I had my first potential problem happen yesterday. I parked my car in a parking lot and my sunroof wouldn't close. I think that the pinch protection was the culprit because it started to close and would open when there was about a 3 inch gap. It never closed but when I drove away and tried it again in motion it closed. Maybe it was just a feature to keep me from going into Fry's.
bobm-
I don't know if it's related, but sometimes my sunshade won't open or close (no motion at all). It's happened just a couple times and the next time I start the car it works fine. I'm wondering if it's a computer glitch. You brought up a good point about the pinch protection. Our symptoms are different. Did you try to close the sunroof with the key in the door when you got out? Maybe that would work. If I remember correctly, the windows and sunroof will open if you hold the key in the door in the unlock postion and they will all close if it's turned and held in the lock position. I saw it on the DVD and I closed my sunroof this way once.
Robert
Re: Sunshade Below Sunroof is Intermittent (rscharf)
Quote, originally posted by rscharf »
bobm-
I don't know if it's related, but sometimes my sunshade won't open or close (no motion at all). It's happened just a couple times and the next time I start the car it works fine. I'm wondering if it's a computer glitch. You brought up a good point about the pinch protection. Our symptoms are different. Did you try to close the sunroof with the key in the door when you got out? Maybe that would work. If I remember correctly, the windows and sunroof will open if you hold the key in the door in the unlock postion and they will all close if it's turned and held in the lock position. I saw it on the DVD and I closed my sunroof this way once.
Robert
I discovered some interesting information about the sunroof today. It seems that there are three different ways to close the thing: 1) Normally, by turning the dial on the roof. 2) Exceptionally (meaning, over-riding the pinch protection feature), by turning the dial to the normal closed position, then pressing UP on the little dot on the sunroof dial when the dial is in the 'normally closed' position only 3) Manually, using a crank that is stored behind the rear cabin dome light.
The first method we all know about.
The second method, which overrides the pinch-protection, is described on page 56 of booklet 3.1.1. But, the booklet really does not make clear what 'position A' is. It is important that you rotate the sunroof dial to the normally closed position (with the dot on the dial at the front of the car) before you press up on the button. Only the front part of the dial will tilt up, so, put your finger on the forward end of the dial, not in the middle of it, then press up. As long as you hold the forward end of the dial pressed up, the sunroof will motor closes, and the pinch protection feature will not operate.
The third method is described on page 72 of booklet 3.2. This involves use of the manual cranking key that is stored in the roof. I have attached some photos below.
Michael Text describing how to close the sunroof electrically, over-riding the pinch protection feature.
Page 56 of booklet 3.1.1
Text describing how to close the sunroof manually
Page 72 of booklet 3.2
Illustration showing the three different sunroof motors
I think I posted these photos a few months ago, but I can't find them anymore - so, here they are again.
Photos showing how to get access to the winding key, and where it goes.
So did anyone find a cure for this problem? I've been dealing with this on the A8 for 8 months now. The pinch protection will activate for both tilt and slide closing. The control module and motor have been replaced 3 times and the entire moonroof system twice and still it thinks there is an obstruction.
I had a similar problem with the pinch protection kicking in with no obstruction, but it went away. The only thing I had done was wipe down the wind deflector really well and it never happened again.
When the sunroof closes, it pushes down the deflector - at least, that's what it looks like to me. Is it possible that there's something in there causing it to sense too much resistance?
Jaime
I have had a similar problem with my A4. It has happened a few times. I have turned the car off and let it sit for a few moments and restart the car and it closes completely. It has also happened a few times with the passenger window on auto-up. It gets about two inches from the top closed position, and then reverses direction. Again, turning the car off, waiting a moment and restarting fixes the problem. I just figured an occasional rare gremlin.
I don't think it is a 'problem' per se on the Phaeton. Bob is the only person who has ever reported that the pinch protection feature on the Phaeton sunroof functioned, and his post was made 10 months ago. I only tagged the answer onto this post because I happened to have the information, and I try hard to keep all information relating to the same topic together on the same thread.
I believe that there is an adaptation process that is performed by the VW dealer to calibrate the pinch protection system on the different power windows, including the 'roof window'. I'm not exactly sure how this is done, but I know it is done as part of the PDI process. Perhaps someone else here (a VW technician, perhaps) might know what the process is, and can explain it to us. I don't know whether it can be done without a diagnostic scan tool (VAS 5051 or VAG-COM).
Michael
Hey all!
I've actually encountered this problem before on a customers' Phaeton.
Believe it or not, the culprit for the pinch protection to activate itself in this situation was caused by the sunshade rubbing against the sunroof glass causing is to bind and roll back into the open position.
A very simple fix is to lube the tracks with some silicone spray in order for the friction between the glass and the sunshade to be less.
If the problem persists, contact your local dealer as the glass and / or sunshade MAY require an adjustment.
A very simple fix is to lube the tracks with some silicone spray in order for the friction between the glass and the sunshade to be less.
