Sunrood Rattle
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Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 71
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2011 C 300 2001 E 430
Sunrood Rattle
I have a rattle coming from the sunroof operating panel. It is not a loose sunroof or anything to do with the glass. The sound is coming from inside the plasitc operating panel. How do you get the panel off. I do not want to break anything ( or could be $$)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 19
From: SoCal
98 Brilliant Silver E320 Wagon
There is a DIY on sunroof replacement on benzworld.org. There's also a great thread on this forum about replacing/recovering the headliner which I believe covers removing all/some of the sunroof assembly.
I have seen postings where owners have stuffed some crumpled newspaper in the gap above the shade. No reports on what happens if it gets shifted and binds the sunroof.
I have seen postings where owners have stuffed some crumpled newspaper in the gap above the shade. No reports on what happens if it gets shifted and binds the sunroof.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,942
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
120 is the sliding sunroof cover. it slide over 40. i believe the low frequency
rattle occurs when the sliding cover oscillates in time with road undulations
touches the headliner when the cover is slide back to reveal the sunroof.
after trying a couple of ghetto quick fixes, i had some free time so I lowered
the rear of the headliner just enough to slide some bubble wrap just above
each of the two rear passenger seating areas (ignoring the middle). this
would put the bubble sheets just inside the two "D" shaped stirrups you
see in the headliner.
the rumbling has never returned in the 2 yrs since
in a nutshell, and from memory, what was required was to remove the C
pillar covers, the rear light fixture, and the two handles above the rear
doors. it was more challenging than simple, but less complex than difficult.
rattle occurs when the sliding cover oscillates in time with road undulations
touches the headliner when the cover is slide back to reveal the sunroof.
after trying a couple of ghetto quick fixes, i had some free time so I lowered
the rear of the headliner just enough to slide some bubble wrap just above
each of the two rear passenger seating areas (ignoring the middle). this
would put the bubble sheets just inside the two "D" shaped stirrups you
see in the headliner.
the rumbling has never returned in the 2 yrs since
in a nutshell, and from memory, what was required was to remove the C
pillar covers, the rear light fixture, and the two handles above the rear
doors. it was more challenging than simple, but less complex than difficult.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 12
From: Charleston, SC
GL450
If the headliner thumps on speed bumps and rattles with the sunroof open, the issue is the headliner is hitting the metal support frame. It's easies to remove the sunroof so you have more room to work on this. It's easy once you get the hang of it.
Put sunroof up. Remove rubber baffles from each side of sunroof. Unbolt three torx screws. Lift sunroof out and put on cloth padding. Pull sliding cover forward, unclip, and remove.
Look into the crack. You'll see the headliner is hitting the metal frame. Put some adhesive foam (weather stripping from Lowes) or other padding in between the two.
Put everything back. Look at the bolt marks on the sunroof to make sure you line it up correctly.
Going from top down, you have roof, sliding cover, metal frame, headliner. The problem isn't the cover, it's the headliner hitting the frame. You can pad this to prevent vibrating without interfering with the sliding cover.
Put sunroof up. Remove rubber baffles from each side of sunroof. Unbolt three torx screws. Lift sunroof out and put on cloth padding. Pull sliding cover forward, unclip, and remove.
Look into the crack. You'll see the headliner is hitting the metal frame. Put some adhesive foam (weather stripping from Lowes) or other padding in between the two.
Put everything back. Look at the bolt marks on the sunroof to make sure you line it up correctly.
Going from top down, you have roof, sliding cover, metal frame, headliner. The problem isn't the cover, it's the headliner hitting the frame. You can pad this to prevent vibrating without interfering with the sliding cover.
