Pano Motor Repair DIY- courtesy of Eurocharged
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
C180 Kompressor Sports Coupe
panorama sunroof problem
I recently bought a 2003 C180 Kompressor sports coupe with a panorama sunroof. After about 2 months it stopped working and I got the 'machine-gun' noise.
Thankfully, I was lucky to find Howard from East Coast Sunroofs at Cornubia in South-East Queensland, Australia, who immediately got to work and had the two motors swapped over and the other components re-fitted in under an hour. He was incredible to watch! He'd had lots of experience, he told me, having fixed 15 sunroofs in the last year.
As one motor operates the heavy glass and the other, the light-weight blind, the gearing on the former is subject to a lot more wear and tear, particularly if the rails are not kept free of debris and lubricated, and/or operated without the ignition on.
He offers a mobile service but I chose to drive the 2 hours to see him and pay the $160 it cost to fix. I would highly recommend this chap if you're not willing to do it yourself (as your pics describe). The C180 permits the swap-over, but I don't know about other models.
I'm going to use my sunroof sparingly now and also be on the lookout for a spare A 203 820 3242 Webasto motor ... just in case!
Thankfully, I was lucky to find Howard from East Coast Sunroofs at Cornubia in South-East Queensland, Australia, who immediately got to work and had the two motors swapped over and the other components re-fitted in under an hour. He was incredible to watch! He'd had lots of experience, he told me, having fixed 15 sunroofs in the last year.
As one motor operates the heavy glass and the other, the light-weight blind, the gearing on the former is subject to a lot more wear and tear, particularly if the rails are not kept free of debris and lubricated, and/or operated without the ignition on.
He offers a mobile service but I chose to drive the 2 hours to see him and pay the $160 it cost to fix. I would highly recommend this chap if you're not willing to do it yourself (as your pics describe). The C180 permits the swap-over, but I don't know about other models.
I'm going to use my sunroof sparingly now and also be on the lookout for a spare A 203 820 3242 Webasto motor ... just in case!
Last edited by Avon@Byron; Oct 16, 2013 at 09:18 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 602
Likes: 3
From: America
04 E55 AMG
I don't have a panoramic roof but in this link Is a PDF of how to lubricate and repairhttps://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...es-creeks.html
Post#21
Post#21
Last edited by MAN55LE; Jan 10, 2014 at 04:30 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 1
From: Norcal
2014 C63 2012 GTR 2003 E55
just did mine and now the pano roof is working again. at first after you replace the motor and after reset if your roof does not move at all open the left side speaker looking cover on the console (roof) and give it a few turns to get every thing moving then it should work fine i was scratching my head after the new motor replacement and it was still not working then i realize since the track haven't moved for over a year it's probably seized haha.
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 134
Likes: 8
C63 / E400 Cab
Has the PDF guide gone missing? Has anyone got it and able to email to me at onnzo@optusnet.com.au
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 28
Likes: 4
From: NoVA
2004 W211 E320 / 2007 murdrd out Chevrolet Suburban.
Can anyone PLEASE tell me what this "speaker looking thing" on the roof looks like?! On the inside or outside? The interior console on the roof of the inside of the car? Outside of the car? Hell, take a picture for me please, lol desperate need of help because I need my car for goldRush D:
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Newbie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
w211 Facelift E350
Thank you for this DIY
Got the machine gun noise today, happened after I closed the sunroof while on the freeway I heard an unusual click and after a week it finally gave out today and now I'm going to try and do the work myself if it doesnt work out guess its gonna be a costly mistake. I love the pano roof but man it can be a serious pain 
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
w211 Facelift E350
Just finished fixing it! I took a short cut and was worried it wouldn't pay off but it did, I only removed the the center console I was able to see the motor at the point and it was working fine what happened was there was some play looks like the rubber mounts that hold the motor in place started to move so every time pressure was applied it would slip out of place and grind on the track gears causing the famous "machine gun" noise. I unscrewed the screw holding it in place the only one I could get to and I found a thick washer in my garage I screwed everything back on with the washer and there was no more play so the roof worked perfectly! Put everything back together and done in about 30 minutes. Try that before you take your headliner down and if anyone wants I could record a video showing you exactly how to do it good luck guys! feels nice to have my roof back in this sunny California weather
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
S550
I saw you had already fixed it, but for anyone else, yes it will, my S550 had this problem earlier in the year with the roller shade motor, and what everyone says is true, that sensor goes bonkers when one of the motors is out of alignment or loses torque for some reason, and if your sunroof has the problem, then it won't let the roller shade work, and vice versa. Difference is the fuse is 129 I think (possibly 126) and it's not in the trunk, but behind the rear armrest (both 25A).