I agree with Graham, but I think it's important to add a caution here: I once screwed up the headliner on a Golf I owned by lubricating the sunroof tracks. I used the correct lubricant, and I put it in the correct places, but I put too much on, and some of it then dripped down onto the headliner, where it left a stain.
So, when it comes to lubricating a sunroof, I think I will always leave that task for the Phaeton technician to do - he or she knows what parts need the lubricant and what parts don't, and more important, they have experience putting the lubricant on, so they know just how much (and no more!) to apply.
Below is a photo of the VW silicone lubricant that is intended for use on sunroofs, seat tracks, stuff like that. I have found that it is also a useful lubricant to have around the house, and for use on my motorcycle. It is available from the parts department of your VW dealership.
Michael VW Silicone Lubricant for sunroofs, seat tracks, stuff like that
Does anybody have a problem when closing the sunroof, the motor stops before closing and reopens? If I stop the sunroof manually and close the roof in small increments it seems to work OK. Any comments?
It sounds like the pinch protection feature of the sunroof is activating. This is normally caused by greater than normal frictional resistance in the mechanics of the sunroof.
The pinch protection system is designed to stop and reverse the operation of the sunroof or any of the power windows if an object blocks the free movement of the glass panel. But, if there is a buildup of dirt in either the tracks that the glass travels in, or in the rubber seals surrounding the glass panel, pinch protection can inadvertently activate as a result of the increased friction.
If the problem is with a sunroof, the best solution is to take the vehicle to a VW dealer and have them clean and lubricate the sunroof tracks. This is not a difficult job but it requires special knowledge, so it is best left to a technician at your dealer.
If the problem is with one of the side windows, you can often solve it yourself by taking the car to a coin-op car wash, and directing the spray from the high pressure wand at the base of the side window, about half an inch up from the base of the window. Try to keep the high pressure wand as close to vertical as possible. The object of the exercise is to rinse any dirt that may have accumulated in the outside bottom window seal out of the seal.
After you have done that, 're-adapt' the pinch protection system (retrain the system so it knows what the baseline friction is) by running the window fully down, fully up, and fully down, holding the window button in the manual down or manual up position. Don't use the auto up or auto down function for this adaptation. After you have completed these three full movement cycles, the window will note the amount of friction it encountered when moving, and use that as a baseline for future activation of the pinch protection system.
Michael
It is mentioned there. But, to be fair, the Phaeton owner manual is not a shining example of the most concise and lucid technical writing in the world today. The legal department in Auburn Hills stuffed so much crap into it that it is almost impossible to find information that describes how the car operates.
Maybe we should put together our first ever "Phaeton Forum Group Buy", and import a case of English language owner manuals from the UK. I have seen them, they are concise, to the point, and easy to read. This is because suing people is not part of the culture in that country.
Michael
Unfortunately "galloping lawyer syndrome" is has started to spread to the UK from across the Atlantic so you had better get that order in quickly before our manuals look like yours.
William
There may be a problem, I quote from a Phaeton test in August last year:
“This brings us to a point which we all found annoying: the driver’s manual is the multi-section type which is now used for all Volkswagen models, a huge proportion of it is apparently designed to protect the company from legal battles in the USA. The sections which apply to actually operating the car are neither well laid out nor easy to understand. This is a car with a base price of £40,000, yet the manufacturer has not taken the trouble to provide illustrations adapted for an English speaking market. They are taken straight from the German version without the labels being translated into English.” All this may refer to the manual on the computer, the article is none too clear at this point so I’ll still go ahead and find out if the written manual is available for sale.
William
Hi William:
Oh - that is not good news. I will be in the UK in early August - I have to go to Cambridge. Perhaps we can get together then and have a look at the manual, are you in that area of the UK?
Michael
Please see this post for detailed information explaining how to 'adapt' a sunroof. Normally, most problems related to sunroof movement (not closing properly, stopping before it is fully closed or fully opened, etc.) can be resolved by 'adapting' the sunroof. This presumes, of course, that there is no physical impediment to operation, such as dirt in the tracks, a lack of lubricant, deformation of any of the components, etc.
Michael How to adapt moving components (windows, seats, sunroof, trunk lid)
Here are the instructions from the Phaeton service manual that explain how to adapt the sunroof motor. Normally this will only be necessary if power has been removed from the car and the sunroof is not operating properly.
As you will realize once you read it, the translation from the original German text is not the best. If you are having difficulty understanding the nuance of the instruction, try re-arranging the sentence to put the verb at the end, this might help. That is how the sentence was originally composed.
Michael Sunroof Adaptation Instructions
My rotary dial for the sunroof has become detached. if you push on it it just kind of freewheels. If you pull down and hold it in position, you can rotate the dial and it still works fine. Is this an easy solution or does it need to go to the dealer?
There is a solution, I think it is in the forum table of contents (I don't have time to search at the moment) - if you don't find it there, do a keyword search on "sunroof dial".
Michael
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