jcm

Some of you may have read my previous threads requesting info from people with a noisy "moonroof" and any possible fixes. Well, I took mine in several times telling them about the noise. The dealership was always courteous about trying to fix it, but always focused on the moonroof itself.

While driving home a few weeks ago, I had the roof open all the way and started messin' around with the framing, the tracks, etc. I'm sure I looked like an idiot to my neighbors, because I was perched up sitting almost on the headrest with my big head poking out of the moonroof opening, using my knees to drive at about 5 mph through the neighborhood and using both hands to press around on the moonroof framing ;-)

But, I figured it out! It was actually the drivers side moonroof track that was rattling. It was very subtle and could only be noticed if I applied downward pressure to the front part of the track... then the noise would disappear! Releasing the track would cause the noise to start again.

I took it to my dealership and they took the entire track framing apart, then tightened everything up and used "anti-rattle foam and tape" to reinstall the pieces. Well, it's been about 100 miles and there is no trace of the noise yet! This is the first time I have been able to drive even 1 mile since buying this pre-owned car where I wasn't listening to the tap/rattle from that area. I'm very pleased with the work they did so far. The best part is that the head service consultant has been very nice about this, despite the fact that I brought it in about 5 times already.

If anyone finds the same problem and wants their dealership to try a similar fix, let me know and I'll be happy to pass along the name and phone number of the guy at my dealership so they can do the same thing. Just thought this might be helpful to others with a moonroof noise.

kevs

Thanks for the update!

rominl

iTrader: (4)

ooh this is great! i will go check it out this weekend, but i will probbaly have my gf drive the car. hahahhhaha

GSquicksilver

nope, not the tracks. mine rattles when i open it all the way. i can make it rattle by hitting the ceiling. mine is coming from inside where the moonroof resides when it opens all the way on the passenger side. any ideas?

jcm

For above, it sounds like you are pretty convinced it's the glass. My service department told me that the most common rattling comes from the plastic trim molding around the inside of the glass. They can remove this and insert an anti-rattle foam and tape that can prevent a lot of tapping. If it's the trim, that seems to fix it for a lot of people. It doesn't take that long and if it works, great... if not, it's probably not the glass. You might consider that it's the rear part of the track that becomes loose enough to rattle when the moonroof is all the way back.

The big problem for me was isolating the location. They spent so much time trying to get the moonroof itself to stop making noise, but it was never the glass part. I would definitely recommend getting someone to drive for you and sit in the passenger seat, all the way back, recline the seat, get on your knees and poke your head around up there. It was much easier to isolate the actual source when I was driving recklessly ;-) I was shocked how deceiving sounds can be. I thought my rooftop was making a noise awhile ago, but it was just the rattle of the rear seat headrest!!! Pushing it all the way down eliminated the noise completely. It's just strange how sounds transmit and your ears can deceive you. I think the only way to pin it down is to get real close to each area and check it out.

I wish everyone luck with their moonroof noises. That sound drove me F***ing crazy, particularly as it progressed and was just a constant distraction. I had to turn the radio way up to drown it out! I couldn't help but sit there thinking... "I paid $50k for this noise bucket?!?!?" As you can imagine, I'm very pleased to have some resolution ;-)

tmasta

jcm,

what dealership did u go to? i live in the area also and have the same issue. thanks!

T

jcm

Lexus of Rockville. They're at 301-762-9009 and the person in charge of service is Chris King. Nice guy and very helpful. Good luck and let me know if this type of fix works if you get any work on done on it!

mcgong

i wonder if longo knows about this......have to take my car there soon for the 60k tune up.

Kbach

iTrader: (1)

I had a 'popping' noise in the 99 RX300 that we had. The dealer could never find it, and said no other dealer had found the fix either. I finally got tired of it and removed the glass myself. After quite a lot if looking, I discovered the plastic trim was the issue. The pieces were fit so close inside that they would touch and any movement caused the noise. I used the selt sander on the inner corners and put everything back together. No noise!!! The dealer just gave me a blank stare when I told him about it.