Rather than drop the headliner any farther than necessary, I worked at odd angles to make it less work pulling it apart. My sunvisors had a plastic cover in front of 2 screws you needed to pop off first (get a tapered plastic pry tool for all this) as well as for the little holders the other end of visor fits into, and the center console comes down through 2 fasteners in the sunglass case holder. I found it easiest to just undo the 4 black screws holding the metal base of the rearview mirror assembly to the roof and take it down as a unit....No need to worry about A pillar trim, you can pull the headliner up and out of it. There's also another screw by itself near the middle edge of the headliner in front of the console area. Once you can access the motor, the fix is the same.
Rather than drop the headliner any farther than necessary, I worked at odd angles to make it less work pulling it apart. My sunvisors had a plastic cover in front of 2 screws you needed to pop off first (get a tapered plastic pry tool for all this) as well as for the little holders the other end of visor fits into, and the center console comes down through 2 fasteners in the sunglass case holder. I found it easiest to just undo the 4 black screws holding the metal base of the rearview mirror assembly to the roof and take it down as a unit....No need to worry about A pillar trim, you can pull the headliner up and out of it. There's also another screw by itself near the middle edge of the headliner in front of the console area. Once you can access the motor, the fix is the same.
Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2006 E55 AMG, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport
mine just went out today. i had to close it manually using the hex key, then I read than pushing on the motor helps the gears engage and therefore close the roof... wished I would've known that earlier. I am now trying to close the shades...
Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2006 E55 AMG, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport
Doing the fuse reset worked to close the shades again-- they open and close fine. But I am not trying the glass roof again until I'm ready to do this repair. At least now I can wait to get this done.
Newbie
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Paradise Valley, AZ
2007 E350 /// AMG Sport Saks Fifth Avenue "Key to the Cure" Edition
I only removed the the center console I was able to see the motor at the point and it was working fine what happened was there was some play looks like the rubber mounts that hold the motor in place started to move so every time pressure was applied it would slip out of place and grind on the track gears causing the famous "machine gun" noise.
I unscrewed the screw holding it in place the only one I could get to and I found a thick washer in my garage I screwed everything back on with the washer and there was no more play so the roof worked perfectly!
Put everything back together and done in about 30 minutes.
Try that before you take your headliner down and if anyone wants I could record a video showing you exactly how to do it good luck guys!
feels nice to have my roof back in this sunny California weather
I unscrewed the screw holding it in place the only one I could get to and I found a thick washer in my garage I screwed everything back on with the washer and there was no more play so the roof worked perfectly!
Put everything back together and done in about 30 minutes.
Try that before you take your headliner down and if anyone wants I could record a video showing you exactly how to do it good luck guys!
feels nice to have my roof back in this sunny California weather
I had read this entire thread back in May when mine went out, been trying to find the time to actually do the repair as I have no experience pulling down headliners etc.
I'm glad I re-read it, as if you could in fact take a video of pulling off just the center console I would be forever grateful!
I'm in Arizona and finally able to enjoy the sunny weather, I want my sunroof back!
Newbie
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Paradise Valley, AZ
2007 E350 /// AMG Sport Saks Fifth Avenue "Key to the Cure" Edition
Were you able to get it all the way closed with the hex key (as in flat)? I was only able to get it all the way forward, but it is still tilted/cracked like when it is vented.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
2005 E55 AMG
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
2005 E55 AMG
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 77
E55
You need to remove the motor and press glass closed by hand. The cables are not even with each other on the motor drive gear since it was slipping or skipping.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 570
Likes: 3
'14 C63 507, '11 C300, '96 Cobra, '91 Mr2
If it is straight then you can push it closed. I had to put the new motor in (teeth were worn out on old one), then use the hex key to move the glass roof back and forth while attempting to straighten at same time. Cursing at the pano roof was essential.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
2005 E55 AMG
Tore into it today and what I thought may be an easy fix did not turn out that way. I have a track issue at the moment. Took the glass off because I could not get the track to move using the manual method because something was blocking the track. On the passenger side the plastic slider piece was broken. It is the piece that my finger is pointing to in the picture. Drivers side is nice and tight, passenger side has some play because of the broken piece.
Does anyone have a schematic of this piece or a part number? I will upload a video soon showing the play. Thanks, Matt
Does anyone have a schematic of this piece or a part number? I will upload a video soon showing the play. Thanks, Matt
