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Why won’t my BMW

sunroof open?
By Vroomouk

Page last updated: 11/09/2022 | Next review date:

11/09/2024

This article will explain the “my BMW

sunroof won’t open” problem. To explain the
problem associated with your BMW sunroof,
we will list the four causes causing the
sunroof not to open.

The sunroof is also known as the power

moonroof. The sunroof on a BMW allows
fresh air to enter the car cabin and maintain
the freshness and lively feeling. Moreover,
with a sunroof installed on your BMW, the
illumination inside the car also increases.
Thus it enhances the visibility inside the
cabin. However, the sunroof mechanism is
complex because it involves mechanical and
electrical systems. Moreover, a sunroof also
requires frequent maintenance.

Why won’t my BMW sunroof

open?
A sunroof on a BMW can get non-functional
due to one of the following reasons:-

Debris in the run channels of the sunroof

Overheating of the sunroof motor

The sunroof fuse is blown.

The switch of the sunroof has failed.

Mechanical Issues

These are the main issues for a faulty

sunroof. Below we will explain each cause in
detail.

Debris in the run channels of

the sunroof
Since the sunroofs are open to the
atmosphere, the chances of debris getting
stuck in the sunroof tracks are highly likely.
The clogging of debris in the sunroof
channels is one of the most common
reasons behind the operation of the power
sunroof. The sunroof channels can be
clogged by di"erent things such as dust,
leaves, branches and even small twigs.

When the debris gets stuck in the run

channels of the sunroof, the sunroof won’t
be able to open beyond a certain point
because the mechanism which pulls the
sunroof open will be hindered to operate.
Thus it becomes highly essential to clean the
run channels of the sunroof frequently. For
preventive maintenance of the sunroof, you
must open the sunroof every week and, with
the help of a cloth, clean the run channels of
the sunroof. Preventive cleaning will make
sure that the sunroof operates perfectly.

Overheating of sunroof motor

When it comes to sunroofs, dust and debris
in the run channels can drastically a"ect the
mechanism pulling the sunroof. Because
when something solid gets in the channels
of the sunroof, the sunroof won’t move. But
the electric motor which is attached to the
sunroof will continuously pull it until it
reaches the completely open position.

Since the path for the sunroof, movement is

hindered, and the motor is continuously
applying force to move the sunroof, the
motor will start to overheat. Although some
motors are provided with overheat
protection. The motor is shut o" if it starts
to overheat. The overheating will completely
damage the motor in the motors that don’t
have the shut-o" feature. Also, overheating
the motor will cause a lack of lubrication in
the run channels of the sunroof.

The fuse of the sunroof is

blown.
As said earlier, the sunroof combines
mechanical and electrical systems. Thus an
electrical system always has a failsafe
feature that prevents fire. Every electrical
system on the car has a fuse; thus, if there is
a situation where the overload on a short
circuit happens in the electric wiring, the
fuse quickly blows away and prevents the
car from catching fire.

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Thus, if the sunroof is not opening in the

BMW, one of the reasons might be the
blowing away of the fuse. Moreover, if the
fuse is blown away and the sunroof is open,
it won’t close. SO if the fuse blows away, the
sunroof doesn’t operate at all.

Failed Switch
To open the sunroof of a vehicle, a switch is
provided just about the inner rearview
mirror. The sunroof switch is a two-way
switch, meaning a single switch can open
and close the sunroof. Thus when a driver or
a passenger moves the switch in the
backward direction, the sunroof opens, while
if the switch is moved in the forward
direction, the sunroof closes.

Now a sunroof switch is an electrical

component and can get damaged easily.
The switch consists of two metal contacts,
and if these metal contacts get worn out,
the switch becomes inoperable. Thus, this
can be frustrating because if the sunroof
gets open and on pressing the switch it
doesn’t close, the situation will become
tricky, especially in extreme weather
conditions.

Mechanical Issue
Since a sunroof combines electrical and
mechanical systems, the problem can occur
in any system. Sometimes, the sunroof
motor works perfectly, but the mechanism
that pulls the motor is defective. The defect
in the mechanical system can be due to the
dirt or junk which has stuck in the sunroof.

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Other articles about BMW you

may be interested in
How to open a BMW boot which is not
opening?

How to fix a BMW x5 tailgate that opens by

itself?

Why won’t my bmw door open

Conclusion
In this article, we have successfully
addressed the “my BMW sunroof won’t
open” problem. While explaining the
problem associated with your BMW sunroof,
we have also explained the di"erent causes
which can develop this problem. Moreover,
we have also explained why it is extremely
important to perform maintenance of the
sunroof on your vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

(FAQs): my BMW sunroof won’t
open
How much does it cost to fix a
sunroof which doesn’t open?
The sunroof glass replacement can cost you
around $300 to $400. However, if the
sunroof’s wiring or track is damaged, it can
cost you between $500 to $800. Moreover,
motor replacements cost between $200 to
$500.

Why does a sunroof close and

not open?
A sunroof might close and not open due to
di"erent reasons. However, the two major
problems behind the sunroof, which doesn’t
open or close, are the stuck debris or a lack
of power.

Is there a fuse for the

sunroof?
Like every other electrical system, the
sunroof is also an electrical system. The fuse
in the sunroof protects the system from high
voltage spikes. If the fuse is blown, the
moonroof will not open or close.

How much does it cost to seal

a sunroof?
The leak in the sunroof is a common
problem faced by owners who have a car
fitted with a sunroof. The repair can’t be
extremely expensive, but if the seal is
broken, it will cost around $500 to get a new
seal for the sunroof.

References
1. https://gomechanic.in/blog/6-common-
sunroof-problems/
2. https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/power-
moonroof-is-not-opening-inspection

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