to have the glass part remain closed.

I assume it's the one I grab and try to pull forward only to have it move....nowhere?

What is keeping it from pulling forward? Some genius-developed piece of GM crap buried in there?

[Cusser]

Originally Posted by mishalah

I assume it's the one I grab and try to pull forward only to have it move....nowhere?

What is keeping it from pulling forward? Some genius-developed piece of GM crap buried in there?

There's about a 1/2 inch upward ridge at the rearward side that gets caught. That's why I cut the rearmost part of that panel, that removed that upward ridge..

[mishalah]

Originally Posted by Cusser

There's about a 1/2 inch upward ridge at the rearward side that gets caught. That's why I cut the rearmost part of that panel, that removed that upward ridge..

How do I get to the rearward part if it's stuck open?

[Cusser]

Originally Posted by mishalah

How do I get to the rearward part if it's stuck open?

When Mrs. Cusser (or GM) first got it stuck, the panel was stuck completely open, wouldn't close at all, and the sunroof itself wouldn't close either.

I took two pieces of coat hanger and made loops, and hled those in two vise grips,and pulled forward. It took a pirce of effort. Try to get a helper to pull down slightly on it, that migh thelp as well. After that, The auto sunroof would drag the panel back and forth, but wouldn't line up correctly. A month later, the mechanic looked at it, and when he said "maybe a dealer", that's when I decided to try this. So I made my panel into 100% driver-operated, while the glass sunroof is still automatic by the button.

Even my mechanic says: the more stuff, the more complexity, more to break. That's why I like my 1988 Mazda B2200 truck....good luck.