Removing & Replacing/Installing Sunroof (for Realignment)

RUST is a common problem with ALL car sunroofs. My car was no different. The rear right corner of the sunroof had rusted through so badly that it had been patched up with filler right up to the edge. A good area of about 20 square centimetres was all body filler.

I managed to get hold of a used sunroof panel for cheap. It's black while my car is white but I thought  what the heck - at least it's not all rusty and bogged. The replacement panel had some surface rust spots which I treated and repaired before putting it in.

The following is a guide to removing and re-installing the sunroof panel on BMW E30's. It should be the same method for other BMW models of the same generation as the E30.

Allow yourself about 90 minutes if you're doing it for the first time.


Tools & Materials Required:

• Torx (Star) keys/wrench set.
• Pliers
• Socket Driver
• Penetrating spray

NOTE: Pictures shown for manual crank operated sunroof. Method is the same for electric/power sunroof. If you are unable to crank the sunroof by power (eg: sunroof motor failed, flat battery, etc.), what you need to do is undo the trim for the sunroof motor, and then crank it manually. You'll need to use the Z shaped wrench in the boot toolkit or a hex wrench of the correct size. See your owners manual for detailed instructions and diagrams.

1. Wind back sunroof to expose the front edge of the panel. There are 6 trim clips that hold the inner lining to the sunroof panel at the front. You won't be able to see them but you can feel them with your hands. Use the images below as a reference to see where the fastening clips are. Carefully pull down on the front edge of the inner lining to disconnect it.

2. Wind forward the sunroof to expose the rear edge of the sunroof panel. Simply pull/push the inner lining backwards so that the rollers on the sunroof cranking mechanism are off the guides on the inner liner. The inner liner should just drop down and away from the sunroof panel.

Slide the inner lining backwards into the roof of the car to expose the under side of the sunroof panel.

3. Unscrew the sunroof panel. There are three torx bolts on each side of the sunroof panel that hold it to the cranking mechanism. NOTE: If you are only re-aligning the sunroof, you need only loosen the torx bolts enough to realign the sunroof panel. You DON'T have to completely remove them.

Use the appropriate size torx wrench/bit to undo them - the bolts in mine were T25 size but yours might be different. I had to use a pair of pliers to get enough leverage to break them loose as they were on extremely tight. It would be better to use a socket driver instead of the pliers for leverage. Some lubricant or penetrating spray would come in very handy.

4. Remove the sunroof panel. Once all the torx bolts are out, the sunroof panel should simply lift off the top of the car.

 5. Fit replacement sunroof panel into the cranking mechanism guides exactly where the old one was. Line up the holes where the torx bolts are supposed to go. Loosely thread the torx bolts back into the holes by hand. Remember to do it in this order: middle bolts first, then front ones, lastly the rear ones.

6. Align the sunroof. This is where you will greatly benefit from the help of a friend. First crank the sunroof to the closed position. Then, get your friend to hold the rear of the sunroof 1mm above the roof-line. While your friend is doing this, get inside and tighten up all the torx bolts.

7. Reinstall the sunroof inner lining. First crank the sunroof to the forward position. Slide the inner roof lining out and connect the rear part first. Pull it up and out towards the rear of the car and then slide the grooves on the lining piece over the rollers on each side of the sunroof cranking mechanism.

And lastly, push the trim clips along the front of the inner lining up into the corresponding holes at the front of the sunroof panel.

JOB DONE!!!