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How to remove/replace sunroof?

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

This topic is in the MVS Volvo Repair Database » Entire sunroof system replacement
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whoa
Posts: 461
Joined: 30 July 2008
Year and Model: 850 Turbo Wagon 1996
Location: san francisco
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Re: How to remove/replace sunroof?

Post by whoa »

The part that moves in the track. Is it #18? The metal piece I was talking about looks to be #23, draining channel.

Image
1996 850 Turbo Wagon

wheelsup
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Post by wheelsup »

I'm really bad at schematics I'll get some pics and we can go from there

You're right the cross piece is 23, IIRC there were a few torx that secured it and it looks like it can be easily lifted away. Beyond that I need a picture :).
1995 850 GLT Wagon w/ 200,000 miles

wheelsup
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Post by wheelsup »

Not sure if these will help or not.

On a side note when I reinstalled my sunroof it clunks coming back down from the vent position. The other car didn't do that - it worked perfectly fine. Figures.
sunroof1.jpg
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sunroof3.jpg
sunroof3.jpg (104.34 KiB) Viewed 9639 times
sunroof4.jpg
sunroof4.jpg (70.24 KiB) Viewed 9639 times
1995 850 GLT Wagon w/ 200,000 miles

alexitos4u
Posts: 15
Joined: 2 May 2010
Year and Model: 1995
Location: fullerton

Post by alexitos4u »

I have one of the two cables that moves the sunroof back and forth stuck! why its stuck is beyond me, but maybe rust and silt in there, unfortunately there is no way to get any cleaner spray in there... the fit is tight between the cable and guide
but I cant figure out how to get the cable and guide out? does anyone know if the entire unit must come out to fix the cable and guide?

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BlackThunder
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Year and Model: 1997 850
Location: Minnesota, USA
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Post by BlackThunder »

How does the "drain channel" metal plate work? Only one side of mine is anchored and it is annoying when I hit some large bumps. It must be broken. This summer I'm going to have to take this apart.

Dustin
Dustin
2013 Volvo C30 T5
1997 Volvo 850 NA Sold to a New Volvo Enthusiast

whoa
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Joined: 30 July 2008
Year and Model: 850 Turbo Wagon 1996
Location: san francisco
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Post by whoa »

Mine had the same problem, Dustin, and I have simply removed it. It screws in to the rear of the two sleds that travel in the rails and hold the glass. The bit of the sleds that it attaches to is just plastic, so one side snapped off on mine; so I'd probably have to replace a sled to fix it, but I am not sure how to take the sleds out. I am a little worried that the drain channel serves some important function (like maybe draining :) ).
1996 850 Turbo Wagon

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BlackThunder
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Post by BlackThunder »

Ha! I agree, I'm worried about removing it but it might be ok. It's better than hearing a loud ka-chunk.

Thanks.

Dustin
Dustin
2013 Volvo C30 T5
1997 Volvo 850 NA Sold to a New Volvo Enthusiast

sven
Posts: 64
Joined: 11 May 2010
Year and Model: 03 V70 97 850 R.I.P
Location: Central PA

Post by sven »

My sunroof got jammed open once in the wintertime. That drain channel broke off and got jammed between the sunroof and the guides. There was no way to close the sunroof. So I was faced with either DIY or go to the dealer. I chose to DIY and basically had to drop and remove the headliner...my 850 is a sedan and I was able to drop it and remove it through the front pass side door. Then I had to unbolt the entire sunroof assembly from the bottom of the roof and replace one of the guides. Junkyard sold me a entire sunroof assembly for $150 which was cheaper than buying just that one guide from Volvo.

destroyerofcake
Posts: 3
Joined: 7 February 2012
Year and Model: 1995 850 Turbo 2.3
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by destroyerofcake »

Same series of sunroof problems here. Not sure exactly what started it, but now my glass has NO SEAL, and masonry tape is keeping out the rain. I have a local parts yard with a few 850's in it, and a couple other Volvos.

Two questions - which other Volvo models have the exact same sunroof assembly in them, in case I can't get a good one from an 850? And how heavy is the entire sunroof unit? I had read somewhere that it is extremely heavy, and I may need a number of hands to move it. But I can't imagine that this is true.

I also rear that our 850's share the same sunroof assembly with the Mitsubishi 3000 GT and the Dodge Stealth. I doubt either of those cars are in my local yard, just wonder if it is true.

Momsvolvo2
Posts: 1
Joined: 9 May 2012
Year and Model: 97 850 GLT
Location: California

Post by Momsvolvo2 »

Did you ever get an answer to your first question? I have limited cars in my local yard (2 hours away), so a cross reference would be good.
A follow up question would be which "year" sunroofs are the same. (And are all sunroofs in a given year the same? Was there more than one manufacturer?)

I have similar problems with my 97 850 GLT sunroof. Slider (sled) in passenger side track broke just in front of the drain channel attachment point. That caused the window to jam open when in the rear position, it would slide forward a couple inches, then reverse and go back. I got it closed by "jogging" the switch.
So I got a track off a 93 850 at the yard, only to discover that on closer inspection it seems to be different form the 97 in some design details, so I'll need to go back.
Has anyone figured out what years/models interchange parts?

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