I have a 2007 R56 with a problematic sunroof. Currently, when the sunroof is closed, there is excessive wind noise at just about any speed.


I first noticed the noise after the dealer replaced the sunroof track and motor because the sunroof seized in a partially-open position (quite a pricey repair). My hypothesis for the wind noise is that the glass is misaligned because they had to take the whole system apart to replace the track.

Based on a quick (visual) assessment, the dealer is claiming that the body seal now needs to be replaced to fix the noise, for which they want $1,125 because they claim that they have to take the whole system apart again.

I am questioning their diagnosis because the sunroof is not leaking and the seal does not appear cracked. I pushed back and had them actually measure the alignment - They did end up adjusting the front panel a bit. But I'm not sure if they really wanted to 'fix' the issue since it would make their first diagnosis appear completely incorrect (and they weren’t very thorough in troubleshooting a couple other issues I had them look into).

Does the dealer's diagnosis and cost appear reasonable? Any other thoughts on what could be causing the noise (or how to fix it cheaper)?

My current thought is to take my car to another Mini dealer when I need service again to see if they have the same prognosis after first measuring to check the alignment (fortunately we have several dealers in the area).

 

I would get another quote even if it does need the seal replaced. Its honestly (6) t-25 screws and both panels are out. The peel the old seal and out clean off the old adheasive. Then install the new seal which held in by double sided tape. Set in the 2 glass panels and tighten down the (6) screws while adjusting.

 

I would argue their repair of the sunroof originally has now caused another problem and should be covered under MINI's 2 year/unlimited mileage workmanship warranty.

 

For that price, you can probably buy a new sunroof assembly. The seal should cost around 30$ and you can DIY if that is the problem.

But I figure, they got the adjustment wrong. If you want to try to do it yourself (simple really) you need to do the following:

1. Open the roof a little further after the vent position
2. Untighten the front glass screws
3. Move the glass panel ALL the way forward
4. Allow the front end to drop as much as possible
5. Lightly tighten the front screws
6. Close the roof
7. Now tighten the rest of the bolts

MINI's official instructions are plainly wrong: they state you need homogeneous pressure on the seal, but truth is you need more pressure on the front lip. That is where air-pressure builds up and passes through the seal if not properly adjusted. The air has the tendency to flow away from the middle and rear seals, so are not as important.

 

What he said. Sounds like dealer screwed up something doing the prior sunroof repair. Is there visible damage or unevenness in the rubber sunroof seal? For there to be noise, the air rushing outside the car must be getting in through a gap or unevenness in the seal. The dealer should fix it under their warranty of the prior repair if this is the case.

If there is nothing visually wrong with the rubber seal, then maybe it is noisey because the rubber is getting old and dried out and hard. If this is the case, one DIY cheap fix you might try is reconditioning the rubber gasket. Honda dealers sell a product for this called Shin Etsu Silicone Grease. I've used it on several cars including my Mini's door seals. Shin Etsu is a grease that you apply very thinnly to rubber door, window, trunk, and roof gaskets to rejuvenate them and soften them close to new. It's magical. You can get it from any Honda Dealership parts counter or places like Ebay.

 

Alexs, I wanted to thank you for your instructions. They really did help. At first I was really worried, as for some reason I may have pushed it to the front too much, or tightened it down too hard, as it would rebound back when it tried to close. For some reason, the computer would absolutely rebound it back and not let it close. Finally after some playing around it worked out. There's like a 90% drop in wind noise now. I also switched the Mic from the right to the left as the combination of wind noise, mic position and road noise from the Run Flats were making the bluetooth useless. Thanks again. Oh, and for anyone else, the screws wear easily, so don't tighten too hard.

 

Glad I was of help... Mine also has problems opening at times, so you have to really find a compromise between wind noise and operating the roof.


I decided it is time to do a complete replacement of all the seals, and I will be posting my work as it progresses. Keep in mind that the rear seal has changed from pure rubber to felt at some point in the production, which may help with both the noise and refusal to open.

 

Would you by chance have any pictures, or can tell me exactly what screws to untighten? And how exactly to move the glass panel forward and down?
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=54_0369