I too have noticed that when it is hot mine will not open. I give the sunroof a slight push up and it pops open as normal.

This morning though it would not close, everytime I toggled the button to close the roof, it closed and popped back open! Me thinks the switch is bad?

 

Still no returned calls from Niello MINI. Sunroof does this every day. I've only made the 3rd payment and have 12k miles and a broken sunroof.

It's just crappy engineering. I'm skeptical that replacing the unit will correct the problem unless an updated part is created.

 

Mine does this also. I'm not so certain that the problem is associated with the seal. Mainly because it seems to just take a slight push on the rear of the glass to free it up, and there are no sounds you would normally associate with the breaking of a stuck rubber seal. I would think there should be some sort of "un-sticking" sound. Maybe not, but it's also possible that components in the mechanical linkage are expanding and binding slightly. Maybe different metals with different thermal expansion coefficients? Just wondering...

 

Yes, I would have to agree that I don't beileve it is the seal either (anymore). What is funny is that when the car is stationary and you try to get the sun roof to open (after being in the sun) it has problems. Once you get the car moving mine will open. Seems like the bouncing of the car or something is helping it. Probably just a precursor before the whole sunroof craps out.

 

Man, I hope that's not the case. I haven't experimented much, but mine will definitely lock up when the glass is hot to touch. It's probably near 90 out there right now and I garantee she'll be stuck. I'm not sure what's involved in removing the headliner, but maybe it'll give enough visability to have a look see at what might be sticking. I'll check on my way out tonight.

 

Well my car arrives sometime in July so it will be hot hot hot and I will be very sure to test out the sunroof before I leave the dealership!!!

 

This is very interesting and seems to support the mechanical binding theory as apposed to the sticking seal. Only one poster seams to have experienced (or posted about) this so far. Anybody else?

I guess the over-heated motor theory is still on the table too. That's probably the worst case situation.

 

Sorry to keep adding stuff in, but after thinking about the over-heated motor possibility I kind of believe that may be less likely then I originally thought. Mainly because the motor actually activates and fights the linkage before giving up. In the other thread some people were getting a "plastic" grinding sound before the ultimate failure, which would probably mean that the motor ran and something else gave out (plastic gear or transmission). Still wondering...

 

interesting thought....i've got to think it over agian now.....i was nearly certain it was the motor...

 

maybe there is some kind of relay from the switch to the motor that regulates power, and it gets too hot and can't continue to deliver...?

 

I don't know if it's the motor or not. I get kind of a creaky, poppy crunchy sound when it gets stuck and then it closes itself again. Sorry, don't know how else to describe it.

 

Have any of you tried keeping the rear shade open when you park ur car in the sun? See if this helps. The other day, I accidentally had the rear shade left open and when I got into my car in the evening, the sunroof opened. It's hot here today and I'm going to test that theory.

 

Yep, I did that yesterday and parked in a very hot spot in the sun. A spot that consistantly keeps the sunroof from opening. After getting in the car, I closed the sunroof (worked fine) and then moved it back to the vented position. Worked fine as well. So, this one test on mine seems to demonstrate that it just fails when trying to open from a closed position to the vent (in this one test of course).

Russr, actually - not sure if my attempt above is what you meant by leaving the rear shade open.

 

That's not what i meant. I meant just the shade, not the sunroof itself.

 

Sounds like there maybe additional heat build up when the internal shade is closed. It probably causes the heat to reflect back up. When left open the heat dissipates through the car. I'll have to remember this when I get mine.

 

Anyone with a white roof having this problem? It seems virtually all problems in this thread are with black roofs.....

My Mini arrives in <10 days and hope for no initial quality issues.

 

I don't think it's the motor, I think it is actually binding from different expansion coefficients of various metals and plastics that are used in it's construction. when my sunroof failed for the first time (after a couple tries adjusting it) it made a plastic grinding noise indicating that the drive mechanism was working but that it was binding on something. My replacement sunroof also binds, but I know not to open it until I have driven for a couple minutes.

I suspect the white roof Minis are not having this problem at all.

 

I haven't had an issue opening the sunfoof, but I have had an issue closing it, as it closes and pops back up in one motion. I find that if I hit the toggle very briefly two or three times I can "step down" the sunroof until it's closed.
This only happens some times, not sure if it's heat related, but it's going to be 90-degrees plus all this week in NY, so I guess I'll be finding out.

 

My sunroof has been doing this for nearly a year. I have a graphic on my roof to keep it cool but it still does it. Smudge goes in for service on Friday but it sounds like I'm not going to get it fixed. Will let you all know what happens

 

My 07S had this happen recently...it's all mechanical binding on the drivers side track. Took it in and I'm getting a whole new sunroof on Friday.

This is a BRG/W top

 

I'm hoping there's some sort of "on the fly" fix on this issue. Of course, don't know when the car's actually going to show...

 

For those of you who are getting new sunroofs immediately, could you share which dealership you use? Niello insists that these are on national backorder from Germany.

 

i really hope they don't have to replace the entire sunroof.. i just got my dealership to fix the decal that was peeling off in chunks.

got ollie in august... had him through some really hot weather that summer.. and no problems. get into my car a few months ago and the sunroof has started to act up.. it's IMPOSSIBLE to get ahold of my dealership so I've just sucked it up thus far.. I just hope it never gets stuck OPEN.

 

Had a thought, since this never happened last summer at all it seems odd to become such a large issue for so many people all of the sudden.
The only thing I can pinpoint that has changed and when this problem seemed to have started was when I got the software update to fix the check engine light I was getting at 3500 miles.
Question being could that be the cause of funky sunroof behavior? It just seems too coincidental.

 

While I don't have a white sun roof on my R55 I do have silver and I have this same issue.